I know about the eagles because my SO golfs at Cannon Ridge. He came home from a day on the course and I noticed there were white spots all over his blue shirt. I really didn't remember this particular shirt going through a washing machine bleach incident and I asked him what was on his shirt.
SO: "Guess. You'll never guess. You'll never guess in a million years what that is."
ME: "Well tell me. If I won't guess in a million years I'm not going to guess. What happened to your shirt?"
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SO: "Eagle crap!" (I cleaned that up for you)
ME: (snickering)
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SO: "An eagle flew over and crapped on the windshield. Covered the windshield of the cart." (keep in mind that a golf cart windshield has minimal protection, compared to say, a car)
ME: (laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing)
So I guess the eagles get one on the golfers every now and then. And when you look at this photo of mama (I'm guessing) watching the golfers on the green...well, let's just say she looks a bit peeved.
But she is gorgeous.
It was a quiet morning with the eagles this past week. I waited (wildlife photography is a waiting game) for about an hour and a half for the other eagle to come in (daddy - I'm guessing), but he never showed. And mama just sat in her nest and watched the golfers.
I find it curious that the eagles built their nest on this tee. While I understand the river's proximity to the nest, my research finds that they don't usually nest around people. And there are lots of people on this tee. I acknowledged quite a few twosomes and foursomes this particular morning.
So what does one do while waiting. One takes 61 photos of mama in the same position to show you one. One walks the area and takes photos of leaves, tree bark and urban trash. One takes photos of one's golf cart. And check out that windshield. No safety from eagle crap behind that thing. And one waits.
I don't mind the waiting. I have the patience.
A few facts as I previously stated I would be doing some research.
It's believed that eagles mate for life.
Eagles take turns sitting on the eggs (and that's why I'm guessing who's in that nest).
The gestation period is 35 days.
They lay two to three eggs each year (that info was a bit fuzzy).
They have a life span of 28 years.
Eagles are carnivores living mostly on fish, but will scavenge carrion and steal the kills of other animals.
The largest eagle nest recorded measured 9.5' wide by 20' tall'. It weighed two tons.
So by early April we should have chirping baby eagles in the nest (but don't expect to see them at that time as I can't shoot inside the nest and I wouldn't dare get near an eagle nest holding its precious young).
Until then I shoot and I wait. But when those babies start flying, that's when the fun begins. I went out last year and shot the two young ones. Using a telephoto lens, I'm walking closer to the tree they were sitting on and one of the parents starts flying toward me. With a telephoto, you really have no idea how close that bird really is. Kind of freaky.
Click here for more about the eagle project.
