Eagle feeding station

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Tuesday, September 28. 2010

No idea where this was. (thanks, Buddy). We photographed a scene like this (but without the bird-feeding) driving down from Whistler to Vancouver some winters ago. Awesome. Even the non-birders in our skiing group were impressed.

The eagles were like gulls. These greedy fish-eaters have no idea that they are symbols.

Another pic below the fold

Posted by Bird Dog in Natural History and Conservation, Our Essays at 19:39 | Comments (27) | Trackbacks (0)

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Alaska?

#1 Skookumchuk on 2010-09-28 19:50 (Reply)

Ole Ben Franklin was right about a lot of things, but not about our National Bird.

These birds look amazing!

#2 Mark M on 2010-09-28 20:03 (Reply)

I don't get it. Who were they feeding the eagles to, at the feeding station?

#3 Wally on 2010-09-28 20:54 (Reply)

Two questions.
1. Which one is in charge?
2. Is that squid they are eating?

#4 jappy on 2010-09-28 21:00 (Reply)

The email I had that contained that picture (as part of a series of pictures) placed it at the Mississippi river in St. Louis. According to the email, some do-gooders decided the eagles needed to be fed and brought buckets of fish to be thrown to the greedy buzzards. This supposedly took place last winter (2009-2010). I no longer have the email and no way of verifying it anyway. Still it made for a heartwarming animal story even if one of those flying rats could tear your face off...

#5 JoeC on 2010-09-28 21:01 (Reply)

Snow in St.Louis?

#5.1 J.T. Wenting on 2010-09-29 03:16 (Reply)

But looking at the second picture there is no way that could be the Mississippi... not with actual hills in the background. I'm guessing Vancouver or someplace like that in the Northwest.

#6 JoeC on 2010-09-28 21:03 (Reply)

Amazing photographs.

#7 peter on 2010-09-28 21:20 (Reply)

BD,

You would have been driving the "Sea-to-Sky Coastal Highway" through Squamish, BC. Beautiful drive! "Shannon Falls", near Squamish, is also a meeting place for the Bald Eagle. Painter Marc Barrie has a great print titled "Shannon Falls" which hangs in my living room.

Garry

#8 Garry on 2010-09-28 21:35 (Reply)

Probably on the Homer Spit in Alaska. There was a lady who feed them out there for years. I've seen many photo's similar from the Spit. She died some years back, don't remember her name.

#9 Larry on 2010-09-28 21:39 (Reply)

Just wow!

I've seen that many Bald Eagles in a day. They winter down here, and Lake Greeson has a fair collection of them most winters.

My buddies and I have gone out boating on the lake in January, just to take pictures of them. But we've never gotten that close to any of them, let alone that many at once.

Maybe we need to start going fishing first....

I'm sure the Game and Fish folks would understand......

Yeah, right......!

#10 jefferson101 on 2010-09-28 21:43 (Reply)

There are now several nests in Land O'Lakes, WI. around a lake that hosts muskie, Northern and walleye. So far, they share with the fishermen.

#11 jma on 2010-09-28 22:27 (Reply)

I've photographed a gathering of bald eagles every fall in Ridgway, CO for the last five years. Some are migrating from colder climates and some are locals. The locals are here year round as we always have open waters. Their usually scattered around the countryside but always gather when the kokanee, land locked salmon, make their way from Ridgway reservoir up the Uncompahgre river to the town of Ridgway to spawn. It's quite a scene. I'd be glad to send you some quality pictures if your interested. I have hundreds. Read your site every day but have little time to comment. Thanks for putting it out there. I've been photographing raptors in this area for many years and enjoy the pictures you put up.

#12 KennyR on 2010-09-28 22:54 (Reply)

raptor pics?
sure

#12.1 bd on 2010-09-29 05:24 (Reply)

How can I get them to you?

#12.1.1 KennyR on 2010-10-05 21:12 (Reply)

Funny how they are called an "abomination" in Leviticus.
They look wonderful to me.

#13 thehawkreturns on 2010-09-29 01:34 (Reply)

I have seen bald eagles live only twice in my lifetime. The first was along US 131 in Michigan, and the second was at Disney World, while riding the ferry from the ticket gate to the Magic Kingdom area.

