| Each of these articles provides a remarkable description of an unforgettable event among some of the most exciting animals in the world! |
Wildlife Adventures
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695 Bald Eagles!
We hope you have enjoyed this story of an extraordinary day in
the field with Paul.
You can order as many as 30 Wildlife Adventures articles from
this web site – individually – or all 30 on a CD with 30
corresponding photos.
Check out the entire list of titles right away on our Home Page.
Each CD containing all 30 articles with 30 photos is just $10
(plus a small shipping fee). That's a huge savings, even if the
individual articles are so economically priced.
Buy one or more CDs today!
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Enjoy Wildlife Adventures to the MAX!
Now enjoy the second FREE story – Golden Grizzly:
the field with Paul.
You can order as many as 30 Wildlife Adventures articles from
this web site – individually – or all 30 on a CD with 30
corresponding photos.
Check out the entire list of titles right away on our Home Page.
Each CD containing all 30 articles with 30 photos is just $10
(plus a small shipping fee). That's a huge savings, even if the
individual articles are so economically priced.
Buy one or more CDs today!
Email Trust@WildlifeAdventures.biz
Enjoy Wildlife Adventures to the MAX!
Now enjoy the second FREE story – Golden Grizzly:
Seeing one Bald Eagle is exciting; seeing more than one eagle is reason
to celebrate. So imagine my excitement when I counted 387 Bald Eagles
along a short stretch of the Mississippi River in southeast Minnesota as I
drove from Red Wing to Wabasha, a distance of about 29 miles. The
Mississippi was mostly ice-free on this second day of March, but there
was still a monstrous ice cube covering Lake Pepin (a reservoir created
behind Mississippi River locks) at Lake City, and I found 242 of the
eagles on or near the ice north of Lake City.
When I arrived in Wabasha, my destination for an evening photography
program I was presenting, I tallied my field census. When I found the total
was just 13 shy of 400, I decided I must try to beat 400 the following day
when I would return along the same route.
The next morning I was careful to check all potential river areas during
my drive from Wabasha to Red Wing as I worked to beat the 400 mark.
When I totaled my count, I was absolutely astonished to find I had
documented a minimum of 695 Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River
between Wabasha and Red Wing!
But there was much more to this story than a mere census. Almost as
exciting as these memorable counts was the opportunity to take some
super photos of a lone eagle perched in a giant cottonwood tree on the
shore of the Mississippi River. The soft sunlight of late afternoon
brightened the scene, and budding branches framed the grand adult
Bald Eagle. The great eagle allowed me to approach as close as I wanted
without any show of concern. I reveled in the fact that the eagle trusted
me to approach within just 20 feet to photograph it.
Most of the eagles I sighted during my surveys were standing on the ice,
especially along the north end of Lake Pepin between Lake City and Old
Frontenac. Some eagles were perched in trees along the river, and a
number of eagles were actively migrating north.
With the temperatures surging into the 60s, the migrating eagles soared
into thermals in groups of up to 26 birds. Imagine watching so many
eagles circling in an ever-moving vortex of rising air. Other eagles
actively flew near the edges of bluffs and ridgelines along the river. It
seemed as though I saw a higher percentage of immature eagles during
the second census, but that impression may be a reflection of the fact
that I saw nearly twice as many eagles overall that day.
This was an amazing opportunity to study and census the Bald Eagles I
encountered along the Mississippi, and it was most exciting to search for
more and more eagles en route. Bald Eagles were flying majestically
along the river, soaring against the clear blue sky over the Mississippi
bluffs, perched in massive trees among the floodplain forest, and
standing on the remaining ice. They were without question the most
abundant birds in the region as they migrated north to nesting territories
in northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and beyond to the
Northwoods of Canada.
