The two extremes.
1/1250, f/11, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The contrast between adult Bald Eagles and their younger counterparts is striking, especially when the younger bird is a juvenile (as opposed to a somewhat older subadult) and they’re seen next to each other in the same photo.
This older photo, taken at Farmington Bay WMA in January, shows a full adult on the left and a first winter juvenile on the right. The differences in the colors of their heads, tails, beaks and eyes are so striking as to often lead the uninformed observer to report them as different species. I’ve seen juvenile and subadult Bald Eagles reported as Golden Eagles countless times.
So my intention with this photo today is to contribute to some small degree to clearing up the misunderstanding, even though I know that most of my regular readers are fully aware of the distinction.
Besides, I like the photo.
Ron
Note:
You may have noticed that I’ve been posting more older photos than usual lately. Our early mornings, when I prefer to photograph birds, have been cloudy all week. The clouds have been mostly clearing out later in the day but by then it’s just too damn hot so I’ve been staying home. After today the morning clouds shouldn’t be such an issue so hopefully I’ll be out in the field more often in the coming days.
So how will a recognize a Golden Eagle? By its much greater size?
Nancy, see the last part of this post:
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2017/11/22/a-guide-to-aging-bald-eagles-and-how-to-distinguish-immature-bald-eagles-from-golden-eagles/
Perfect comparison photos👍👏. Golden Eages wear long pants, but do Golden Eagles wear knickers…or capris????(or pedal pushrrs???)…
Thanks, Patty. I dunno, take your pick… 🙂
Thank you. And thank you for the link back to the earlier post. Learning and wonder are most excellent starts to the day. Even on very early starts to the day.
Thanks, EC. I hope your appointment went well yesterday.
Thank you. Rotten nausea got me up before three this morning but the specialist did offer some hope. Time will tell.
Here’s another example of how we’re all more alike than different! I think we all, or at least the vast majority of us, go through that awkward, clumsy and funky-looking growth stage as we transition from one life stage to another.
FYI, it looks like I’ll soon be in Internet hell again soon. I thought 100 Gs would be enough for me each month, but evidently, it’s not. I can’t yet fix it–not until after the first of the month, so I’m severely limiting my online presence until they cut me off again. SIGH! Wish I were a geek, but NOOOO!
Everybody be safe, be well and let the light of your kindness shine until we meet again! <3
It’s hard to predict how many gigs we’ll use isn’t it, Laura. Been there, done that. Looking forward to your return in a couple of weeks.
“Just hangin’” is my first impression of these two. Or, on closer observation the adult is telling the young whippersnapper where to snag a carp like he has. Amusing as well as educational.
Lyle, that juvie was pretty persistent at trying to get a share of the fish. And the adult was surprisingly tolerant of its attempts.
Beautiful photo and interesting subject matter comparing the two. Right now I am following our two very recently fledged juveniles. Yesterday I got to get some photos of the two of them together that was a rare gift. Nature provides them with much longer primary flight feathers and tail feathers that make them look larger than their parents. These two are huge and so much fun to watch grow up. The really interesting thing in your comparison photo is the white eye of the adult eagle and the brown eye of the juvenile.
And yes, when I first got interested in eagles when we moved here I thought I was seeing a Golden the first time I saw a juvenile.
Everett, a lot of ‘newbies’ confuse younger Balds with Goldens. And some of them simply can’t be convinced otherwise, no matter the evidence. Probably a lot like their politics…
So happy you have two to watch this year Everett. Our two here in Sacramento just fledged yesterday😁 So Ron’s post is fitting for us both❗️
Interesting! Love that last airborne shot with the fish in talons. I live near the Virginia Wildlife Center and they do lots of eagle rehabs . . .https://www.wildlifecenter.org/sites/default/files/PDFs/2020%20eagle%20report%20FINAL-compressed.pdf
Great comparison showing the dramatic differences. 🙂 Yes, lots of confusion on Goldens vs. Immature Balds. At a distance and back lit I’m still never sure. 😉
Wonderful 43/sunny/no wind this morning – 82 predicted high and may even get some rain over the weekend…..much needed break from the heat and wind.
Good luck with the rain, Judy. It’s so damned hot here even if there were moisture in the clouds it would evaporate before it hit the ground.
Today’s post and the link to a previous post are both excellent resources and appreciated. I have watched baddies in all stages for 20 years and am therefore pretty confident about ID’ing them but was never lucky enough (or smart enough perhaps) to get such great group stage photos. Thanks for sharing.
Omg, apologies, b a l d i e s not baddies, gotta hate this auto correct feature.
Thanks, Pat. Don’t give the “typo” a second thought. I think all of us knew what you meant. I sure did.
I’m so glad that Terri asked, and that you responded by supplying the link to your older post ( which I hadn’t seen before ), showing stages of change in
coloration of the Bald Eagle–I found the shot of 3 individuals exemplifying
3 very different stages–side-by-side– just marvelous ! Thanks for both of
these posts–you start my morning off with great stuff, every day…..
Kris, then I’m glad Terri asked too. I guess I just assumed that everyone had seen that post. Shouldn’t have…
“Before and After” or “The Promise of What is to Come” popped into my head as potential titles of this fabulous shot. I wonder if this is a youngster-parent duo, as the adult is letting junior get awfully close to his fish.
In addition to the gorgeous subjects and educational value, the rippled reflections of the birds in the foreground and the (I’m going to assume) phrags in the background make this shot extra special.
Thank you, Marty, Yes, those are phrag reflections in the upper background.
Curious, when the juvenile changes to completely white head feathers, is a salt and pepper-like change over the course of ? months?
Terri, see the later photos in this post:
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2017/11/22/a-guide-to-aging-bald-eagles-and-how-to-distinguish-immature-bald-eagles-from-golden-eagles/