Bald Eagle Hunting For Breakfast

Dale Matson

The focus of my eagle photography has changed over the years. I initially tried for a close perch photo with no branches obscuring the bird. The next goal was to get a good bird in flight (BIF) photo. After that, I wanted to get a good eagle fight photo (usually over a salmon). This year, during our Chilkot River trip to Alaska, I was able to get the best of all those previous efforts.

Now, my quest is to get a good capture photo. So far this year, I have an interesting but small and partially hidden example of my quest. I have been stationing myself at areas I know where groups of Coots hang out. They are a slow bird and eagles have a good chance of catching one for breakfast. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-coot

They cluster together in groups in coves and swim along the shoreline, occasionally walking around on dry land. Their travel seems to me to be random with one coot leading the group. I still have not determined if eagles like to go after them on land or in the water. It is a different type of hunt. I am focusing on their food source not on searching out eagles. Thus, in the early morning, I park where the coots are, not where I can see an eagle.

Yesterday I was able to film a juvenile eagle circling a group of coots hidden from me by a finger of land between us. So, the video is not close to the eagle and the coots are hidden. It is a start however. I guarantee, that the eagles often unseen by me even with 10 power binoculars are around and have lots of coots in view from high perches along the lakeshore. Patience. Patience. Patience.

    

I posted a new video yesterday of a mature bald eagle capturing a coot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWDhgfuUZk0&t=233s