Baby Food

It seems that our local pair of mated bald eagles have one if not two chicks now in their nest at the far edge of the salt marsh.

One sign of new mouths to feed is the increased hunting action we have seen taking place around the area.

This afternoon I saw one of the eagles swoop down and hit the water and it sat there for a few seconds and I knew it was trying to get something secured in it’s talons. The eagle suddenly burst up out of the water with a fresh caught duck, and I suspect our unfortunate victim was a ruddy duck.

The eagle flew off toward the nest with baby’s evening meal and I couldn’t believe it when the eagle looked right back at the duck and stared into it’s eyes as the poor little guy was being carried away.

35 thoughts on “Baby Food”

Susan Sohl on February 3, 2015 at 8:53 pm said:

Amazing shots Phil! That last one is a prize winner!

Sent from my iPad

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- Phil Lanoue on February 3, 2015 at 9:47 pm said:
  
  Thanks for checking these out Sue. Nature can be rough some times.
  
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Edna on February 3, 2015 at 9:24 pm said:

OH MY! What a phenomenal series of photos! Amazing Phil. …Great for baby eagle but boy a tear for little duck. 😦

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- Phil Lanoue on February 3, 2015 at 9:49 pm said:
  
  Yeah, I know, I feel really bad for the little duck. And it’s only going to get worse out there. If those eagles end up with two (hungry) chicks it’s going to be tough on all the area birds, fish, and small mammals.
  
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Gunta on February 3, 2015 at 9:40 pm said:

That last shot is downright crazy. Do you suppose it was trying to tell the duck to keep still and not struggle?

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- Phil Lanoue on February 3, 2015 at 9:51 pm said:
  
  I don’t know. That last shot kinda freaks me out. I wasn’t really thinking about the subject matter so much when I initially posted these but something about that last one is unsettling. But so it goes in nature.
  We don’t feel all that bad for the fish when a heron grabs one. Odd.
  
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Andy Oldham on February 3, 2015 at 10:33 pm said:

This is some amazing shots. Makes you feel sorry for the duck.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 3, 2015 at 10:42 pm said:
  
  Yeah we do feel bad of the little duck but so it goes in nature. Funny too how we never seem to feel so bad for the fish when a heron grabs one, or a crab when a gator is crunching it. Cute little animals are different though.
  Thanks for looking.
  
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Vicky on February 3, 2015 at 10:40 pm said:

Oh my! I knew when we passed you on the causeway that I was going to regret going to take pictures of the full moon! Exciting shots!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 3, 2015 at 10:44 pm said:
  
  We do feel a little bad for the cute little duckie, but eagle babies have to eat too.
  Those eagles can really hunt when they have need!
  
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Birder's Journey on February 3, 2015 at 11:17 pm said:

Incredible sequence! That final shot is beyond amazing – what a moment to capture!!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:29 pm said:
  
  I didn’t realize until later that the eagle was looking back like that!
  
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Charlie@Seattle Trekker on February 4, 2015 at 2:05 am said:

Amazing, the action sequence is just so amazing.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:51 pm said:
  
  I had a feeling they would ramp up the hunting once the babies hatched. Thanks Charlie
  
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niasunset on February 4, 2015 at 9:48 am said:

Oh my…. poor one… touched my heart. But these are great shots dear Phil. Actually always your photography is great. Thank you, love, nia

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:52 pm said:
  
  We do feel bad for the little duck. Thanks for looking Nia.
  
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FeyGirl on February 4, 2015 at 11:21 am said:

Just amazing images…. Wow. The circle of life is downright rough in the wild, to put it very mildly.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:53 pm said:
  
  Yes sometimes it is a life or death struggle out there, but so it goes in nature. Thanks for looking Lucy.
  
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Judy on February 4, 2015 at 1:37 pm said:

OMG!! A whole duck!! The last image would be cute if it didn’t mean the duck’s fate was sealed!! 😦

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:54 pm said:
  
  I know. That last one is still hard for me to look at. But eagle babies have to eat to.
  
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  - Judy on February 5, 2015 at 4:25 pm said:
    
    Yeah but cute food!! It’s hard.
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on February 9, 2015 at 10:54 am said:
      
      Maybe dad brought baby a little playmate. Uh… probably not.
      
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      - Judy on February 9, 2015 at 4:24 pm said:
        
        Perhaps that last image could be the cover for the story of a gallant eagle who rescued the little duck from being plucked out of the water by a marauding, hungry Osprey? I mean it is sooo cute!! Who’s
        to interpret motive?
        
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Raewyn's Photos on February 4, 2015 at 3:20 pm said:

Stunning, stunning captures.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:55 pm said:
  
  Thanks it is amazing to see these big birds hunt.
  
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Linda on February 4, 2015 at 4:51 pm said:

Amazing images, felt a bit sad about the baby duck, and how the bald eagle looked right into his eyes on the last shot, dont know if he felt a bit bad himself, but I guess thats how it is in the wild, especially when it comes to the food chain and surviving….the circle of life is downright rough in the wild as Fey Girl said above…

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:57 pm said:
  
  Yes it certainly can be rough out there in nature some times but they do what they have to do to feed their young. These eagles look like good parents though.
  
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Rolling Harbour on February 4, 2015 at 5:45 pm said:

Another terrific sequence, Phil. ‘Nature red in tooth and claw’ indeed! [Or as the TV announcements of UK football results have it, “If you don’t want to know the result, look away now…’]

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 2:58 pm said:
  
  That’s a great quote and so true. We have seen things out there such as when an alligator takes a bird that make me want to look away but nature goes on…
  
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The Lite Rider on February 4, 2015 at 6:16 pm said:

Disturbing, but totally normal. Poor little guy though. On the other hand, there are a couple of new mouths to feed! 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 3:00 pm said:
  
  Yeah I feel bad for the poor little ducky just swimming along minding it’s own business. But the babies do need to be fed.
  
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foxleylady on February 4, 2015 at 7:40 pm said:

Here we go again, Phil – “But Granny, it’s the food chain”!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 5, 2015 at 3:02 pm said:
  
  Oh I knew that was going to happen… and she is right. Hard to take but that is the circle of life and death out there.
  
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Pat on February 5, 2015 at 8:15 pm said:

Awesome series. I do feel bad for the duck.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 9, 2015 at 10:55 am said:
  
  Yeah we do feel bad for the little ducky. Oh well, it’s nature.
  
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