APPLETON, WISCONSIN - 2004
April 2, 2004 - After waiting for two hours, watching the first eagle peak its head up once in a while, the second one finally showed up (pic 1) with some food (muskrat?), as I expected.Then (pic 2) what I call "I can hear your heartbeat." Then (pic 3) a shot of both of them on the edge, and (pic 4) a shot of the first one taking off for a while. It came back in thirty minutes, but landed about four trees away from the nest, and was still there when I left thirty minutes later.
April 3, 2004 - While waiting for anything to happen, the noon whistle sounded, during which, the eagle in the nest screeched persistently, like a dog howls at police sirens going by. When the second one came back, after about an hour of waiting, it never landed in the nest while I was there, but instead, flew around the park, and sat in various other trees. I noticed it was banded around the ankles.
April 15, 2004 - Pic 1) What I think is some kind of gesture from the male, offering food to the female, Pic 2) A neat shot of one of them taking off (note the leftover immature pattern on top of the head) Pic 3) Later, the one remaining in the nest started screaming up a storm, I looked up, and noticed Pic 4) A third bald eagle, flying directly over the nest. A great shot of the transsition from immature, to adult pattern.
May 14,2004 - There are leaves on the trees and three eaglets in the nest. Pic 1) 2:01PM One of the eaglets on the edge of the nest. Pic 2) 2:24PM One of the adults arrives with a fish in its talon. Pic 3)A nice landing shot, a fraction of a second later. Pic 4) 2:28PM Tearing the fish apart for the little ones. Pic 5) 3:09PM Look close and you will see a branch(?) in its talon, and another in its mouth.
May 15, 2004 - Pic 1) 2:46PM He came from the left, with a fish, and dropped through the top of the tree, rather than coming in from the opposite side of me like he usually does. Pic 2) 3:09PM This time he entered the nest from my side of the tree, with a great shot of the fish.
May 26, 2004 - Pic 1 & 2) One of the adults in a nearby tree, and then zoomed in. Pic 3 & 4) After two hours of waiting, I was getting in my car, to go to Taco Bell, when one came back with a rabbit. I got a couple out-of-focus shots, without the tripod. Pic 5) While eating a fish, one of the little ones bit off a little more than he could choke down, and Pic 6) A little one cooperating for me, and getting in the sun.
June 3, 2004 - Pic 1) One of the adults sitting in a nearby tree, then, Pic 2) above the nest. Pic 3) Flying almost directly over me. Pic 4) Landing at the nest with a bullhead. Pic 5) A little one streaching out, and flapping his wings, with another in front, trying to get in the picture.
June 4, 2004 - Pic 1) A good size comparison of Mom and Jr. Pic 2) Jr. flapping his wings, while Mom sits too close, and gets beaten in the face. Pic 3) Dad comes back with a fish, and Mom gets what she can before the kids get ahold of it. Pic 4) Dad takes off again.
June 18,2004 - Pic 1&2) A couple shots of an adult with a fish, before it lands in the nest. Pic 3) A cute shot of two of the little ones. Pic 4) A shot of a little one flapping its wings.
Upon returning home from work on the evening of June 27TH, I had an email from one of the many great people I've gotten to know at the park, saying one of the eaglets is flying! The pictures below are from the next day, June 28TH.
June 28, 2004 - Its second day out of the nest, Pic 1) sitting on some small twigs, rather than the larger limb next to them, trying to keep his balance in the wind. Pic 2&3) Taking off to a nearby tree. Pic 4) Crash! Another landing that could be heard throughout the park. He's still trying to land on the smaller twigs on the very outside of the trees, and then tumbling into the center. It ended up in a "reclined" position, feet straight out grasping a twig, unable to close its wings over some branches, and head stretched out to see over some leaves. It took him about ten minutes to get straightened up, with better footing. Not a situation you see a majestic Bald Eagle get into every day.
Some of his more graceful moments that day:
July 4,2004 - Pic 1) An immature at the tip of a tree. Pic 2) Two immatures together in a tree, trying to keep their balance during a strong breeze. Pic 3) An immature on a low limb, letting everyone get directly undrneath him. Pic 4) An immature in the nest, where they are still spending the nights.
November 23, 2004 - I was recently tipped off from someone that I met earlier in the year, that, now that the leaves are gone, the two adults can be seen after dark every evening, roosting in the trees near the nest, silhouetted against the night sky. I got to the park at 5:30, and immediately found both eagles where I could easily put them against the almost full moon. By the time I went back to my car to get my camera, and got set up, only one was left.
MAY WE ALWAYS HAVE EAGLES...
Back to the EAGLE GALLERY
Back to the PHOTO GALLERY
Back to Jeff's HOME PAGE