On a recent visit to the Poo Ponds we came across a White-bellied Sea-Eagle enjoying lunch. These eagles are generally seen soaring along the coastline looking for food or nesting inland at the ephemeral lakes. They are a magnificent sight with their wing span at approximately 2 metres and their distinct upswept wings. They chase and successfully catch shorebirds as well as ducks and can be seen taking fish from the ocean as well. It is not an easy task trying to photograph a White-bellied Sea-Eagle as it soars along the coast, so when you discover one sat in a tree enjoying lunch it enables you to focus on everything that is magnificent about this bird of prey. The nests that they build are huge and consist of large sticks generally close to water. This one was photographed very close to town and the tree has been used for several years and had been alive until recently.
White-bellied Sea-Eagle and nest
Now, if you don’t want to see any bits of meat-most likely bits of a Plumed Whistling-Duck-may I suggest you just look at the first two photos and then move on….
White-bellied Sea-Eagle being rather cautious as we pull up
Note the talons on this bird-not to be messed with!
Lunch proceeds from here on…..
A piece of meat is dropped and it considers what to do….
It decides to not take any risks with the remaining meat and wolfs it down-eyes half shut-in one big gulp.
If you like eagles then you should see how magnificent our Wedge-tailed Eagle is.
wow…amazing images, I enjoyed this!
Oh, lucky you! I was very fortunate to see them at the coast of Borneo in April, but as you describe so well, the birds were distant, soaring and gliding along the coast. Very magnificent birds. You know… if they were brown, they’d almost qualify as old world warblers… 😉
Lucky us…unlucky duck! 🙂
Yes, they really are magnificent and soar so well. Do you wear brown, or it’s just a bird thing?! 🙂
No, it’s entirely a bird thing. I combine pink and yellow in the field, just to show I am not your average birder. 🙂