Readers’ photographs: bald eagle

May 9, 2013 • 5:43 am

The anonymous reader who lives in Idaho, and has sent us spectacular pictures of the landscape and animals around him (see here as well), just sent a new group of his photos.  These feature a nesting bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and they are, as always, beautiful.  Click to enlarge.

Eagle 1

Eagle 2

Eagle mountain

15 thoughts on “Readers’ photographs: bald eagle”

  2. These photos help me understand why someone would love to live in Idaho.

    I already know why an evolution-accepting atheist Idahoan would remain anonymous.

    Thanks for sharing the photos.

    1. These photos, and the previous ones, constitute almost everything I know about Idaho and I’d like to go and live there. The other thing I know is potatoes.

  3. I have nesting bald eagles nesting on this farm. They have two nests, about 50 feet apart. I must sell this farm, about 137 acres, with stream ecology and upland fields, and about 100 acres of woods. Anyone who has lived for 18 years on an already grown oligodendroglioma you know must have a few problems with going on this farm. Pictures of these eagles is possible now before the leaves are out full. Does anyone know why bald eagles often, about half the time, have two nests?

    1. Quoting from Raptor Resource Project Blog

      Bald eagles build the largest nests of any North American bird (Stalmaster 1987). So why would they invest the time and energy to build a new nest when the old one remains perfectly serviceable as far as we can tell? Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain it:

      – Alternate nests may serve as ‘insurance’. If the occupied nest is destroyed or rendered unusable, the eagles can quickly occupy the alternate without having to build a new nest.
      – Changing nests from year to year helps the eagles avoid parasites and ‘nest mates’ who are attracted by the food the eagles bring in. Shifting nests from year to year may help the eagles avoid parasitism.
      – The additional nests may be a way of marking territory. They warn other breeding pairs away and demonstrate fitness on the part of resident adults.
      – Eagles like to build nests.

      They go on to state that only the eagles know.

  4. I have always thought that the name ‘bald eagle’ was inadequate for such a magnificent creature.

    1. Marlon, I also think they are beautiful, but they are also closely related to those who eat dead cows etc. who aren’t so beautiful. Bald eagles eat a lot of carrion.

      1. Several years ago while searching for content regarding california condors I found a comment on a BLM site that appalled me. I don’t remember the exact wording but it went something like this:

        We were driving on highway 50 in our motor home enjoying the vast scenery when through no fault of our own we came upon, right next to the highway, a couple of those disgusting condors eating a poor dead animal [Notagod: Due to their obvious ignorance, I suspect possibly turkey vultures instead of condors]. We shouldn’t have to see those awful birds, if you won’t get rid of them at least keep them out of the way, somewhere where people don’t have to see them.

        Some 15 years later I was fortunate enough to see a condor in the wild (four of them!) flying above Navajo Bridge in Arizona. Two of them eventually came down and were inspecting the steel framing under the bridge, I thought maybe for nest site potential. It was a truly magnificent experience. They have the cutest sock puppet style heads and necks. The two inspecting the bridge seemed very attentive and caring of each other.

      1. Interesting! And, the leucocephalus part sets things right.

        If only there was just a better name for red bellied woodpeckers…

  5. Great photos! I just got back from Homer, Alaska and snapped quite a few photos of some bald eagles there along with some seat otters. They really are some magnificent animals!

  6. Love the shot of the nest, sticking out way above the canopy like that. Imagine living up there!

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