I'm not concerned that they are simply taking advantage of a free feed. This is still one of the most awesome pictures I have ever seen.

#14 John on 2010-09-29 07:53 (Reply)

There are nesting pairs in Connecticut now, year round residents in Southbury.

Beautiful birds.

#15 Hank on 2010-09-29 08:58 (Reply)

The email came to me in Texas from a ladyfriend in Louisiana, the text accompanying tyhe pix said:

(open quote)

FEEDING THE EAGLES

January of this year, 2010, the weather stayed so cold in St. Louis, Missouri and Alton, Illinois that the bald eagles were cruising over houses in hopes of a quick meal.
They could not access fish that were at the bottom of the river and had gathered together.

Some kind souls decided to feed the eagles so they would survive the cold spell.
They gathered fish and started feeding the group of eagles huddled on the shore.

The photos below show what happened. A former teaching colleague took these photos in front of his home.

(close quote)

whatever in the world would we do without the internet?

#16 buddy larsen on 2010-09-29 10:43 (Reply)

The first photo makes it seem like the Mississippi river is mighty wide. The second photo shows some mountains that look mighty big for Illinois or Missouri.....maybe they're clouds in the background.
In my first comment, I thought it was in Homer, Alaska. It could actually be anywhere. The mountain in the background of the second photo seems to be somewhere in Alaska.

#16.1 Larry on 2010-09-29 12:08 (Reply)

Could also be the Fraser River Canyon in BC. Don't know for sure.

#16.1.1 Garry on 2010-09-29 14:54 (Reply)

I 'm pretty sure that it is on the Homer spit in AK. Also that is a cloud not a mt top in the second pic.

#17 Terry on 2010-09-29 13:17 (Reply)

Wisconsin is fortunate to have the largest population of Bald eagles in the lower 48. I live near the Wisconsin River, so I see them on a regular basis, and consider myself lucky to do so. Man, those birds get big! Eagles exhibit reverse sexual dimorphism, that is, the females are larger than the males. I was once driving down US 12, on the way to Madison, and saw an eagle flying along below the dam in Saul Prarie, and my first thought, when I saw her was, " Wait, aren't Piper Cubs supposed to be yellow"?

Lets all give 3X3 for the Bald Eagle!

HIP, HIP, HUZZAH!
HIP, HIP, HUZZAH!
HIP, HIP, HUZZAH!

#18 SCOTTtheBADGER on 2010-09-29 22:07 (Reply)

Baldies are handsome birds but when it comes to performance ie. hunting, flying, speed, you know being a bird of prey, it is a Volkswagen compared to a Corvette when compared to the Golden Eagle.

#19 Bob Devine on 2010-09-30 04:20 (Reply)

Pretty sure it is in Comox, BC. Vancouver Island. That is a mountain top, not a cloud.

#20 concrete on 2010-09-30 10:01 (Reply)

These pictures were taken in Homer Alaska....
I live there and have seen this many times. I have pictures just like this and so do many other people.
The "Eagle Lady of Homer" died several years age. She was the only person that was allowed to feed them. " long story on that"
After she died, now more feeding the eagles on the Homer Spit.
People should get their facts straight before they post. These pictures are being posted be many other people.
Sorry........

#21 Tom on 2010-10-07 00:16 (Reply)

Tom,

I guess the fact is that scene in Alaska, that you spoke of and is displayed here, plays out in various parts of North America. I've personally seen the scene that BD spoke of and there are obviously a few others. All good, I'd say.

Garry

#21.1 Garry on 2010-10-09 10:33 (Reply)

According to these postings The Eagle Lady actually died in January of 2009. I'm not sure if they're still being fed or not. The information I found related to this said the feedings would end March 27th, 2009.

http://www.akphotograph.com/Alaska%20Blog/?tag=eagle-landing

They are indeed magnificent birds. We had the opportunity to watch a bald eagle a few summers ago on a lake in Southeast Michigan. We had our boat anchored just off shore for twenty minutes or so before we noticed the bald eagle sitting up in a tree just above us. Apparently he had been watching us first. He didn't fly away and was still there an hour or so later when we pulled anchor.

#21.2 Lisa on 2010-11-05 20:09 (Reply)

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Tuesday, September 28. 2010

Eagle feeding station