After reading markesc's TR about Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge and seeing his awesome bird photos, I decided to go check the refuge out last Tuesday. I got to a late start, about 11:30am, not much time left to take any nice landscape shots, and the air was beginning to warm. But after getting on the trail, I was quite surprised on the number of birds out and about. On nearing a cove of trees, I caught sight of two Bald Eagles, sitting side by side on a branch, about a good 80-100 feet up. After getting my cameras ready (I shoot with a Sony a500 APS-C DSLR w/ a 500 mm prime lens and a Sony a580 with the 18-55 mm kit lens for landscapes and as a backup), I captured these two love birds performing mad, passionate love mating.
And the last photo kind of shows the female looking away in disgust.
Although most of us see Canadian Geese as they fly above us, or standing in droves by highways, ponds or other public places, I love shooting these birds in their natural habitat.
And here's a couple of photos of the Western Painted Turtle. I love the colors in these two pics, especially the colors in the water reflections.
This is a "must see" refuge. Cheers.
forestkeeper
Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
-
- Posts: 1291
- Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:31 pm
- Location: Canby, Oregon
- Contact:
Re: Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
Well, I didn't know I'd joined a porno site
Great pictures Will. How fortunate you were to be there just at the right time. Have never been there but all the posts about the refuge really make me want to go.
Marilyn
Great pictures Will. How fortunate you were to be there just at the right time. Have never been there but all the posts about the refuge really make me want to go.
Marilyn
- Waffle Stomper
- Posts: 3707
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
Now where are a couple of eagles to go for some privacy?
Lovely series.
Lovely series.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
- Lekilei253
- Posts: 140
- Joined: September 16th, 2013, 8:12 pm
Re: Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
Awesome pics!
All these TR made me want to check this place out. I went yesterday and ran into Markesc. My first Portland hiker spotting!! He helped me spot a Northern Harrier in the field that I would have missed!! Great to meet ya!
I didn't see many other large birds, until I was driving home, of course! I saw two large dark colored birds with red beaks, Turkey vultures maybe? And a couple of hawks. But I did see the turtles and a cute lil bunny. It's a great slice of nature close to the city.
Bahaahaaa!Limey wrote:Well, I didn't know I'd joined a porno site
All these TR made me want to check this place out. I went yesterday and ran into Markesc. My first Portland hiker spotting!! He helped me spot a Northern Harrier in the field that I would have missed!! Great to meet ya!
I didn't see many other large birds, until I was driving home, of course! I saw two large dark colored birds with red beaks, Turkey vultures maybe? And a couple of hawks. But I did see the turtles and a cute lil bunny. It's a great slice of nature close to the city.
Re: Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
I took this picture and didn't realize until I pulled the camera out of the water what I actually captured. (Rough-skinned newts are very easy to photograph during mating season...)
I turned it into this for a friend a while back.
I turned it into this for a friend a while back.
Re: Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
-
- Posts: 1291
- Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:31 pm
- Location: Canby, Oregon
- Contact:
Re: Bald Eagles Mating at Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge
Weird....very weird. There are quite a few of us "voyeurs" out and about, huh? Although this did stray away from my original baldy mating session, do any others have photos of "wild things" (other than you) performing mating rituals and instincts?