Eagles and Mt. Baker, north end Semiahmoo Spit, 4-16-10. Snag trees on the north end and in the middle of the Semiahmoo Spit often provide a nice foreground on days when the mountain is out. An eagle in the tree also helps. Clickables

Eagles, tulips, and float planes, Semiahmoo Spit, 4-16-10. Early spring is tulip time in the Pacific Northwest. Tried to frame the tulips with the eagle in the second frame. I did not notice the float plane taking off in the third photo. I wish I would have been able to get the snag and the eagle in the same picture with the plane, but I was in the wrong place. This is the Evening Magazine Airplane used by KING-TV, the NBC affiliate in Seattle. The plane took off to the south from the north end of Drayton Harbor. Clickables

Eagles and wildflowers, north snag, Semiahmoo Spit, 4-16-10. These four-petalled yellow wildflowers are always in bloom in spring and make for a nice foreground when an eagle is on the snag Clickables

Eagle plumage, Semiahmoo Spit, 4-16-10. Mature bald eagles certainly are majestic, but the plumage on an immature eagle also is colorful. I’m not sure what season is represented in the first two photos, but I’m reasonably sure that the final photo with the graying head and the orange bill is a 4th season immature eagle that will become an adult in one year. Clickables

Fourth-year eagle, Semiahmoo Spit, 4-16-10. More photos of what I believe is a fourth season eagle that next year will become a young adult. Clickables

Wow Ed, lots of great photos of all the eagles in your area The ones of the juveniles are fantastic

Thanks Kay. This was one of those days when the very young as well as the mature eagles were present at the same time. Now I've got to report some sad news in the next post.

Eagle’s nest destroyed, Fir Island, Skagit County, Washington. This was one of three nests I monitored in 2009. It was obvious that when we returned to this site in early spring that the nest was gone. Several smaller trees nearby had snapped in what looks like wind damage. I can’t say for sure what happened to the nest. Had it become too heavy for the tree to support? Was it blown over in a wind storm? The first two photos show the nest last year and the final photo is from 4-19-10. Earlier in April, one of the matures was in a nearby tree, probably wondering what had happened to the nest. Clickables

Eaglets, 6-16-09



Eaglet, 7-17-09



No more nest, 4-19-10