I made a trip to on Sunday to Bald Eagle watch and to get more shots of birds in flight.  Wildlife photography is a great hobby for me in that I can be out in nature and simply enjoy the peacefulness of being outdoors in search of wildlife.  Sunday was no different.  However, I fail to mention the very nice people I meet when visiting parks, especially in a park with an attraction like a Bald Eagle's nest.  Thanks to everyone for being so nice, sharing information where I might find other wildlife photo opportunities, and also for viewing my website.

I didn't realize it until this day but there is at least two eaglets in the nest.  The nest is far away from the camera but even with heavy cropping you can see an eaglet pretty well in the photos below.

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle & Eaglet (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/3200, ISO 400)

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle & Eaglet (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/3200, ISO 400)

Soon the Eagles switched nest-watching and the other was off.

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/2000, ISO 400)

While waiting over an hour for the adult to return the small group of Eagle watchers was occupied by conversation, listening to Red-winged Blackbirds, and watching a group of turtles trying feverishly to climb atop a clump of dried marsh grasses to sun themselves.

Red-winged Blackbird

 Red-winged Blackbird (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/640, ISO 400)

Eastern Painted Turtle

Eastern Painted Turtles (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/10 @ 420mm, 1/500, ISO 400)

I was given directions to another part of the lake where I would find an Osprey nest.  All the Osprey nests I know of so far are fairly far away from the vantage point so I would like to get some photos of activity on the nest.

Osprey's in nest

Osprey at Nest (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/640, ISO 200)

Osprey

Osprey in Flight (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/1000, ISO 200)

I was surprised to see a juvenile Bald Eagle fly by but didn't perch anywhere within sight.  I normally find upward photos of birds in flight kind of boring but the markings on this juvenile Eagle are pretty cool so I had to share.

Bald Eagle (juvenile)

Juvenile Bald Eagle (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/4000, ISO 400)

In a shallow area of the lake I spotted a large group of Double-crested Cormorant's sunning themselves on logs and branches protruding from the water.  Shooting into the sun is not ideal but for this photo I had no choice.  These are diving birds that lack the essential oils to prevent becoming waterlogged so to dry they sit with their wings spread facing the sun. Breeding adults show two tufted plumes on head.  This is evident in the third bird from the right.

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/1000, ISO 200)

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant (Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm 2.8L, 1.4X EF Extender III, f/4 @ 420mm, 1/1000, ISO 200)

Thanks to everyone for looking

Dan