Eagles are amazing birds. What a euphoric time I savored among this
spring assemblage of American eagles!
to celebrate. So imagine my excitement when I counted 387 Bald Eagles
along a short stretch of the Mississippi River in southeast Minnesota as I
drove from Red Wing to Wabasha, a distance of about 29 miles. The
Mississippi was mostly ice-free on this second day of March, but there
was still a monstrous ice cube covering Lake Pepin (a reservoir created
behind Mississippi River locks) at Lake City, and I found 242 of the
eagles on or near the ice north of Lake City.
When I arrived in Wabasha, my destination for an evening photography
program I was presenting, I tallied my field census. When I found the total
was just 13 shy of 400, I decided I must try to beat 400 the following day
when I would return along the same route.
The next morning I was careful to check all potential river areas during
my drive from Wabasha to Red Wing as I worked to beat the 400 mark.
When I totaled my count, I was absolutely astonished to find I had
documented a minimum of 695 Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River
between Wabasha and Red Wing!
But there was much more to this story than a mere census. Almost as
exciting as these memorable counts was the opportunity to take some
super photos of a lone eagle perched in a giant cottonwood tree on the
shore of the Mississippi River. The soft sunlight of late afternoon
brightened the scene, and budding branches framed the grand adult
Bald Eagle. The great eagle allowed me to approach as close as I wanted
without any show of concern. I reveled in the fact that the eagle trusted
me to approach within just 20 feet to photograph it.
Most of the eagles I sighted during my surveys were standing on the ice,
especially along the north end of Lake Pepin between Lake City and Old
Frontenac. Some eagles were perched in trees along the river, and a
number of eagles were actively migrating north.
With the temperatures surging into the 60s, the migrating eagles soared
into thermals in groups of up to 26 birds. Imagine watching so many
eagles circling in an ever-moving vortex of rising air. Other eagles
actively flew near the edges of bluffs and ridgelines along the river. It
seemed as though I saw a higher percentage of immature eagles during
the second census, but that impression may be a reflection of the fact
that I saw nearly twice as many eagles overall that day.
This was an amazing opportunity to study and census the Bald Eagles I
encountered along the Mississippi, and it was most exciting to search for
more and more eagles en route. Bald Eagles were flying majestically
along the river, soaring against the clear blue sky over the Mississippi
bluffs, perched in massive trees among the floodplain forest, and
standing on the remaining ice. They were without question the most
abundant birds in the region as they migrated north to nesting territories
in northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and beyond to the
Northwoods of Canada.
Eagles are amazing birds. What a euphoric time I savored among this
spring assemblage of American eagles!
More than any other animals that inhabit this country, grizzly bears
command our attention and channel emotions of fear and awe and power.
My first close encounter with a grizzly bear was north of the frontier
village of Nome, still a small outpost on the edge of Alaska’s remote
“bush country.”
I was actually driving back to Nome to catch the next flight to Anchorage
and ultimately to Los Angeles after some satisfying days of
photographing spectacular Arctic-nesting birds and big mammals on the
open tundra. This was a monumental day, with opportunities to
photograph colorful Harlequin Ducks along a mountain stream; vocal
American Golden Plovers in dramatic breeding plumage on their nesting
territories; displaying Rock Ptarmigan still covered in their winter snow-
white plumage; a big cow moose leading its new-born calf across the ice-
cold rushing water of a snow-fed stream; and an impressive herd of
caribou crossing the tundra. But before me was one of the most
memorable of all my Arctic sightings.
From a distance of about a half mile, I could see a bear in the road ahead
of me. I pressed the rented pickup I was driving down the road with the
hopes of getting a close view and taking photographs of the bruin. The
wish for a close view was easy enough because the bear, a beautiful
golden-colored grizzly, was preoccupied as it sniffed hidden scents
along the side of the road. I was able to ease the truck within 150 feet of
goldie, apparently without drawing its attention. I could have taken a
photo of the griz at that point – I even had the bear focused in my camera’
s 8x telephoto lens – but the lack of aesthetics with the road included in
the photo made me wait for a better opportunity when it moved to a more
natural setting amid the adjoining tundra.
