10 April 2013

it's all about ... the (immature) White-bellied Sea Eagle

Walking along Soldiers Beach Sunday afternoon ...

Silver Gulls

one of several coal-ships waiting their turn in queue to enter Newcastle harbour; way out on the horizon.


Walked on up to Pelican Point to see if there were wader birds about and yes, there was.

Looked to the skies on the return walk and WOW, a White-bellied Sea Eagle just made my day!

   

  Can you see it's holding onto something?  I actually saw this come falling to the sand-hills...


and I really wanted to go check it out but didn't want to miss taking as many shots as I could, while I could.  Who was to say if any would turn out at all?



ooops, looking like it's starting to lose a grip at this stage



yikes - don't think for a minute you're going to pick me up!

phew

By the time I got down near the surf club to walk back uphill to the carpark, I glanced back.  Now the White-bellied Sea Eagle had a mate.  It was beautiful to see but sooo far away; still, one last parting shot for you.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Late addition: for those of you who can tell what a wedge-tail eagle looks like; please consider this comment emailed to me.  Does anyone else also have ID feedback for me?  I may well have to change the title to this post!

altho the tail looks very 'wedgie' i think your bird is actually an immature sea eagle from the coffee coloured brown and the whiteness of the tail feathers"

Also, added to this was then Richard Waring's posted comment, in part it reads, "I am fairly sure this is an immature WBSE not a WTE", so thank you to you both, I have now changed the title to suit your suggested identifications.


34 comments:

  1. Great photos of the eagle. I have seen them occasionally but never at the beach and I have never got good photos. Congrats!

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  2. so very cool! love the feathers you can see in flight!

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  3. Hi Carole, great photos! I can almost hear and smell the ocean with these! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  4. What a wonderful encounter for you! You took some great photos of the whole sequence!

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  5. What a magnificent creature, and you have photographed it so beautifully, Carole!

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  6. Amazing shots Carole!!!!

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  7. Very cool views and I would die to get shots like you did of the eagle!

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  8. Anonymous1:36 pm

    Lovely place but oh wow! Those eagle shots are amazing! So majestic.

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  9. To be in that beautiful setting of sand and sea and watch an eagle would have been a wonderful experience.
    I don't know how you kept your cool. I'm not sure I could have. You got some great flight shots!

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  10. Buenas capturas en vuelo de esta bonita rapaz.Saludos

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  11. Great pictures again Carole.
    Really quite amazing the wedge-tailed eagle, also with prey, very well photographed.
    Greetings Irma

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  12. I don't know about the ID, but it's a very handsome eagle! Your photos are fantastic! I love the straight up view! I wonder what it was carrying? I really like the photo of the coal ship, too!

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  13. Wow....I am in total awe of your photography. Super images of the in flight of the eagle. Just plain wow.

    PS...I'm not sure but when I clicked on your link at the WBW hub, the link took me directly back to WBW instead of your blog post?!! Some glitch...[just saying in case you may want to go back and re-add another link]

    BAD 'Hair' DAY

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  14. Hi Carole, lovely shots and story. I am fairly sure this is an immature WBSE not a WTE, but regardless of the variety, this is.a lovely set of photos. Thanks for sharing. Regards, Richard

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  15. Marvelous photos of the beach and this special eagle or hawk. Amazing !

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  16. Hello Carole the translator works.
    I'm very happy.
    Greetings Irma

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  17. Amazing images of the eagle!!! I love the sand and the surf, too!!

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  18. Hi Carole...Wow that is a biggy your eagle, and the shot's are fantastic!
    Love seeing birds in flight with the wings full out and soaring!!
    Love the coastline photos too, very lovely looking there!!
    Grace

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  19. Anonymous2:47 am

    Whowwwh, ganz wundervolle Fotos.

    LG Mathilda ♥

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  20. Brilliant luck with the eagle there Carole anf it left me wondering waht was in those talons. Can't help with WBSE or a WTE as we don't get either of those beauties over here.

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  21. Wonderful shots of the eagle in flight, Carol. I've never even seen an eagle in flight.
    Thanks for your comments the last couple of days.

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  22. Great photos of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

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  23. Great shots of the sea and the eagle. I love this meme for the great help we get in identification both from Stewart as well as other knowledgable sources. Isn't it amazing how many Pelican Points there are in Australia?

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  24. great shots, silver gulls are so pretty.

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  25. Thank you for these attractive captures;-)
    CĂ©line & Philippe

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  26. What an exciting photo shoot Carole ... it's very difficult identifying birds in flight but at least you and we have learnt something new.

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  27. what a great place to spend a day birding. Love it.

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  28. My immediate reaction was WBSE - so I'll stay with that!

    Great pictures of a bird that looks like a "flying barn door"!

    Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW.

    Stewart M - Melbourne.

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  29. I'm so impressed with your eagle/raptor images. The shots of the beach are also quite nice. :)

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  30. What a magnificent bird!
    The beach looks a lot like the one we frequent, but I've never been so lucky to see a sea eagle there.
    Well done :)

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  31. Great pictures of the eagle in flight. The wings are quite impressive!!!!

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  32. I went to Wikipedia and found some interesting info about the WBSE---such a beautiful bird!

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  33. Amazing shots of this bird, whatever kind he is...I don't know birds, but I love to see them! You got great close up photos! Thanks for the amazing views!
    hugs,
    Laura

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thanks for visiting Snap Happy Birding, and for leaving a comment; I can still see them. Now both my blogs are resting in idle mode. It was time to give other things priority, even though I miss my regular blogging and the feedback that came my way over the years. Take care.