A Mated Pair

[canonloader]

Just got around to processing these from our first river freeze a couple months ago. This is a mated pair of Bald Eagles. The male first, then the larger female, then together to show the size difference. Still, they are both big birds. :)

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/matedpair1.jpg

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/matedpair2.jpg

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/matedpair3.jpg

[hTr]

You got them Mitch

Nice set

[pttenn]

Damn it looks cold up there! I envy you the eagles but I'm headed for Florida in 2 weeks!
:) Won't rub it in too hard...lol
Karen

[canonloader]

Thanks hTr and Karen. The river froze up once, then that warm spell thawed it out. Now it's cold and frozen again. :)

[hTr]

Thanks hTr and Karen. The river froze up once, then that warm spell thawed it out. Now it's cold and frozen again. :)

I would say they probably are feeding at the dam in Winona or Smaller streams where faster running water can be found.

[canonloader]

If they are smart, they went on to Florida. ;)

[pttenn]

I hope so, maybe I will finally get a shot of one! That shot of them glaring at each other across the ice reminds me of my marriage. Ex-marriage, I should say...lol
Karen

[morehtml]

That ice looks cold . Good shots

[canonloader]

Allen, the ice, as seen in #1, in front of and behind the male, was very thin. Flexible, like walking on a waterbed. And it was moving. You can see it piled up right behind the male shot. Part of the ice was frozen to the shore line and not moving, but other parts were in the current, and when they'd meet, the moving ice would pile up in those little rough mounds you can see. Very interesting to watch, like speeded up animation of plates colliding. And it was vocal, you could hear it happening. :)

And, I suppose it was cold, but these eagles just don't seem to mind. I've seen them standing on ice for an hour at a time. Would be interesting to hear a scientific explanation for why bird feet can take the cold. I mean, look at ducks. ;)

[pttenn]

And, I suppose it was cold, but these eagles just don't seem to mind. I've seen them standing on ice for an hour at a time. Would be interesting to hear a scientific explanation for why bird feet can take the cold. I mean, look at ducks. ;)[/quote]

Actually I did learn something about that in school but it has been so long I've forgotten the details, but birds have some sort of special circulation in their feet that prevents them from freezing.
Karen

[lcpete]

Great shots, we never see rivers freeze like that in the UK :D
Pete

[canonloader]

Thanks Pete. I'd just as soon not see them freeze up here too. :)

[Reyno]

Very nice images Mitch.

[canonloader]

Thanks Reyno. :)

[philc123]

Great shots Mitch, i bet she dont take any backchat!

[canonloader]

Thanks Phil. Well, look at him, does he look henpecked? :D

[downywp]

Nice shots, they both look cold....I could be wrong, but it looks like "she" is younger than "he" is:)

[ngannet]

Awesome shots, nice and sharp and what beautiful scenery. That female sure is big! I love the way the ice looks too. Oh, here (http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1997/02/11/02.asp) is a link about why birds feet don't freeze.

[Gr8outdrsmn]

Beautiful shots.

[bromm]

Actually I did learn something about that in school but it has been so long I've forgotten the details, but birds have some sort of special circulation in their feet that prevents them from freezing.
Karen[/quote]
I think they have rum circulating in their feet.:p
But I do remember something of the sort as well Karen, seems like such a long time ago that I learned it in school, sigh.:)

OOPS, Very nice captures Mitch, you seem to run into those eagles like we do starlings.

[canonloader]

Nice shots, they both look cold....I could be wrong, but it looks like "she" is younger than "he" is:)
Thanks Downy. I've never come across any documentation on how to tell their age, other than the white head and tail at 5 years. :)

Awesome shots, nice and sharp and what beautiful scenery. That female sure is big! I love the way the ice looks too. Oh, here (http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1997/02/11/02.asp) is a link about why birds feet don't freeze.
Thanks Bob. Interesting link. :)

Beautiful shots.
Thanks Gr8outdrsmn. :)

Actually I did learn something about that in school but it has been so long I've forgotten the details, but birds have some sort of special circulation in their feet that prevents them from freezing.
Karen
I think they have rum circulating in their feet.:p
But I do remember something of the sort as well Karen, seems like such a long time ago that I learned it in school, sigh.:)

OOPS, Very nice captures Mitch, you seem to run into those eagles like we do starlings.[/quote]
Trevor, I'll go with the Rummy feet idea, and it would be pretty hard not to see an eagle around here, especially in winter. I'm just lucky to live in a natural eagle magnet area. :)

[guitarman3]

Great shots of these beautiflul birds in their environment. I'd love to have an opportunity like this. I saw a couple matures flying AWAY from me last week at the wetlands, but that's as close as I've come. Maybe next week!

[canonloader]

Thanks Dennis. Know where Cougar Washington is? On the road to the south side of Mt. St. Helens? If you drive up there, go about half a mile past town on the right is a park with a beach and a view of the lake. Start there, although, it will be a long shot. There are ways to get to the south side of the three lakes behind the dams, which has a gravel road that more closely follows the shore line with a better view than the north side. If I were still out there, and if it hasn't been suburbanized since the 80's, that's where I'd go to look for eagles and Ospreys. ;)

[guitarman3]

I'll make a note of that Mitch! Thanks for the tip!

[canonloader]

I lived in Cougar back in 82, working for the highway department, rebuilding the roads up there on the mountain, so I've been all over the area. I saw Bald Eagles and Ospreys there all the time, the third chain lake, primarily, cause I know that one better, but the second one was good too. And of course, I wasn't into photography then, and an eagle was just a big bird, but they were plentiful, even then. ;)