The white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) is a very large species of sea eagle widely distributed across temperate Eurasia. A massive raptor with a rather long, heavy bill; broad, plank-like wings; and relatively short, graduated tail. Looks like a flying barn door and soars with wings rather level (not slightly raised like Golden Eagle). Its plumage is dark overall and the adult has a paler brown head and body, white tail, yellowish bill. The immature starts with a mostly brown tail streaked white, blackish bill; and attains its fully white tail in about 4 years. Generally uncommon, mainly found along seacoasts and larger rivers (feeds predominantly on fish).

#wildartworks, #natgeowild #WhitetailedEagle #DriftIce #Winter #Rausu #SeaofOkhotsk, #birdinginthewild, #birdphotography, #conservationphotography, #Hokkaido, #raptor, #eagle

The Steller’s Sea Eagle is one of the most remarkable birds I have seen. Though familiar in summer to native peoples of the Russian Far East, of the Aleutian Islands and even south-west Alaska, & in winter to those in northern Japan, it was unknown to western ornithologists until the late 18th century.

Standing a metre tall, with a wingspan approaching 3m & weighing as much as 9 kg, it is arguably among the largest eagles in the world (and certainly one of the biggest three or four).

#wildartworks, #natgeowild #StellersSeaEagle #DriftIce #Winter #Rausu #SeaofOkhotsk, #birdinginthewild, #birdphotography, #conservationphotography, #Hokkaido, #Steller’sSeaEagle #eagle #raptor

Crows are members of the Corvidae family, which also includes ravens, magpies, and blue jays. Loud, rambunctious, and very intelligent, crows are most often associated with a long history of fear and loathing. They are considered pests by farmers trying to protect their crops and seedlings. Many people fear them simply because of their black feathers, which are often associating them with death. But research has demonstrated that crows are actually very social and caring creatures, and also among the smartest animals on the planet. #wildartworks, #crows, #corvidae

Lake Kussharo, an inland lake in the west of Hokkaido, is a caldera lake, a remnant of a long-ago erupted volcano. Its violent, seismic past is evident even today, with natural hot springs bubbling up along its shoreline, heating both the water and gravelly shores. It is here where the Whooper Swans gather to find refuge from Hokkaido’s brutally cold winters.