Alpen glow drenches the mountain backdrop for this mature bald eagle soaring in the sky. Kachemak bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Mature bald eagle pictures, soaring against the mountains of Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Mature bald eagle photographs, about to land, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle, Take-off!

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle photograph, close-up in flight shot.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Mature bald eagle picture, making the turn, Kachemak bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald eagle soaring, gliding effortlessly by. Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald Eagle Comin Atcha!.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle portrait, against a spruce tree.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle standing in evening light, his reflection glowing in the beach's wet sand.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Black and white photograph of a young, or immature, bald eagle. A tight headshot.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Mature bald eagle picture, with the wind at his back.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Tight portrait of an immature bald eagle Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle calling, screaming.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald eagle on the hunt, looking for prey as he soars over the waters.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Mature bald eagle portrait.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle,vertical image, after grabbing a fish. Homer, Kachemak bay State Park, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Mature bald eagle glides by me, Kachemak bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Juvenile bald eagle photograph, snatching a fish from the waters of Kachemak bay, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Adult bald eagle picture, the dive begins, Alaska.

(haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Angled and ready to dive, this adult bald eagle is frozen in the light. Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

The dive's underway, and the bald eagle has her eyes set on the target. Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

After a near-miss, knuckles clenched, the bald eagle prepares to swoop again. next time around the bird was on target, and came up from the water with dinner. Homer, kachemak Bay State Park, Alaska.

This immature bald eagle, fishing in the evening light, reached beneath the surface of the shallow water to snatch his supper.

Would you like to see more photos of bald eagles? Visit my new Stock Photo site for a comprehensive collection of over 200 Bald Eagle Photos.

"A very great vision is needed, and the man who has it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky." -- Chief Crazy Horse 

The winter of 2004 I returned once again to shoot the bald eagles of Homer. The weather wasn't as co-operative as I would've liked it to be, but nature photographers learn to take what comes their way with that kind of thing. The eagles winter here each year, before returning to their breeding and hunting grounds for the summer. It's fascinating to watch them, and study the birds in the various stages of their lifecycle. Newly hatched birds, called eaglets, are light grey, and turn a dark brown after 12 weeks, at which time they reach full size, and leave the next. The first year birds (juveniles) are all dark, a deep chocolate brown, and often have fluffy feathers on their stomach and breast region. Varying amounts of white come in over the next couple of years, as the eagles take on new plumage. These are called 'immatures'. Adult plumage is reached at 4-5 years, with the white head, the yellow beak and feet, and the lighter eyes.Adults are monogamous, and mate for life. A mature bald eagle will only take a new partner if its current mate dies.

The bald eagle is the only eagle found exclusively on the North American continent. The bird is called a 'bald' eagle because the word 'balde', in earlier forms of the English language, meant "white". The scientific name for the bird, haliaeetus leucocephalus', comes from the Latin roots, "halo", meaning sea, "aeetos", meaning eagle, and "leukos", meaning white. They are among the largest birds in North America, with the adult females between 30 and 40 inches long, and can weigh up to 15 pounds, with a huge wingspan of nearly 8 feet. Males are slightly smaller, and birds in the Southern locales of the US tend to be smaller than birds in the Northern climes (Alaska, Pacific Northewst, etc). Bald eagles can fly at speeds up to 65 miles an hour, reaching speeds of 150 to 200 miles an hour in a steep dive. They feed primarily on fish, and thus tend to be found along waterways, marshes, rivers, oceans, lakes, etc. Their sharp and powerful talons are up to an inch long, and can easily apply pressue of close to 1000 pounds per square inch. The bald eagle is indeed a powerful predator!

Mass shootings, the use of pesticides on crops, destruction of habitat, contaminated waterways and food sources, along with other forms of pollution, have decimated the eagle population, from an estimated half million eagles in the 17th century to close to 400 pairs in the 1960's. Now numbering at close to 5000 pairs (in the Lower 48) the return of the eagle to much of the Lower 48 states has required close management, and much is still to be done before the bald eagle is seen again in reasonable numbers. In May 2004, the current Bush administration announced that the bald eagle will be taken off the endangered species list, but will continue to receive protected status through the federal Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

I'm constantly working towards furthering my stock lists, and improving my portfolio. These images are all of wild subjects, in their natural environment. Each photo is available for stock use, and photographic prints, screensavers, note cards or calendars are also available. To order any of these pictures, or for complete stock photo lists, drop an email.

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This gallery of images is a collection of photographs taken by Carl Donohue. All images on this site remain the property of Carl Donohue Photography, and are fully protected by federal and international copyright laws. Any unauthorized use is strictly prohibited, and any reproduction copying, manipulation, alteration, saving or distribution of these images will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. All images are available for licensed use; to do so, please contact Carl via email or phone # (770) 952 4549. Thank you.