Re: Incubation duties switch again DEC 19 at 10:00 AM; check tail feathers

Posted by NewMexiKen on
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/Incubation-duties-switch-again-DEC-19-at-10-00-AM-check-tail-feathers-tp7573286p7573287.html

All is well with the eagle's tail. The power of suggestion caused me to misinterpret the tail feathers as damaged when actually I was looking at them from the lateral aspect, when they would appear thin and irregular.

Dick Evans of Michigan, who took the photos which appeared to show an adult eagle missing a tail has reviewed them. He said "When I lightened them up, I discovered it has a tail...very short one."

This was one of Dick's photos taken Sunday, DEC 15:


-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

He took this one yesterday DEC 19 when we met at the nest site.

 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

In some postures, the primary wing feathers of eagles actually extend out beyond the tip of their tails. Also, the white-on-white effect against a bright cloudy sky has sometimes made me think I had photographed a tail-less (and headless) eagle!

Photos property of Dick Evans and used with permisssion.