It’s been an exciting winter this year in Siouxland to have been able to to see so many bald eagles and enjoy watching them cavort in and around the Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, SD and elsewhere.
The birds or raptors are so fierce seeing them up close with a telephoto lens. And bird migration for the coming warmer months has begun as well with various species making their annual return trip for spending the spring, summer and early part of the fall months before making the trek again.
But it will be nice to see some green re-emerge and add some color to the landscape. And enjoying warmer weather, although winter has been overly warm itself, just not on a daily basis.
I never realized living in Siouxland that there are so many areas where it’s possible to view bald eagles depending on the time of year. It is so fascinating watching them fish and soar and just hang out with their brethren as we mere human mortals watch them. While working for so many years in the area it never occurred to me to go check them out or find the places one could watch them. Duh. Other priorities and tasks awaited free time then.
I have photographed these creatures a few time in different places and probably have taken too too many photographs. Not all of which are stellar, or even close to other photographers’ images. But it’s a nice challenge and an enjoyable experience to see them up close and personal in a way, especially near Gavins Point Dam where the trees the birds roost in at times are almost if not quite eye level to places a person can stand, watch and photograph.
And it’s a nice excuse to get out of the house, breathe some fresh air and watch some magnificent creatures in real life rather than on a nature show on the television, or online as well these days. Sometimes it’s those quick and fleeting moments that can bring joy, as these creatures don’t generally stay in one spot for long.
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 