When the blond grizzly stepped off the road toward a fast-flowing stream,
I drove closer into position, with my window down and camera at ready.
This time I was surprised by the bear’s reaction to my approach, for
although griz seemed unconcerned with me up to that point, the bear
now appeared frightened, running intently across the stream, splashing
water high behind it as it rushed across the water and into some thick
willows.
Now, I was worried I may have missed my photo opportunity. I quickly
searched for an opening in the willows where the bear might cross,
hoping I might still manage to snap a photo of it. I stood beside the
pickup, watching for any movement, searching for any openings, fearing I
might have missed my only chance to document this beautifully colored
grizzly bear.
Suddenly, the most unexpected thing happened: The big golden bear
stood upright, rising high above the willows, facing me with its broad
nose raised in the air, testing for my scent. I was amazed! How many
people have ever had a grizzly stand and face them? How lucky was I? I
took three quick photos of “blondie” as it sniffed the wind while peering
in my direction. Then, without warning, it dropped back down behind the
willows, presumably continuing away from my position. But maybe not…
I watched in earnest to find the bear again. Was it sneaking toward me, or
running away again?
Only a short time elapsed before I re-sighted the golden griz: It was far
across the stream basin, already climbing up the mountain on the
opposite side of the valley. The fearsome grizzly bear appeared to still be
very concerned about me; it continued to look behind it periodically and
raise its nose to test the wind to ascertain my position. Imagine, a grizzly
afraid of me!
It was surprising to watch the bear’s quickness as it walked up the steep
mountain, and the grizzly’s strength was obvious as it climbed the steep
slope. It covered a distance that would have taken me most of the
afternoon to hike in only 15 minutes. Miraculously, as it topped the
mountain ridge, just before it ambled out of sight, it rose up again to
stand silhouetted against the afternoon sky. Even though this scene
sounds like the end of a animated Disney story, it was a most memorable
experience to complete my trip through some of the wildest locations
along the Bering Sea in western Alaska.
One thing about grizzly bears, if you’ve ever seen one, you’ll never
forget it. Grizzlies command our attention. Even the most mundane
sighting becomes a memorable experience, recalled time and time again,
even handed down through generations. What impressive animals the
grizzlies are, for these dangerous bears have captured our attention, and
our imagination, throughout time. This was surely a memorable encounter
with a rare golden grizzly, a noble grizzly bear that fairly represents the
American wilderness in unsurpassed fashion.
command our attention and channel emotions of fear and awe and power.
My first close encounter with a grizzly bear was north of the frontier
village of Nome, still a small outpost on the edge of Alaska’s remote
“bush country.”
I was actually driving back to Nome to catch the next flight to Anchorage
and ultimately to Los Angeles after some satisfying days of
photographing spectacular Arctic-nesting birds and big mammals on the
open tundra. This was a monumental day, with opportunities to
photograph colorful Harlequin Ducks along a mountain stream; vocal
American Golden Plovers in dramatic breeding plumage on their nesting
territories; displaying Rock Ptarmigan still covered in their winter snow-
white plumage; a big cow moose leading its new-born calf across the ice-
cold rushing water of a snow-fed stream; and an impressive herd of
caribou crossing the tundra. But before me was one of the most
memorable of all my Arctic sightings.
From a distance of about a half mile, I could see a bear in the road ahead
of me. I pressed the rented pickup I was driving down the road with the
hopes of getting a close view and taking photographs of the bruin. The
wish for a close view was easy enough because the bear, a beautiful
golden-colored grizzly, was preoccupied as it sniffed hidden scents
along the side of the road. I was able to ease the truck within 150 feet of
goldie, apparently without drawing its attention. I could have taken a
photo of the griz at that point – I even had the bear focused in my camera’
s 8x telephoto lens – but the lack of aesthetics with the road included in
the photo made me wait for a better opportunity when it moved to a more
natural setting amid the adjoining tundra.
