Re: Bald Eagles in the Backcountry

Sometimes you get lucky:



Of course... I'm cuter (and much more dangerous)





Merri Xmas & Hoppi New Ear

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chick-on
Sometimes you get lucky:

Indeed.

Getting them just sitting there... a little easier:



and this one I really like:



Just a gorgeous bird.

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Wow!

I'm betting there was a "little" bit of patience involved in that shot. Based on the sitting shot, trying to wait them out to take flight. It's keeping the camera poised and ready that is tough. Great shot!

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chicagocwright
I'm betting there was a "little" bit of patience involved in that shot. Based on the sitting shot, trying to wait them out to take flight. It's keeping the camera poised and ready that is tough. Great shot!

Although I am a patient bird... almost all of the eagles around there flew away almost before you got anywhere close to them.
So... I didn't have to wait long. And was extremely lucky it wasn't completely out of focus.

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Just a gorgeous bird

Indeed it is. I saw one up in Alaska. There is no thinking what kind of bird is that. It is a Bald Eagle. Period.
Great pictures!

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madmxe
Just a gorgeous bird

Indeed it is. I saw one up in Alaska. There is no thinking what kind of bird is that. It is a Bald Eagle. Period.
Great pictures!

It was pretty cool. Wifey says "they don't look that big"... and then another zigged off a tree and she goes
"ooooooo.... they big". There were at least 6 males and a couple of females... fishing away.
Couldn't get any shots of them doing that though.

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When I went sea kayaking on Glacier Bay, the first camp I set up, I followed a clearing through the alders and saw a bald eagle right in front of me, 15 feet or so. Didn't get a picture...they are big.

Cool pictures.

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chick-on

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madmxe
Just a gorgeous bird

Indeed it is. I saw one up in Alaska. There is no thinking what kind of bird is that. It is a Bald Eagle. Period.
Great pictures!

It was pretty cool. Wifey says "they don't look that big"... and then another zigged off a tree and she goes
"ooooooo.... they big". There were at least 6 males and a couple of females... fishing away.
Couldn't get any shots of them doing that though.

Are you determining sex by size? Since females are larger?

They are gorgeous birds. But I thought that they were ocean fishing birds. What are they doing in the Sierras at the end of December?

They like lakes. We see them down at Lake San Antonio in the spring, so I guess they over-winter inland a bit.

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wherever
They are gorgeous birds. But I thought that they were ocean fishing birds. What are they doing in the Sierras at the end of December?

They are residents.
Check out the map here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle

We've seen Bald Eagles a number of times.
Places such as:
- Bearup Lake
- Rodgers Lake
- Lake Vernon
These were taken at Cherry. (ok, it's not in Yosemite... and it's not even wilderness... but it's close enough this time of year)
As you can maybe see... it's pretty full... lots of fish... and very quiet there now... so with most of the other lakes
frozen or in the process of being frozen over... there were a lot of eagles here. Didn't see them at Kibbie or Eleanor.

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Forgot about the one at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir seen from just west of Kolana:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,31617,31629#msg-31629

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I give a talk on the eagles at the animal sanctuary I am a volunteer at on Saturdays in Lake Arrowhead. We have a male bald and a female golden eagle.

Bald eagles are the only eagle found only in North America, all other eagles are found on multiple continents. They live near any large bodies of water, oceans and lakes. Their preferred diet is fish, but they will scavenge on carrion as needed to survive. Rodents and small mammals are also eaten if no fish can be found.

The bald eagle typically gets its white head and tail in it's 5th year, occasionally 4th, rarely 3rd. Juvenile balds are often mistaken for golden eagles. You can tell the difference by looking at their feet. Goldens have their feathers all the way down to the tops of their claws, balds have more bare legs in comparison.

Those in the Bay Area should take a look at the Golden Eagle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_eagle

Ok, I'll just put it here for you:
"The highest density of nesting Golden Eagles in the world lies in southern Alameda County, California."

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hotrod4x5
Are you determining sex by size? Since females are larger?

Uh. Well... what is that that they say? You learn something every day?
You are right. Females and Males share the same plumage. Females are larger.
What I was doing was making a parallel to most other birds to my knowledge...
that the male has more color than the female... so the ones w/o white heads were
therefore females. Well, that's incorrect. Those are juveniles.
Thanks for asking

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Nice pictures and thank you for your discussion.I will like to discuss about some Bald Eagles Facts.Eagle flies with all its glory that has been bestowed to it by the GOD. Among the flying animals, it is considered as the bravest and liked the most for this quality. There are many species of eagles in the world. One of them is the American bald eagle. Despite of its being an eagle, there are many other facts that are not known to many.

This one is for my buddi basilbop:



And here's our trip report.
Day 1 - Lake Eleanor - easy peasy... hike around looking at dam... wifey thinky can hike around lake... get ear full later when dark approach and she not back
Day 2 - Follow border to look for boundary markers... and go to Kibbie Lake
Day 3 - Dayhike up to pond on Kibbie Ridge for a skate
Day 4 - Out and home

Compared to last year at Vernon... Bahamas.
Mainly b/c last year it was 100% snow at these elevations... and if you stopped hiking you needed to put some
poofies on immediately... this year... we could lounge lizard all day just about and be toasty warm.

Life is rough... take a hike

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What that is there... that's Cherry Creek Canyon...

i.e. :
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,27875,37281#msg-37281

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Looks like a wonderful x-mas trip, thanks for sharing! And Cherry sure looks nice and tempting--less snow than Memorial Day weekend...

Was Kibbie freezing up, or still reasonable open water? Seeing some of these ice skating pictures, I'm wondering if I'd need to chop ice to reach water at Vernon (I'm assuming Kendrick would be liquid anyway if I go there, but would wonder about Laurel).

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ttilley
Was Kibbie freezing up, or still reasonable open water? Seeing some of these ice skating pictures, I'm wondering if I'd need to chop ice to reach water at Vernon (I'm assuming Kendrick would be liquid anyway if I go there, but would wonder about Laurel).

You probably recognize Kibbie here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,49653,49909#msg-49909

That picture is also in this set:
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/KibbieXmas

To directly answer your question... It was pretty open. The outlet is wide as you probably know... and that was
the most frozen area... getting water will not be an issue... the stream right before Kibbie Creek was also
flowing...
As for Vernon and Laurel.. pretty much same elevation so I'd expect the same... maybe an inch or so of ice...
and the outlet of Vernon flowing... getting water a non-issue.
The ponds by Laurel... and the pond before hitting Kendrick Creeek... I'd expect those to be completely frozen
and ice skate-able.

Have yet to decide where going to go on this 3 day wkend... might just see you out there...
Have fun

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Thanks. I haven't fully decided where to go this weekend, but have decided upon Yosemite (Lost Coast was in the running as the tides generally work, only >=6' tides during the overnight hours leaving the days workable at less than 5' max).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2012 06:43PM by ttilley.

Good 1

A few more of the trip are here for those interested:
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/KibbieXmas

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Have been to Kibbie several times over the decades. Last trip ( June 2008? ) we not only saw two bald eagles for several hours but saw one carrying a sizeable trout below two claw style. Any big lakes where fishing has been good for decades like those chick-on mentioned are likely to have visits from eagles. Northwest Yosemite lakes have some of the best rainbow trout waters in the range.

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http://www.davidsenesac.com

I remember seeing one at Mercur a few years back. Very impressive...

Pictures like this must make the people in the area think we are nuts when we get excited about seeing one.


source: http://www.blueskyoutfitters.com/



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2012 08:10AM by hotrod4x5.