Thursday, January 7, 2021

Crops & Clips: Flashback to January, 2018

As I do each month, I enjoyed looking back over my archived photos, taken three years previously, to remember how things were then and maybe get some idea of what to expect this year. As usual, I searched for images which reflected favorite memes: critters of all kinds (especially birds), skies and clouds, reflections, flowers and fences, as well as scenes which speak for themselves. 

We kicked off the New Year with a visit to the local Bald Eagle nest, where the male (Pride) and female (Jewel) were tending to their eggs.  They were laid on or about December 7 and expected to hatch 35 days later, on January 12 (the first egg actually hatched two days earlier, on January 10.)  

On January 1, Pride was standing guard...


...and Jewel was incubating deep in  the nest:


We witnessed an incubation exchange on January 6, when Jewel (on the left) flew in and replaced Pride:


On January 22, I captured some of my favorite eagle moments, as the pair exchanged nest-tending duties. The female (Jewel) was sitting high in the nest. Soon after we arrived, the Male (Pride) flew in and joined her, sitting to the right of her in these images. Both looked down into the nest but we did not see the eaglet(s). The adults interacted for several minutes. 

Jewel seemed to be reluctant to turn over duties, but finally she flew away and disappeared behind the nest to the east.



One of the two eaglets present at this time disappeared between January 24-27. The surviving eaglet fledged successfully on April 2. 

View from the gravel road through the local Wounded Wetlands as rain threatened, on January 9:


A male "Gray Ghost" Northern Harrier flew methodically over the wet prairie:



A Loggerhead Shrike, another gray bird on a gray day:



Yellow-crowned Night-Herons had populated the rookery and soon would be developing breeding season plumage with plumes and bright yellow crests:


Just ahead, a Bobcat crossed a grassy field:



Brown Thrasher with fiery eyes:


A male Common Yellowthroat:


An American Kestrel on a flimsy perch:



I stitched together multiple images of a Gray Fox as it crossed the gravel road:


Great Egret early morning liftoff:


Little Blue Heron in flight:


Tiny Blue-gray Gnatcatcher:


On January 28 I obtained my first  photo of the surviving eaglet as it was being fed by its father:


Full Super Blue Blood Moon rose over our backyard on the evening of January 30...


...and at sunrise the next morning, set over the Wounded Wetlands:



= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to:


Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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29 comments:

  1. can only be amazed at this large number of your wonderful photos!
    It must be quite exhausting to lie in wait to catch the right moment for a picture.
    Thank you very much for linking this wonderful article
    to the "Natur-donnerstag".
    best regards
    Jutta

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  2. Love the Eagles..Other than the Herons, we have none of those birds here(Pa). Interesting dialog that went along with your photos..Almost poetic..Fun post..Thanks

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  3. Wow, herrliche Vogelbilder. Ich liebe die Adler, für mich so stolze Vögel.
    Ein Lux (Bobcat) ist auch auf der Pirsch. Danke für die schönen Tierfotos, herzlichst Klärchen

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  4. Wow, Ken! That's a wonderful collection of fabulous photographs!
    Thank you for continuing to share so many of nature's gifts.

    Happy New Year!

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  5. wonderfull pictures

    have a good time

    Rosi

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  6. What beautiful nature photography!

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  7. Lovely shots of the "Gray Ghost". Looks like he's out on patrol!

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  8. such an amazing group of images, all captivating. the bald eagle images are so exciting, knowing the story as well!!

    we have several eagles nests in the shore area where i live but the eagles are difficult to photograph!!

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  9. I was going to say great sky, based on the first sky shot, but the eagle photos really stole the show for me.

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  10. Delightful post! I love these images.

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  11. The eagles are fantastic, getting such a beautiful observation and such beautiful pictures is a highlight for every animal photographer
    Regards frank

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  12. Hello Ken
    Awesome series on the Bald Eagle pair! I love the Gray Ghost too, more favorites are the Kestrel and the Little Blue Heron. Gorgeous sky captures! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day, Have a great new week! PS, thank you for the visit and comment.

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  13. Amazing post Kenneth! Wow...those eagles, and your photos...how amazing to see the little one being fed...and the family dynamic of the eagles, thanks so much for sharing. I love the little gray bird! :)

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  14. Stunning moon shots Ken. Love how you cropped the gray fox traversing the landscape! And papa eagle feeding it's offspring...marvelous. All exceptional.
    Thanks, as always, your sharing with us birders at IRBB.

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  15. fantastic photos thanks for sharing

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  16. Bald eagles are amazing birds. I enjoyed seeing your photos!

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  17. Beautiful shots. I really enjoyed the one of the eagle feeding. Hope you've had a fantastic weekend!

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  18. Very nice. Of course your 3 year approach may hit a speed bump when your get to 2023!

    Hope all is well.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  19. Your photos are always so clear and clean and fun to see! The eaglet is just so special to see. Your header is a wonderful capture!

    I'm glad you are a part of 'My Corner of the World' this week!

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  20. Laughed as I read about all your moves, and how you dealt with your "stuff" - much better than I, I might say.
    Wonder if you first wrote your comment, and then flew off, because you forgot your thumbnail.
    Please, whenever convenient before Wednesday night, add your thumbnail? Many thanks on behalf of All Seasosn! Love you caught the interaction of the eagles couple. The blue heron is also one of a kind! Have a great week, Jesh

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  21. Stunning photos of the Bals Eagles and their chick, I am so jealous. Love all the other photos as well, the Yellowthroat is pretty.
    Hope all is well over there and you are able to stay safe. Diane

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  22. Some amazing shots Ken. I really like the Harrier and the Shrike.

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  23. Pride and Jewel are a real couple. Nice work on the gray fox. Amazing how that flimsy perch manages the weight of the kestrel.

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  24. These are truly absolutely amazing photos. Thank you for the trip down memory lane . Enjoyed everyone of them.

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  25. What amazing images - the eagles are just spectacular! and that you caught a baby!! what a shot!!

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  26. Many thanks Ken for the thumbnail for All Seasons! Also the Kestrel is beautiful, as well as the rising sun(?) Jesh

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  27. Glad I stumbled across your blog Kenneth. The scene form the gravel path is worth a blog post alone. Stay safe and well

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