The wingspan of the American White Pelican can be as much as nine feet wide. A single pelican is shown in the image above and the next image is a trio flying over the water.
American White Pelican
These are some more of of my favorite captures of birds with long wingspans.
For me, getting a closeup of a bird is usually a real challenge. Most of the time, the bird is too far away or it flies away if I get too close. Occasionally, I’ll luck out and come across a bird who is not interested in me and I can get the shot I want.
The Bald Eagle in the above photo was sitting in a low branch of a tree in Chilcoot Lake State Park in Haines, Alaska. As I set up my tripod and aimed the camera at him I kept my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t fly off. He ignored me and I was a happy photographer.
Great Blue Heron, Florida
Most Great Blue Herons I have seen are spooked by humans and will not let me get too near them. This one was hanging around the fishing pier at Ft. Pickens National Seashore in Florida. He was much more interested in getting an easy meal than he was in me.
Nice catch!
This Anhinga was right beside the path in Shark Valley in Everglades National Park. We watched for a while as he struggled to swallow his fish. We didn’t stay around long enough to see if he succeeded in eating it.
Cormorant, Everglades National Park, Florida
This Cormorant was next the trail and didn’t move when I stopped to take his picture.
Of all the birds of prey I’ve seen in the wild, the Bald Eagle is by far my favorite. These magnificent birds mate for life and return to the same nest year after year. Alaska is a Bald Eagle lovers paradise.
Bale Eagle at Ninilchik BeachBald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AKMama and baby eagles across from the Homer Post OfficeEagle soaring overhead in Homer
There are Bald Eagles on some of the Georgia barrier islands near our home but it isn’t every day that one decides to perch on top of our neighbor’s dock house. I was able to get a photo of this Bald Eagle on a foggy December afternoon.
Bald Eagle
Sometimes I can hear the owls in the trees in our neighborhood but they are hard to see. One morning this juvenile horned owl perched on our dock for a while.
Juvenile Horned Owl
Hawks are birds of prey I’ve often seen in Georgia and Florida.
Red Shouldered Hawk, Everglades National Park, Florida
An occasional hawk will fly over our back yard in search of a tasty morsel. One day one stopped for a break on a fence post.
Hawk in coastal Georgia
I often see ospreys soaring overhead as they search for food. I have managed to capture some on their nests.
Osprey on nest, Everglades National Park, FloridaPair of Ospreys on the nature trail, Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. Pickens, Florida
Five years ago we were wandering around Alaska in our RV. As we traveled I was always on the lookout for wildlife and we saw plenty of it.
Along with the many land and sea animals, I enjoyed seeing the birds. The Bald Eagles were my favorite and there were more Bald Eagles than I’ve ever seen anywhere else. We saw them perched in trees, soaring overhead, and even in a nest in front of the Homer Post office. The most unusual sighting was seeing one fly right beside the truck as we drove along the Homer Spit. I was so busy watching him keep up with us that I didn’t get a chance to take his picture!
Bald Eagle on Ninilchik Beach
Bald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AK
Bald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AK
Bald Eagle in the Lynn Canal between Haines and Juneau
Bald Eagle in tree beside Eldred Rock Lighthouse in the Lynn Canal
Mama and Baby Eagles in Homer
Eagle soaring over bluff at Russian Orthadox Church in Ninilchik
We spotted this pair of Bald Eagles as we cruised by on a wildlife and glacier cruise from Valdez
Five years ago this week we were on the road to Alaska from Georgia. Once we crossed the border into Canada, I spent every day looking for wildlife. There were many “WOW” wildlife sightings in both Canada and Alaska.
I’ve been thinking about posting some of my favorite wildlife photos from the trip and today I finally got the boost I needed to put it all together. When my friend Ingrid at Live, Laugh RV posted that the theme for her very first Wednesday photo inspiration was wildlife, I immediately started going though the thousands of photos from the trip.
If you would like to participate or see other posts inspired by Ingrid, click on over to Ingrid’s post Wandering Wednesday.
Here are just a few of my favorite wildlife photos from our Canada and Alaska adventure.
Elk near our campsite in Jasper National Park, Alberta
Soon after entering British Columbia we were in Mount Robson Park and saw this grizzly beside the road
Bear in British Columbia
Bison herd with calves near Liard River Hotsprings in British Columbia
Moose in Denali National Park, Alaska
Black Bear Cub in Valdez, Alaska
Stellar Sea Lions on wildlife cruise from Haines to Juneau, Alaska
Humpback Whale on wildlife cruise from Haines to Juneau, Alaska
Sea Otters on Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez, Alaska
Pod of Orcas with calf on Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez, Alaska
Eagle at Deep Creek Beach, Alaska
Pair of Eagles on Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, Alaska
Puffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, Alaska