Bay Photos by Donna

Yesterday’s Winter Storm Diego that plummeted the southeast was forecast to miss us entirely but took a bit further north path and caught us for a dusting of our first snow of the season, receiving about two inches.

This morning I had just enough time to do one loop on the wildlife drive through Blackwater NWR to enjoy the results of the snow’s beauty.

Blackwater NWR

 

Birds were definitely out and about foraging through the snow and icy waters.

 

Great Blue Heron

 

Great Blue Heron

 

 

Northern Shoveler (male)

 

Northern Shovelers

 

I noticed something darting across a snowy field and was surprised with two Killdeer.

Killdeer

 

The increasing winter Bald Eagle population is already noticeable.  I saw many flying high in the sky, too far to photograph.  But I luckily captured photos of two juveniles flying low enough.

Note the slight difference in coloring with these two  juvenile Bald Eagles, both are approx. 2-years old

 

Becoming the usual more times than not at this time of year, there were a pair of Bald Eagles perched on the refuge’s Osprey cam platform.

I noticed one of Eagles was drenched and was lucky to capture a “shaking off”.  Click on the first photo to watch the action in a slideshow.

Bald Eagles

 

And to top off my visit, another awaited migrant, the Tundra Swans, were in abundance.  Some were rafting out on the waters, but most were foraging in a large marshy field.

 

 

 

Tundra Swans

 

It was great to see the new migratory arrivals for our winter season.