Bald eagle fishing under cloudy sky

Walking around town at the end of November my camera caught a bald eagle fishing under cloudy sky caught a fish in Willamette River and then hung out at the mill race pond but hid from camera. I’ve seen this same eagle around town for a couple of weeks soaring above the river. Yet, it’s dive into the river and successfully bringing out a fish was a first.

At the river, grey skies and fading autumn colors hid the eagle both in the air and in the blue herons’ roosting tree at the Mill Race Pond.

Skies and color

The view downriver along the north side bike path (Ruth Bascom Path – Map)

Eagle and fish

First, it’s way hard to photo a flying eagle. Second, the eagle fades into the grey skies. Third, I missed the photo of it diving into the river, and only caught a photo as it fly away.

One must look closely (zooming in) to see the fish in eagle talons – not the best photo, but wonderful to snap an eagle with fish in the air.

Hiding in the tree

After walking a couple of miles and then circling back along the mill race pond, sea gulls were dive bombing the eagle resting in the tree used by blue herons for nesting. By the colors of feathers, this eagle is either young or very dirty. The distance up in the tree and the grey skies made a tough photo.

The Cornell Lab published a good slide show of different coloring for Bald Eagles. I found it remarkable how Osprey-like the eagle was when looking down at me (right top corner photo).