Golden Eagles Colorado                        click to enlarge

Another sure sign of Spring is when the Goldens start settling into their nests. Here we see a pair who have just recently moved into an old Victorian they found on the cliff face near a lake and like all newlyweds they are trying to make it their own. One of them is returning with a new railing for the library while its mate looks on critically. These old places need constant attention and it also has to be made baby-safe as they are expecting twins in a few weeks.

This image was made on Jan 27th and even though the area immediately fell into the deepest cold of winter this place stayed relatively warm and toasty due to its south by southwest orientation. The red sandstone absorbs the heat of the sun and kept the nest 15-20° warmer than the surrounding areas.

Those loyal readers with an eagle eye (EPI*) will notice the painterly look to the cliff face, almost as if it is a watercolor. This occurs because the nest is almost a quarter-mile away and it takes every bit of resolving power the long glass has to coax the photons onto the camera’s sensor to create the image. When you consider that you can barely see the birds with your naked eye from that distance it’s a wonder that an image can be made at all.

The big news however is not the difficulty in creating the image but the fact that there is an image to be made. Goldens settling in to start the season means that Spring is on the way. Whoa…., you know what that means,right? Soon it will be warm. T-shirts, flip-flops, eagle watching, picture-taking, warm. Are you excited? I knew that you would be. OK then, Lets do it. Lets have Spring.

*Every Pun Intended