The local Steller’s #2

Steller’s Sea Eagle

I noticed the Steller’s had dropped behind a sea wall and I snuck up and there it was…

It looks a bit grizzled. How old is it? I think it’s a male (it seems a bit small)…

This winter I’ve noticed its right eye is knacked.

Steller’s Sea Eagle

The left eye looks normal enough.

Steller’s Sea Eagle

What happened to its eye I wonder? Is the eagle equivalent of a cataract? Is it blind in that eye? Like I say I think this individual is probably quite old.

A quiet end to January

Eastern Buzzard

Not a Rough-legged sadly…

Heavy snow and very low temperatures have restricted my birding the last couple of weeks. Today we headed east where the snowfall is usually much less but even there it was piled high. Not a vintage day for photos.

A bit quiet birding wise. A flock of Japanese Waxwing flew over (with one pixel-peeped Bohemian) and the local Steller’s was around.

Steller’s Sea Eagle

Amongst the Carrion and Large-billed Crows in the port I was surprised to see this first winter Rook. This is a winter visitor only here and is usually found in large skittish flocks in agricultural fields. Strange to see a lone one poking around in the fish scraps.

Rook

First outing of 2023

Peregrine

Very heavy snow kept us indoors for the first 4 days of the year. It was snowing again this morning but we headed east where mysteriously everywhere was almost snowfree…

On this particular cape there were almost no birds except this Peregrine.

Peregrine

The local Steller’s flew by the port but I wasn’t really ready when it did.

Steller’s Sea Eagle

Back

Steller’s Sea Eagle

The local Steller’s is back.

Steller’s Sea Eagle

You can’t see it from these pics but it’s right eye looked damaged (it wasn’t yellow). Its right eye was OK last year. I’m assuming it’s the same bird that winters in this place every year but who knows?

Steller’s Sea Eagle