Bald Eagle at Ding Darling NWR

We saw this wonderful subadult Bald Eagle yesterday at J.N. Ding Darling NWR, Sanibel FL. Ding is one of the best places in winter to see and photograph birds and thousands of birds inhabit the refuge, spending the winter there. It can take Bald Eagles 4 years to attain adult plumage.

Another treat was seeing this Spotted Sandpiper who posed in a stretch. Spotted Sandpipers have spots in their breeding plumage, but not in winter. They breed across much of the country near water including rivers, streams, mudflats, rocky shores. Look for them ion spring.

Amazing Bald Eagle Photo!

This amazing photo of 2 Bald Eagles greeting one another in a unison call display took place in my Sanibel, FL backyard. One eagle was sitting in the tree then the other landed next to it and they both tipped their heads up and loudly called together with a loud upward squealing sound, unlike their usual weak chattering calls. These eagles are a mated pair and have nested nearby for probably several years. Such unity expressed in this photo of their pair bond.

Sanibel Raptors

Peregrine Falcon in a tree next to our backyard this morning.

Bald Eagle sitting in the same tree that the peregrine sat in, drying its wings that were wet from mist.

Bald Eagle, 2nd year, flying over Ding Darling NWR, Sanibel.

Here are a few of the raptors we have seen this winter on Sanibel Island, FL. There are at least 3 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles on the island, plus their young from previous years can be seen flying around sometimes. There are can be up to 100 nesting Ospreys. It's a great place to see raptors.

Always Look Up When the Birds Look Up!

While other Snowy Egrets were busy catching lunch at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge,

this one kept looking up at the sky

So we looked up and this Bald Eagle, 1st yr. flew over our heads.

While Bald Eagles mainly eat fish, they can also sometimes catch birds. So the Snowy Egret was showing some concern. When birds look up, look up too, they may lead you to a sighting of some cool other other bird, like this eagle. By tuning in to the behavior of birds you will enrich your birding experience.

Bald Eagle Attacked by Red-shouldered Hawk

This young Bald Eagle (2nd yr.) was sitting in a large tree near our Sanibel, FL backyard, minding its own business.

When all of a sudden this Red-shouldered Hawk flies right at it and the Bald Eagle opens its wings

and decides to get out of there. The Red-shouldered Hawk is about to attack it.

Looks like a mid-air collision. The Bald Eagle continued to fly off and the Red-shouldered Hawk left. This Red-shouldered Hawk is nesting near where the eagle was sitting and it decided it was not going to tolerate the eagle, at least not today. Lucky I had my camera (Canon 1D Mark IV) nearby.