Early birds

Red-shouldered hawk, Negro Bar State Park

Juvenile bald eagle, Lake Natoma
I have to admit I’ve gotten out of the habit of rising early and hitting the local trails with my camera; but lately I’m trying to do better. Getting out early means cooler temperatures, fewer people, and a higher likelihood of spotting some interesting local wildlife. The young bald eagles have pretty much left the nest, but the other day I did spot one of them perched a few trees away, yelling his head off. I’m not sure if he was trying to announce his presence to the world or hoping somebody would bring him a bite of food.

Would have been a great picture — if he hadn’t turned his head!
This morning I managed to leave the house about 5:30 a.m. It was a beautiful July morning, and one of my rewards for getting out so early was this amazing image:
Categories: Animals, local, nature, Photography
It’s always exciting to see birds of prey!
It is! There seem to be quite a lot of them in the state park, but not always easy to get good pictures of, so I’m thrilled when I get lucky. 🙂
Chris, The Audubon Society has contest. The bottom picture with all the color is a winner. Hollis