Since nest sites were out, I decided to look for feeding eagles. That gave me lots of territory to cover - too much for productive camera hunting. Since over winter bald eagles need open water to catch fish, I figured that the best time to camera hunt for close-ups of this species might be during the cold of the Maine winter. With less places to fish, the birds would be concentrated, and that would tip the odds to my advantage. I learned that some of the best places to look for eagles were downstream from dams that keep water open for limited stretches.
Dams also chew up a few fish to make easy pickings for the birds.
I sought and found such a place not far from Bangor, just below the Veazie dam. I obtained permission to set up a blind - essential for not scaring off the birds. Once I had my spot, it still wasn't so easy. Remember that it's vital not to harass these birds. During the winter, wildlife needs to maintain energy reserves for survival.