After an extended delay caused by ski race photography and the resultant processing, we can return to the eagles of Auke Bay, for a more-or-less final post in the eagle series: Tip Drags.

We can marvel at the power of eagles, but they clearly aren't as agile in the air as other big birds, such as ravens and crows. But that doesn't mean they are imprecise in flight. Bald eagles are really sea eagles, and they are perfectly comfortable flying close to the water.

These images show them in sustained flight within inches of touching the water with wings or talons.

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The reflection in the photo below (upon magnification), shows that the eagle clutches a small fish in its left talon while it skims along the water's surface.

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And below, close, but no contact.
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These images show that the eagles are perfectly comfortable dragging just the tips of their wings in the water. Do they enjoy dragging a tip across the surface? Maybe. If we could fly as well as they do, we would probably enjoy a few occasional tip drags. But even if they don't derive eagle pleasure from tip drags, it is at least a way for them to practice, with little risk, flying closely to things, and building or maintaining the flight skills (and the sense of wing-tip clearance) they might need flying in riskier settings, such as around rocks and through trees. And this is not just gliding flight: there are repeated wing beats, requiring continued adjustments to avoid deeper immersion even while skimming along.

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