Adult Eagle perching
Depending on the weather, fall migration for eagles and diving ducks ranges from the end of November to mid-December. This year, the peak was around the first week of December. The main attraction for these birds is the tremendous source of food found in Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River. In this case, the forage fish on the menu are gizzard shad ranging in size from 3 to 10 inches.
Gizzard Shad
It was dropped by an eagle that was perching in a large cottonwood tree near my photography blind.
small group of Drake Common Mergansers
If Lake Pepin is open, the eagles and diving ducks are spread out around the entire lake. Once the lake freezes over, these birds are driven to the remaining open water at the Head of Lake Pepin in Wacouta and Reads Landing near the mouth of the Chippewa River. This phenomenon is recognized as the largest concentration of common mergansers in the world. In the past merganser numbers on the lake have ranged from 20,000 to 70,000 ducks!
Eagles feeding on ice
On the weekend of December 10 and 11, I received phone calls from our Wacouta neighbors Pat Friedrich, Bob and Nancy Braschler informing me of the amazing number of eagles they were observing through their riverside windows. These eagles were not just perched in nearby trees, but were soaring and diving in a frantic search for sustenance. These neighbors concluded there were simply too many to count at one time. Nancy has generously provided video of this feeding frenzy.
Video By Nancy Braschler
Goldeneyes- Three Drakes and a Hen
On Monday December 12, I set up my photography blind on Presbyterian point at the Head of Lake Pepin near some open water. As I approached my blind the next morning, I noticed no less than 200 diving ducks only 50 feet away. Despite crawling on my hands and knees through the snow to avoid detection, my cover was blown and the entire flock immediately flew away.
Two Hen Common Mergansers (with a bad hair day)
I proceeded to my blind, crawled in and waited to see what might happen next. Surprisingly within 30 minutes, many of these ducks had returned to this productive feeding area.
Drake Goldeneye diving for Gizzard Shad
Bald Eagles Hunting
The entire time I was in my blind, eagles were active out over the river diving for the same species of fish as the ducks were feasting upon. At the same time, these eagles would swoop low over a flock of ducks hoping to find an injured or inattentive meal to add to the menu At the end of my morning, I had about 50 ducks right out in front of the blind. All of a sudden 8 eagles perching in a tree directly over my head simultaneously dove straight into that flock. Wouldn't you know, my camera was in my daypack as I was trying to warm my hands from the bitter cold. Oh well, I guess the experience etched in my memory will be good enough.