Lake Ballinger Eagle Action

[Bill Anderson]

Thursday (4/24) morning I had less than an hour to kill between dropping the 5D Mk III off to be cleaned at the Camera Clinic in Shoreline (near the Crest Theater) and picking my son up from tennis in Mountlake Terrace. I decided to spend the time checking out the resident pair of bald eagles at Lake Ballinger. They had a baby last year, but have shown no signs of nesting this year.

When I arrived, one of the eagles was perched on a tree at the adjacent golf course.


It decided to go duck hunting on the lake and spent the next eight minutes making many circles, swoops and dives, coming up empty taloned each time. Standing on the fishing dock, I took 675 photos of the action unfolding before me, which was quite easy with the 8 frames/sec high speed burst rate of the 7D.

After considerable editing last night, here are 14 shots of one of the dive sequences taken hand held with the 7D + 10-400L zoom.

 

[Bill Anderson]

Continuing the dive.





Splashdown!




You can see the duck's head poking out of the water.

 

[Bill Anderson]

The eagle tried taking off with the duck.




But could not.




The eagle flew away without the duck.

 

[Bill Anderson]

At one time the eagle's mate was circling the lake as well. One of the eagles had a black patch at the very top of its head, which made it easier to distinguish the two birds.

Last year I photographed one of these eagles successfully take a coot by drowning it. The eagle dove down on top of the coot, then spent a minute floating on the water while holding the coot under the water. Once the coot was drowned, the eagle, with great difficulty, flew out of the water with the carcass. I suspect the eagle in these photos was trying to use the same technique with the duck.

The eagle made several passes over the lake and several dives into the lake. My photos are inconclusive as to whether the duck got away or if the eagle drowned the duck but could not muster the strength to lift it out of the water. I have seen videos of eagles swimming and pushing heavy carcasses to the shore, but that did not occur here. The eagle eventually got tired and perched on a branch near the shore. If the duck did drown, I suspect the eagle was watching the surface of the lake for the floating carcass.

 

[Christine]

wow .. great action shots.... i guess he bit off more than he can chew with that duck....LOL

 

[Terry O]

Those were great, Bill - lucky timing!

 

[squirl033]

At one time the eagle's mate was circling the lake as well. One of the eagles had a black patch at the very top of its head, which made it easier to distinguish the two birds.

Last year I photographed one of these eagles successfully take a coot by drowning it. The eagle dove down on top of the coot, then spent a minute floating on the water while holding the coot under the water. Once the coot was drowned, the eagle, with great difficulty, flew out of the water with the carcass. I suspect the eagle in these photos was trying to use the same technique with the duck.

The eagle made several passes over the lake and several dives into the lake. My photos are inconclusive as to whether the duck got away or if the eagle drowned the duck but could not muster the strength to lift it out of the water. I have seen videos of eagles swimming and pushing heavy carcasses to the shore, but that did not occur here. The eagle eventually got tired and perched on a branch near the shore. If the duck did drown, I suspect the eagle was watching the surface of the lake for the floating carcass.

contrary to the legends and urban myths surrounding eagles, they are not able to lift and carry off large weights such as dogs, goats, or small children. even large adult eagles cannot carry more than 7-10 pounds, and a wet duck could well be more than what this bird could lift, especially out of the water.

 

[Bill Anderson]

contrary to the legends and urban myths surrounding eagles, they are not able to lift and carry off large weights such as dogs, goats, or small children. even large adult eagles cannot carry more than 7-10 pounds, and a wet duck could well be more than what this bird could lift, especially out of the water.

I read on one website devoted to eagles that a bald eagle can only carry a four pound payload. Unlike osprey, eagles have yet to learn the trick of shaking the water off their bodies and wings to shed excess weight before trying to get airborn.