When the blond grizzly stepped off the road toward a fast-flowing stream,
I drove closer into position, with my window down and camera at ready.
This time I was surprised by the bear’s reaction to my approach, for
although griz seemed unconcerned with me up to that point, the bear
now appeared frightened, running intently across the stream, splashing
water high behind it as it rushed across the water and into some thick
willows.
Now, I was worried I may have missed my photo opportunity. I quickly
searched for an opening in the willows where the bear might cross,
hoping I might still manage to snap a photo of it. I stood beside the
pickup, watching for any movement, searching for any openings, fearing I
might have missed my only chance to document this beautifully colored
grizzly bear.
Suddenly, the most unexpected thing happened: The big golden bear
stood upright, rising high above the willows, facing me with its broad
nose raised in the air, testing for my scent. I was amazed! How many
people have ever had a grizzly stand and face them? How lucky was I? I
took three quick photos of “blondie” as it sniffed the wind while peering
in my direction. Then, without warning, it dropped back down behind the
willows, presumably continuing away from my position. But maybe not…
I watched in earnest to find the bear again. Was it sneaking toward me, or
running away again?
Only a short time elapsed before I re-sighted the golden griz: It was far
across the stream basin, already climbing up the mountain on the
opposite side of the valley. The fearsome grizzly bear appeared to still be
very concerned about me; it continued to look behind it periodically and
raise its nose to test the wind to ascertain my position. Imagine, a grizzly
afraid of me!
It was surprising to watch the bear’s quickness as it walked up the steep
mountain, and the grizzly’s strength was obvious as it climbed the steep
slope. It covered a distance that would have taken me most of the
afternoon to hike in only 15 minutes. Miraculously, as it topped the
mountain ridge, just before it ambled out of sight, it rose up again to
stand silhouetted against the afternoon sky. Even though this scene
sounds like the end of a animated Disney story, it was a most memorable
experience to complete my trip through some of the wildest locations
along the Bering Sea in western Alaska.
One thing about grizzly bears, if you’ve ever seen one, you’ll never
forget it. Grizzlies command our attention. Even the most mundane
sighting becomes a memorable experience, recalled time and time again,
even handed down through generations. What impressive animals the
grizzlies are, for these dangerous bears have captured our attention, and
our imagination, throughout time. This was surely a memorable encounter
with a rare golden grizzly, a noble grizzly bear that fairly represents the
American wilderness in unsurpassed fashion.
Golden Grizzly
We hope you have enjoyed this story of an extraordinary day in
the field with Paul and the golden grizzly. Now you have an
opportunity to enjoy even more exploits – across America and
around the world:
You can order as many as 30 Wildlife Adventures articles from
this web site, individually, or all 30 on a CD with 30 corresponding
photos.
Check out the entire list of titles right away on our Home Page.
Each CD containing all 30 articles with 30 photos is just $10
(plus a small shipping fee). That's a huge savings, even if the
individual articles are so economically priced.
Buy one or more CDs today!
Contact us by
Email Trust@WildlifeAdventures.biz
Telephone 714 - 916- 4397
Enjoy Wildlife Adventures to the MAX!
the field with Paul and the golden grizzly. Now you have an
opportunity to enjoy even more exploits – across America and
around the world:
You can order as many as 30 Wildlife Adventures articles from
this web site, individually, or all 30 on a CD with 30 corresponding
photos.
Check out the entire list of titles right away on our Home Page.
Each CD containing all 30 articles with 30 photos is just $10
(plus a small shipping fee). That's a huge savings, even if the
individual articles are so economically priced.
Buy one or more CDs today!
Contact us by
Email Trust@WildlifeAdventures.biz
Telephone 714 - 916- 4397
Enjoy Wildlife Adventures to the MAX!
| Please also check out our other articles by buying a Wildlife Adventures CD today. Thanks for joining us at Wildlife Adventures .biz |
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