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Checking out the Tidal Flats


Checking out the Tidal Flats
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-06-13
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon Eos 300D Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Prey- RAPTORS (III) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-30 16:23
Viewed: 814
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This pair of Bald Eagles were captured checking out the tidal flats near Masset B.C. One eagle is immature, thus has not gotten his bald head yet.

Bald Eagle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Falconiformes

Family: Accipitridae

Genus: Haliaeetus

Species: H. leucocephalus

The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the national bird and symbol of the United States. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting.

The Bald Eagle is a large bird, with a body length of 71–96 centimeters (28–38 in), a wingspan of 168–244 centimeters (66–88 in), and a weight of 3–6.3 kilograms (6.6–14 lb); females are about 25 percent larger than males.[2] The adult Bald Eagle has a brown body with a white head and tail, and bright yellow irises, taloned feet, and a hooked beak; juveniles are completely brown except for the yellow feet. Males and females are identical in plumage coloration. Its diet consists mainly of fish, but it is an opportunistic feeder. It hunts fish by swooping down and snatching the fish out of the water with its talons. It is sexually mature at four years or five years of age. The Bald Eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird, up to 4 meters (13 ft) deep, 2.5 meters (8 ft) wide, and one tonne (1.1 tons) in weight.[2]

The species was on the brink of extirpation in the continental United States (while flourishing in much of Alaska and Canada) late in the 20th century, but now has a stable population and has been officially removed from the U.S. federal government's list of endangered species. The Bald Eagle was officially reclassified from "Endangered" to "Threatened" on July 12, 1995 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. On July 6, 1999, a proposal was initiated "To Remove the Bald Eagle in the Lower 48 States From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife." It was delisted on June 28, 2007.


Description
The plumage of an adult Bald Eagle is evenly brown with a white head and tail. The tail is moderately long and slightly wedge-shaped. Males and females are identical in plumage coloration, however females display reverse sexual dimorphism and are 25 percent larger than males.[2] The beak, feet, and irises are bright yellow. The legs are unfeathered, and the toes are short and powerful with long talons. The highly developed talon of the hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of prey while it is held immobile by the front toes.[3] The beak is large and hooked, with a yellow cere.[4]

The plumage of the immature is brown, speckled with white until the fifth (rarely fourth, very rarely third) year, when it reaches sexual maturity.[2][3] Immature Bald Eagles are distinguishable from the Golden Eagle in that the former has a more protruding head with a larger bill, straighter edged wings which are held flat (not slightly raised) and with a stiffer wing beat, and feathers which do not completely cover the legs.[5] Also, the immature Bald Eagle has more light feathers in the upper arm area, especially around the very top of the arm.

Body length ranges from 71 to 96 cm (28–38 in). Adult females have a wingspan of up to 2.44 m (88 in), while adult males may be as small as 1.68 m (66 in).[2] Adult females weigh approximately 5.8 kg (12.8 lb), males weigh 4.1 kg (9 lb).[6] The size of the bird varies by location; the smallest specimens are those from Florida, where an adult male may barely exceed 2.3 kg (5 lb) and a wingspan of 1.8 m (6 ft). The largest are Alaskan birds, where large females may exceed 7.5 kg (16.5 lb) and have a wingspan of over 2.4 m (8 ft).[4]
CeltickRanger, jeanpaul, jusninasirun, Luis52, eqshannon, ramthakur, mariki, spalaxtr, SelenE has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hello Rick

bald eagles levely images, i love your low POV
at the level of the eagles, excellent details of their plumage
and excellent contrast of the image, if my eyes are not mistaking
the one immature is a little bit off focus, i think it would be
better if the immature too would be on focus

TFS Rick this great nature image

Asbed

Hi Rick
Excellente prise de vue de ces deux superbes oiseaux,le timing est parfait et la composition est très jolie.
Merci et au revoir..JP

Hello Rick,

What a capture of a very nice pair which looks like some kind of inspection is going on. Beautiful details of the birds in this natural environment. Well done!

Regards,
Jusni

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1026 W: 5 N: 2888] (10447)
  • [2008-01-30 17:14]

Hola Rick.
Mucha suerte para lograr esta hermosa foto de no solo una sino dos bellas Aguilas Reales.
Muy hermosa presentacion y agradables tonos de colores y alta nitidez.
Saludos Rick.
Luis52.

It really sounds like a good trip you had...memories are nice are they not...at least these type...I have a fondness for the Baldy..no matter how many times I see them I am impressed...as I am here.
Bob

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 214 W: 0 N: 635] (2847)
  • [2008-01-30 17:30]

Hi Rick,

Wow, impressive picture, Like the way you've cropped your picture, tight but enough space for those 2 amazing birds. Well done!

Lise

Hi Rick,
Wonderful capture of these eagles. I always see images with eagles flying, but this is rather refreshing to see them do something different. Very nice and TFS. :)

hello rick,
nice capture of the bald eagles, the pov is suitable, nice dof and good details,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Interesting surrounding for a shot of them.

The mature Bald Eagle definitely looks much better with that impressive white head, Rick.
This is a fine capture of the pair from your old collection.
Thanks for sharing and best regards.
Ram

Hello Rick,
you are a lucky man to meet this splendid eagles, they are surely most beautiful raptor of the world, excellent capture with good lighting and well focused,
well done,
friendly,
Pat

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1812 W: 29 N: 5246] (17188)
  • [2008-01-31 0:24]

Hi Rick,
Wonderful shot of this duo and a nice illustration of the bald head. Great colours and details and the natural surrounding looks fabulous. I like the different postures they present here. Excellent POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hello Rick,

Beautiful picture of these two eagles. Splendid composition. Good sharpness. I like very muche the colours. Very well done.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-01-31 0:52]

Hi Rick

You were lucky to get the two birds facing each other - great composition, well captured.

James

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1888 W: 245 N: 6180] (22002)
  • [2008-01-31 2:29]

Very natural image of these Bald Eagles!
It makes us feel like we're really there watching them.
Great sharpness and detail.
Superb composition.
Nice colours.
Well done Rick

Joe

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1911 W: 8 N: 4976] (16095)
  • [2008-01-31 8:00]

Hi Rick,

A wonderful shot of these two Eagles. Looks like the young one is rather dissheveled from his explorations. The older one doesn't have a feather out of place. Really nice to see them in a natural setting like this.

Jane

Hello Rick,
Magnificent shot of these very proud looking Eagles, stunning detail in the plumage, well framed, exposure is spot-on, great workand TFS, all the best ,
Mustafa

Hi Rick,
Très belle prise, merci de nous faire découvrir ce couple avec ses couleurs si naturelles.
merci
Marie

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1427 W: 128 N: 5252] (23221)
  • [2008-02-02 8:36]

Hello Rick, very well composed scene with those two great Eagles. Good details and great exposure, thanks !

Mario

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-02 15:56]

Hello Rick

Super capture of these two.
Excellent low POV,like you are lying in the creek.
The focus is very good and the details are sharp.
A very good look at an immature bald eagle before it's piebald feathers are fully white.
TFS

Rob

Hi Rick,
again an awesome photo of a majestic bird, at first I thought the juvenille was just a dirty bird! ha ha
Love this shot. TFS
Donna:o)

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2426 W: 63 N: 4002] (12926)
  • [2008-02-04 0:45]

Hi Rick,
I've missed this one. It's very nice to see two of them together in one frame. Composition, POV, focus and sharpness are very good. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

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