Lower The Water Level please……

December 13th 2014 – (all pics are clickable for hi rez and there are videos in the post.)

Rode out to see the Eagles again today at the Sandpiper Golf Course about an hour ride east of my house.  Been going out here every year for almost 18 years.  Will be going out a lot more over the next month or so because the river is still way too high for these magical creatures to feast on the spawning salmon.  There were a lot more eagles flying around today than a few weeks ago.  This area makes me forget about 2014 as being a year of loses. Makes me feel really good to be honest especially when I ride.  I have some hurdles still in my way before I move back to the USA but I have such a good family and friends I think I will jump over them and land on my feet.  But, MAN…would I love to just stay out here with the eagles for weeks.

Temperature was perfect for riding.  Between 4C (39.2F) – 7C(44.6F).  The next four pictures were taken by a guy name Doug.  I just was watching him take shots of an eagle that was real close to us and low on a tree branch.  He showed his pics using a great lens and better camera than mine and I asked if he would email the shots he loved.  Gave him my blog travel card and he did indeed keep his promise.  Mailed me these pictures and I told him in return I would post them and link his site.  Doug said he is not a pro but I think he is an awesome photographer.  Thanks DOUG if you read this for the pictures and nice to have met you.

Visit Doug’s website by clicking this link DJB-PHOTO

I really wish I could pull a drain on the river and lower the water faster than Mother Nature.  Seems everywhere waterfalls are over flowing and we keep getting more rain with a few nice days in between.  Once I can see the sand bars out in the river you can almost predict thousands of eagles will head to the flats for the feast they are patiently waiting for…me too!  Not to eat the salmon but to watch 😉

Next all the pics are mine.  Again not a pro at all but I did bring a better camera to use other than my iPhone.  I will pick the one’s i like most and post them.  So, if you love the outdoors, wild life, motorcycles and photography perhaps you will enjoy this post.

I’ve said this before we have a lot of dikes around this area and you can ride your bike on them.  Great way to get a close view of the river and of course the majestics.

A little blurry but I caught 2 adults fighting over what looked like a piece of salmon

This is what I call my hobby…so is this blog, my bike, my dogs, gardening, my house and well…wild life.

What’s cool about this area at this time of year is how many juveniles and adults hang out together.  During the mating season and most of the time of year, eagles don’t usually socialize.  They mate for life, bring up families year after year together as couples and partners in life unless one dies or gets chased off.  Because there is a food source here that should be able to feed all the migrating eagles, both transients and residents, it does appear the younger eagles learn from the adults how to “fish” and tear apart their food.

Bald Eagles do not get their white heads and tails until usually 4-5 years old.  So, there are many years for the young ones to have to learn to survive.

This is Doug.  The photographer who sent me the pics in the beginning of the post.  See how close he is to the eagle?  I got up close too.  This adult didn’t seem to mind us but you are supposed to stay at least 100 yards away from eagles so I guess we push the limit a bit.

Great view of the beautiful cedar gazebo that was built for the public to see the eagles

I LOVE this picture…the upper adult is looking down at the other adult and it’s like he/she is saying, “you’re kinda hot!” 😍

A little blurry in the beginning of this video but I eventually steady it

I think this is my favorite picture I took this day outside some of the eagles…

At Dusk the eagles get antsy looking for food before dark and tend to be way more active at this time as well as dawn then throughout the day.

Not sure how many have ever heard an eagle fly by you especially if they are low to the ground.  You can actually hear their wings cut through the air.  It’s amazing how BIG these raptors are.  Females can have a wing span as wide as 7 feet and weight up to 15 pounds.  Males a little smaller, around 12 pounds and 6 foot wing span.  Pretty large if you ask me and very graceful.

Imagine when the water level drops a tree like this could be covered in eagles.

This is a “long” video about what I see and hear out in this very peaceful place…again listen to the magical trilling of the eagles and they were flying all over the place.

Finally…I met these two brother Josh and Riley.  We spent hours together talking about bikes, life, wild life and our stories.  Interesting pair for sure who also have a love for photography and videography.  I hope we can meet up one day as Josh would love to shoot me on my bike with their drone and Riley’s professional looking video equipment with a sensitive mic.  I think that would really cool and they know how to edit.  I hate editing.  But here they are…Josh to the left, Riley to the right and their very cool stuff.  Thanks guys for a great day and I hope you read this.  As promised I would post about your guys.  Hope all goes well with your mom. 👍

To end this post of mine is a gallery of pics that were cut and pics included in this post.  I will be heading again and again to watch the salmon spawn, the water hopefully drop and enjoy as the eagle population grows.  Leslie