Hi Everyone,

I just finished my annual Deschutes River raft trip earlier today and wanted to get a couple of images from the trip reviewed and on my website.

I was very fortunate to have a front-row seat for an adult BALD EAGLE capturing a (very large) wild rainbow trout, virtually effortlessly. Bald Eagles spending the summer (and nesting) this far south - in central Oregon - especially inland, is quite unusual. For the last three or four years on our raft trip, we have seen one pair of eagles in the same location on the Deschutes, so presumably they are a nesting pair (though we have never seen young). The river stretch we float hosts a huge number of active OSPREY nests, more each year, because it is a world class trout fishery. Consequently, the osprey and eagles (and Belted Kingfishers, Common Mergansers, Great Blue Herons, and river otters) are highly attracted to the area.

On Wednesday, I walked several miles downriver to scout a rapids that we were going to run the next morning and noticed two adult Bald Eagles circling above the river. I was carrying my camera gear and got ready to take some in-flight shots. Right on cue, one eagle headed upriver, reduced altitude, circled back downriver and then dropped his legs and talons. Eagles that are simply flying tuck their legs up against their bellies, so it was apparent the bird had prey in sight. The eagle glided down to the river, dipped his legs and talons in the water (unfortunately directly behind a tree from my location) and emerged into sight again with a very large wild rainbow trout.

The following link at http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=6682467&cat=38975 shows the eagle with legs down and ready shortly before he grabbed the fish. From this link, click NEXT and you will see the second image of the eagle flying away with the trout.

I also got several good images of an Osprey that captured a fairly large trout which was still trying to wriggle free as the bird flew away. Those will be posted later for anyone interested.

John Tubbs
Snoqualmie, WA
johntubbs at comcast.net
www.tubbsphoto.com