When driving about in Siouxland I generally have a destination in mind when looking for birds. A particular park, nature preserve or refuge where I believe I will have a good chance of seeing birds, or deer or whatever else might appear. When just driving around looking for landscapes and such I will just drive and look. But the success of photographing birds one needs to be more specific.
On a recent excursion to the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge I happened to glance over toward a small river that feeds into the Missouri River and a place I had previously visited, although I didn’t know the name of the place at the time. And previously I has found a couple eagles gliding over the river looking for something to eat. The Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area is 200-300 acres of woods and wetland. The Little Sioux River runs through it and out into the Missouri River, and it was there that I saw some “large birds” sitting atop a small, very small, spillway. Am guessing they were juvenile bald eagles feeding along with some crows and seeing that before the place’s exit ramp appeared made it possible to detour from heading further south and to see what might be found.
And sometimes serendipity prevails as I found maybe 40-50 eagles hanging out, feeding, flying, practicing aerial combat maneuvers. It seemed a lot of the birds were juvenile bald eagles, possible on their migration flight with parents in tow checking locations along the way. I was happy having the chance to photograph these creatures although I still working to achieve in flight images that are in focus. So even though it was a grey, overcast kind of day, one works with what one has. Blue sky and brighter light might have been nice for taking photographs, but the birds didn’t seem to mind about the weather and in fining them, who am I to complain.
That is a lot of eagles! Linda is from Davenport, so we get several opportunities to head up there and check out the eagles that gather to hunt the Mississippi during the winter months. Their numbers are definitely growing, but have not seen as many perched at one time as in your second shot. Some are even started to stay year round around us adapting to field hunting instead of their traditional water grabs.
Thank you. I have seen some wonderful eagle images from the Davenport area along with some from Des Moines where there is also a dam area as the fish the rivers. I am still working on my skill to photograph them “fishing” and then doing aerial maneuvers to find a perch and eat their catch. It’s going to take a while. Thanks for visiting.
I live in the Siouxland area that encompasses a wide swatch of land in northwest Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The people that inhabit this area are generous folk and your basic honest, Midwestern people you like to have as neighbors. I explore the area and share observations, mostly photographic, sometimes through video, and and short text. All images and video are copyrighted material of the author.
Jerry Mennenga, Sioux City, Iowa
jerrylmennenga@yahoo.com
lostinsiouxland 
That is a lot of eagles! Linda is from Davenport, so we get several opportunities to head up there and check out the eagles that gather to hunt the Mississippi during the winter months. Their numbers are definitely growing, but have not seen as many perched at one time as in your second shot. Some are even started to stay year round around us adapting to field hunting instead of their traditional water grabs.
Thank you. I have seen some wonderful eagle images from the Davenport area along with some from Des Moines where there is also a dam area as the fish the rivers. I am still working on my skill to photograph them “fishing” and then doing aerial maneuvers to find a perch and eat their catch. It’s going to take a while. Thanks for visiting.