A photographer has captured extraordinary footage showing a female bald eagle swooping from its nest to a river to enjoy a bath while the male eagle watches over young ones.
Mike Lemery’s footage, posted below, was captured recently on the Mohawk River in Cohoes, outside Albany, N.Y. It shows momma eagle leaving to “clean up” and immersing herself repeatedly while remaining on high alert and, at one point, calling to her mate.
Lemery, of Mike Lemery Films, told FTW Outdoors that the eagles are caring for three chicks, instead of the typical one or two, “so they have been working extra hard with the extra mouth to feed.”
The photographer added that minutes before momma left for her bath, papa eagle arrived at the nest with food.
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“They take turns watching over the nest, but the female does the majority of the feeding and protection of the nest,” Lemery said. “They tend to bathe after everyone has eaten.”
After her bath, momma eagle is shown drying off on a branch near the nest.
With bald eagle nesting season underway, and nest-cams providing closeup views of feeding and nurturing, Lemery’s footage provides a wonderful glimpse of eagle behavior beyond the nest.
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