Wow!

How many times does a bald eagle fly right over your head? In my case, not that many, and it made deciding on today's shot very easy.

I went out birding this afternoon with a friend - we braved temps in the high 20's and a biting wind, all in search of a rare Eurasian Widgeon that had been sighted in this area during the past week. At our last stop, this magnificent eagle flew over our heads, spooking 70 or so ducks that were on the lake. The ducks took off, circled the lake, and returned to the same spot we'd been watching them at ...this time with the Eurasian Widgeon drake in their midst! My friend had a spotting scope which allowed both of us to get a very good look at the bird - a gorgeous thing in full breeding plumage. Too far away to get much other than a somewhat blurry ID photo, but so exciting to see through the scope. And worth the runny noses and chilly toes, nose, and fingers.

About the eagle - we believe this is a fourth year juvenile. He/she is nearly completely into adult plumage except for some lighter spots under the wings and some black around the tail feathers. The beak is bright yellow and the head and tail are mostly white at this point. The bald eagle becomes mature and seeks a mate at 5 years. Bald eagles in New Jersey have made an amazing comeback in the past decade or so, recovering from being endangered. There are a number of breeding pairs in my area, most of which have nested successfully and fledged 2 chicks in recent years. A success story, to be sure.

Four other shots of the eagle, a duo of flying mergansers and a red-tailed hawk (who also flew right over our heads) are posted on flick, starting HERE

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Debbi