One Ugly Bird

NorthernFocus

This guy looks like it's been in a paintball fight. In addition to the immature plumage coloration, note the pale eyes and beak of the younger bird. This particular bird was very large and aggressive and was holding its own fighting over fish with the mature birds. I guess if ya get hungry enough you'll try anything :dunno

grimace

Nice capture Dan. Is it possible the third eye lid was shut on the photo?

NorthernFocus

Thanks, Adam. If you are refering to the paleness of the eye, it looks the same in a whole series of frames. In this particular shot the eye is also at an angle due to the forward looking geometry of the eagle's head which obscures it somewhat.

Ric Grupe

At least this one has a mostly white head. The immatures without it are truly odd.

While walking along a dike at Trempealeau NWR by the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, I had an immature take flight from a tree next to the path I was on. He fell to clear the limbs before flapping his wings to gain altitude and missed my head by three feet! So...I know how big these birds actually are and how nasty those talons are.:yikes

Good capture.

mnscott

That's a nice capture, Dan. It's cool to see wingtip-to-wingtip like that.

I've tried to get good eagle photos, but so far have not been close enough to them. Kudos to you for getting to the right place at the right time!

We now see a lot of bald eagles in the Minnesota/Wisconsin area. In fact, on a recent drive along the Mississippi, my wife and I saw dozens of them. Often they were in groups of six or more, but always they were too far away.

NorthernFocus

Thanks for commenting, folks. I was reading recently that the eagle population in the lower 48 has recovered from an estimate of 450 mating pairs in the early 70s to over 10,000 mating pairs today. And that doesn't include the thousands that migrate to the Mississippi watershed and elsewhere in winter. Good news for photographers ! If you like the tip to tip image, here's another taken the same day of a better looking bird. I didn't post it on its own merits because it is a substantial crop and required a good bit of PP to deal with poor exposure as shot.

Gale

No ugly Eagles
They are all beautiful. I like shooting the juvys.

Nice shots

NorthernFocus

OK, I'll stop shy of using the word UGLY, but I can't make it as far as beautiful One thing for sure though, those babies know how to fly regardless of appearance

In deference to your post, I've changed the title of the OP

Osprey Whisperer

All birds should be so ugly. Nice capture.

thapamd

Oh man! I love eagle shots, and this is a beauty with the wingspan captured just beautifully!

NorthernFocus

Thanks for commenting, Mike and Mahesh. I love to shoot these guys in flight. Gotta get back out there soon...

Harryb

Very good capture Dan. Its always a thrill to see an eagle.