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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> Juvenile Bald Eagle sighting in W. Van.
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Showing posts 1 - 11 of 11, (reverse)
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 02/15/2006 03:52:16 AM · #1


A rare sight for that area, (well, not so rare now that I know it's a juvenile bald) and I feel lucky to have been able to capture him.. even if I needed to crop it out of the original big time (curse the lack of a 600mm lens!! hehe), and suffer the compromised image quality as a result.

Still, it's not a bad shot for being so far away.

Message edited by author 2006-02-15 14:07:27.
 02/15/2006 03:56:49 AM · #2
very cool capture Artyste
 02/15/2006 10:32:55 AM · #3
Very cool and I'd say for cropping a lot it still is quite clear!
02/15/2006 11:40:50 AM · #4
very nice.....
02/15/2006 11:53:47 AM · #5
Glen, I believe this is an immature bald.

It's hard to make out from your shot, but the Golden has feathered feet, a longer (than the bald's) tail and more of a golden hue around his head and nape. There should also be some black banding at the end of its tail with sharp although thinnish specks of white here and in the wings.

I doubt it, because I have photographed eagles here frequently, so often, actually, that I know most of the mature ones anyway. Balds nest in the tree tops here, Golden Eagles prefer cliffs.
 02/15/2006 01:01:27 PM · #6
Originally posted by zeuszen:
Glen, I believe this is an immature bald.

It's hard to make out from your shot, but the Golden has feathered feet, a longer (than the bald's) tail and more of a golden hue around his head and nape. There should also be some black banding at the end of its tail with sharp although thinnish specks of white here and in the wings.

I doubt it, because I have photographed eagles here frequently, so often, actually, that I know most of the mature ones anyway. Balds nest in the tree tops here, Golden Eagles prefer cliffs.


That's what we thought at first, but this one also had features that immature balds lack.. the hugely curving beak, the lack of a mottled chest, the crest on the head. You might be right, but from what I could find about both on the net, we went with Golden.. hmm..

Darn, now you have me second guessing again. lol

02/15/2006 01:24:04 PM · #7
Not wanting to rain on anyones parade I did not comment earlier but I agree with zeusen that this is likley a Bald Eagle. However, it would be next to immpossible to tell just from this photo. There should be banding on the tail if it is a Golden and the head color should be lighter than the body (although light can play tricks here).

Do you have and other shots? And if you saw it fly you would notice the underwing feathering to be less motled and the wings would be more upswept (vs. flatter) on glide.

Anyway, there are Goldens around the NW and they can be seen in the same areas as a Bald Eagle but very frequest as you say. They normally like much more open areas that a thick tree you show here.

With birds habitat is a good indicator but never say never.
 02/15/2006 01:40:02 PM · #8
Originally posted by jbsmithana:
Not wanting to rain on anyones parade I did not comment earlier but I agree with zeusen that this is likley a Bald Eagle. However, it would be next to immpossible to tell just from this photo. There should be banding on the tail if it is a Golden and the head color should be lighter than the body (although light can play tricks here).

Do you have and other shots? And if you saw it fly you would notice the underwing feathering to be less motled and the wings would be more upswept (vs. flatter) on glide.

Anyway, there are Goldens around the NW and they can be seen in the same areas as a Bald Eagle but very frequest as you say. They normally like much more open areas that a thick tree you show here.

With birds habitat is a good indicator but never say never.


That's ok. I'm beginning to think you're right. I've looked up dozens of pictures, and I have to lean towards a juvenile bald again. Thanks for the help.
 02/15/2006 01:43:31 PM · #9
Well... I can't be sure. The last time I spotted (he spotted me first, really) a Golden was on an inlet beach in Port Renfrew which is lined with very tall first growth cedars. The bird was outright curious and actually followed me from tree top to tree tree top. This and his sheer size made him very difficult to ignore.

This is a fantastic place for photographing wildlife, btw.: orcas, ospreys, Golden and Bald Eagles, bears (black), cougars and seals...
 02/15/2006 01:45:10 PM · #10
Originally posted by zeuszen:
Well... I can't be sure. The last time I spotted (he spotted me first, really) a Golden was on an inlet beach in Port Renfrew which is lined with very tall first growth cedars. The bird was outright curious and actually followed me from tree top to tree tree top. This and his sheer size made him very difficult to ignore.

This is a fantastic place for photographing wildlife, btw.: orcas, ospreys, Golden and Bald Eagles, bears (black), cougars and seals...


Awesome, I'll mark that down for the next time I'm in town or for after I move there in June. Sounds fantastic. I might need a better lens before I go though.
 02/15/2006 02:01:35 PM · #11
Well I am excited about this post. Here in Upstate NY the last 2 summers there have been a pair of Bald Eagles. This is an extreme rareity. I searched and searched to see them to no avail. The closest I came was seeing a bird that I (everyone else with me disagreed) was convinced that it was an immature Bald. They all thought it was a lg Hawk. And I was just seeing what I wanted to see.

Well, your picture is WHAT I SAW! YEAH!!
Unfortunately 2 Bald Eagles were reported to have been killed (one by electrical wires and one hit by a truck)...so if I did see an immature Bald there is still hope that they may still be around this summer!!!

Thanks for the awesome shot.
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