Juvenile Bald Eagle.

Juvenile Bald Eagle on the bank of the Columbia River, near Golden, BC.

My post from yesterday featured one of the parents of this fledged bird.  Before I left on my small trek, I talked to a canoe instructor who paddled that stretch of river many times.  She mentioned that there was an eagle nest at a certain point along the river and that chick and mom were present the last time she went by.  I always love photographing chicks in a nest, but it was likely that the aerie was not going to be in a favourable position to shoot.  It was with mixed anticipation that I began my journey.

It took me about an hour to get to the spot, as described by the young voyageur.  I saw the nest, high atop a dead tree, but no birds were present.  Then, to my left, I saw the pair.  An adult and a newly fledged juvenile.  There was a modest amount of scrub present and I had to wait until they were reasonably visible.  The paddling I had done gave me some speed, that velocity was increased by the flow of the river.  It only took a moment or two before I was in a better position.

When kayaking I use waterproof bags to protect my equipment.  The advantage of it is obvious, and I have saved my stuff on more than one occasion.  The disadvantage though is that it takes time to access anything and time is often a very limited resource easily squandered.  So, I keep my camera handy in case a subject presents itself unexpectedly.  I lay it atop of the now-empty waterproof bag and place it just below the cockpit opening where water is less likely to find it.  It was in this position when I initially saw my quarry.

The adult fled almost immediately, although I managed to get a few shots off before it departed.  You can see one of those images in yesterday's blog (click here).  The chick, now a rather large bird capable of rending flesh with its talons and beak, stayed.  It either was not capable of flying or did not feel threatened by my presence.  I got a few shots off before I was past it. 

Turning around crossed my mind, but there was a rather formidable unknown.  The adult took up a spot not too far away, and I was concerned about its reaction regarding my intent.  The strong desire for self-preservation tied in with not wanting to disturb or alarm the juvenile led me to continue on my journey.  After all, I got some nice shots and had a memorable experience.  What more could you ask for?

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