Daily Eagles and the Rules of the Road

I live in a wonderland of nature.

And mostly everyone around here knows it.

Yoopers are interesting drivers.   They are sort of on-the-road oxymorons.  Don't worry, I don't mean that word sarcastically at all. It's just that they will tailgate you...a lot.  But, they are NICE about it.  Nice tailgaters.  They will tailgate patiently for many miles, through passing and non-passing zones.  They won't rev their engines or gesture at you rudely. Then, when they are ready, they will pass you nicely.  No revving, just gentle, I-think-I'd-like-to-be-first-in-line-now passing.  The only exception is during deer hunting season, maybe.  Then they rev just a little.  Because their CAMP is waiting.  And even though Yoopers LOVE LOVE LOVE to hunt, CAMP is a code word for a lot of things.  It's the home base to coordinate their hunting strategies.  It's their yearly getaway from civilization, a place where if nobody showers, nobody cares.  It's a place where the only fashion statements are in camo and blaze orange. It's a place to drink a lot of beer. What could be better than that!

So anyway, while they are out hunting and camping and drinking, I am doing my usual stuff. Which, in part, involves driving to and fro between Paynesville and Ontonagon.  And I try to watch behind me for tailgaters, but I also have to look around me for photo ops.

For several years, and especially since moving to the UP, my constant car buddy has been THIS:

It is a Nikon Coolpix p510, lovingly used and slightly mangled, complete with tiny wobbly tripod. It's been dropped twice, hence the dent and the loud whirring noise it makes when zooming in or out. Coolpix models are up in the p900s by now, which tells you this one has been around the block a few times.  And to Utah and back.  And all the way around Lake Superior....etc.  It is a fixed lens point and shoot, not a DSLR, so it is limited in what it can do, but what it does for me, it does nicely.

Anyway, it usually sits on my dash, ready to be grabbed.  Fortunately: 1. I am a careful driver.  2. I try to stay on the road less traveled. 3. Yoopers are understanding when they see you pulled off the road in front of them.  Some will offer assistance, others will wave in a friendly manner, but most will look around and try to see what's caught your attention, and is it something they are currently on the hunt for? Since most of them are not hunting for birds, or porcupines or Bald Eagles, which can't be hunted anyway, they go around me without any revving or rude gestures.  Sometimes they pull off with me and grab their cameras off of their dashboards.

Because it is mid-November, most of the migrations of birds are over and done.  There are a few hangers-on, because of nice weather and only one snowstorm so far.  So what I find mostly to take pictures of these days are eagles (and an occasional porcupine).

number 3 of 4 spotted so far

In fact, these days I look for what I call my "Daily Eagle."  What some people don't know is that our National Symbol Bird of Freedom and Glory is for the most part a big vulture with a white head. Meaning that it is a very opportunistic eater of roadkill.  Especially during deer season, when the roadkill du jour is mostly going to be Whitetail Deer.

today's DE

Anyway, I LOVE photographing eagles.  While I am photographing one, I am sure that eagles are my favorite bird (that's how it works....if I am photographing a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, IT is my favorite.

not an eagle

Once you get used to looking at them, you realize that all eagles are unique.  It's the reason why people who watch the famous Decorah Eagle Cam can tell Mom from Dad without a problem.

Saturday's Daily Eagle on a wobbly perch

1

future site of a food fight!

the guy who stayed out of it

the guy who WON

some Iowa eagles who want to be recognized

remember this face for a moment

sleepy eagle

Busy being a mom, and yes, you've seen this face before! The sleepy eagle is Dad. (Old friends from Dunbar Slough in Iowa)

Eagles only get a totally white head when they are five years old or so, so in the meantime, they have lots of different looks.

yearling and adult eagles

might be one or two years old

three

I would guess two eagles from this year's fledge and mom or dad (plus a lot of crows and ravens not sharing well)

The other day, I was fortunate enough to chase these three away from their du jour. 

from the bottom to the top I would guess three, four and five+ years old

Anyway, I could bore you with many more DE (daily eagle) pictures, but unfortunately, I want to go see if I can find a new eagle to photograph.  Is it an obsession?  Maybe a little.  But I think everyone has their own.  I hope whatever you are obsessed with makes you happy, too!