Alaska's Bald Eagles -- Magnificent!

Sunday, 13 October 2013.  Continuing the blog entries to record our cruise up Alaska's Inside Passage..... In addition to the humpback whales we saw during our whale-watching cruise out of Auke Bay (near Juneau), our tour boat's keen-eyed skipper also spotted a couple excellent bald eagle photo-ops while we were scooting around the Bay looking for whales.  Think I captured several good shots of this most famous avian.  Wish we could have gotten closer, but believe my Canon EOS Rebel and telephoto lens did a pretty good job.  (Images of Auke Bay)

 I took this shot once I located this small island in Auke Bay that our skipper was yelling "Eagle dead-ahead."  Can you spot it?  I couldn't, even through my telephoto lens.

 We're getting closer; spot the eagle yet?

Okay, a keen-eyed Daniel Boone type might spot the eagle.  Look very closely, dead center, atop a rocky crag.  Look for the white bald head; a small white dot.

 Our skipper was very careful in maneuvering our boat so as not to startle this eagle as we got closer to this rocky island.  Ended up with some great photo-ops!

 Another good shot of this eagle.  He kept his back to us for most of our maneuvering; once in awhile I caught a profile, but not often.

Just as we were getting mesmerized by our lone eagle, here comes another one!  Can you spot it? Once I determined this second eagle would probably join his brother on the island, I just continued to "shoot" him till he landed.  Some great shots, as evidenced in the following pics.

Here's a close-up of the above pic.

 Now we have TWO eagles on our rocky island!

 Our skipper continued to slowly cruise around the small island that now had two eagles on it.  As we circled, he alerted us to another photo-op as the boat was going to align with a glacier in the distance with one of the eagles and a fishing boat in-between.  What a great shot!  

 Almost have the one eagle perfectly in line with the glacier.....Here's a close-up of this shot featuring the eagle, the fishing boat, and the glacier.

 A goof shot of both eagles with Alaska's awesome landscape as a backdrop.  Will end this eagle watching entry with two last shots of the eagles, seemingly together (not really, since our boat has continued to circle the small island; just looks that way).  Still, couple nice pics!

As our skipper finally decided to head back to our dock in Auke Bay -- and bring an end to our whale and eagle watching for the day -- his keen eyes spotted ANOTHER eagle on another rocky outcropping.  Can you spot it in the photo below?  Again, look for that white bald head (a white dot against the green forest background).  As you'll see in the following pics, our passing might have startled this eagle since it took off from its rocky perch and headed for the protective forest.  Caught him in flight.  You have to have good eyes -- the eagle is in flight for several shots -- but its there.  Jaw-dropping moment as I clicked away with my Canon.  Awesome day on Auke Bay!  Would do it again in a heartbeat!

 Getting ready to take-off.....

 And the eagle is off!

 Have to have a keen eye, but that eagle is there...in flight.  Left center, gray rocks as a background.  Look for that white "dot".....

 Eagle's wings are extended upward in this shot...Close-up photo of same pic is below.

 Wings are slightly down in this shot.  Eagle is positioned on the edge of the rocks and green grass.  Here's another close-up of the same shot.

Eagle is left center -- evergreen as background -- as it heads into the trees.  And here's one more close up of this guy disappearing into the forest.