Reelfoot Lake - Hidden Gem of Nature

I just returned from a three day photo trip to Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee.  This remote and little known area consists of a State Park and a Wildlife Management Area that straddles the border of Tennessee and Kentucky.  This was not my first trip to Reelfoot but my previous trips had been in the summer and I never realized the tremendous population of birds that make Reelfoot their winter home.  The most notable of the birds is the American Bald Eagle.

The weather has been very mild this winter and I expected pleasant days and cool nights.  Naturally, as soon as I arrived the temperature dropped and the wind and snow started...

It is really amazing how cold it is with 32 degree temperatures and a 15 MPH wind off the lake.  There just are not enough clothes to keep the wind out!

After a night of freezing cold, wind, waves and blowing spray, beautiful ice sculptures formed along the banks of the lake.

Reelfoot Lake was formed by the earthquake of 1811 - 1812 when a large depression was formed near the Mississippi River.  A channel opened and the river flowed into the depression to create the lake.  Over time the channel filled with sediment and Reelfoot Lake was born.

The lake is very shallow and surrounded by Bald Cypress.  Navigation is so difficult that the locals developed special boats with protected motors to prevent damage on the hidden hazards under the surface.  The fertile waters and the Cypress forest that extends out into the lake provide the perfect habitat for all types of wildlife including fish, reptiles, insects, and birds.

The winter population of ducks and geese is estimated to be 150,000.

This flock had about 30,000 geese in it.  It is truly a spectacular experience to be close to this many birds.  The sounds are incredible and when they take flight, they create a roar that fills your head and almost shakes the ground like the earthquake that formed the region.  This is a MUST SEE event.





The geese are awsome but to me the stars of the show are the Bald Eagles.  There are about 20 pairs of year round residents that nest at Reelfoot but, in winter, Reelfoot Lake has more Bald Eagles than anywhere in the United States outside of Alaska.  The winter population is usually 300-400 Eagles.

Typically, eagles begin to arrive at Reelfoot in October and they peak in February but this has been a mild winter so the population was lower this year and the eagles have already begun to move back north, following their food.  Even with the lower population I saw about 25 eagles on my first day of shooting and 16 on the second day.

Eagles have a life expectancy of about 40 years in the wild and they mate for life.  They reach maturity in 4-6 years and it is not until that time that they get their iconic white head and tail and yellow beak.  Juvenile eagles have dark heads and tails but they are the same size as an adult.

This pair of immature eagles took a Snow Goose and now the fight is on to determine who gets the largest portion of the meal.

The primary food for a Bald Eagle is fish with live or freshly dead fish making up about 80% - 90% of their diet.  Small animals including waterfowl make up the remaining 10% to 20%.

A Bald Eagles wingspan is 6 to 8 feet and they typically weigh 6 to 8 pounds.

When they reach maturity and mate, the female will return to the general area of her maiden flight to build a nest and make a home.  The eagles may set up permanent residence at that location or they may migrate, returning each winter to the nest.

Nests generally start at about 5 feet in diameter but each year the returning eagles add to the nest.  Nests of 8 feet across and 12 feet deep are not uncommon.  These nests can weigh over 4,000 pounds!

Once the female lays her eggs, the pair will take turns on the nest until the eggs hatch.  The eggs are never left alone during this period.

Young eagles are ready to fly and leave the nest at 10-12 weeks and at that time they are the same size as the adult.

Photographing eagles requires patience and a LONG lens.  Eagles in the wild do not tolerate humans well and it is very difficult to approach close enough to get frame filling images without scaring off the birds.

Some of these images were captured with a Nikon 500 f4 lens on a tripod but in many cases the action and opportunities happen so quickly that there was no time to set up a tripod.  Many of the images were captured handheld with a Nikon 80-400 IS lens.  (Thank you AP)

Most of the images in this blog were cropped about 50% to bring the eagle into better view.  Fast shutter speed is very important so I do not use a polarizer.  I shoot in RAW format and at the camera's native ISO of 200 to get the best possible image quality.

This close-up portrait is of an eagle recovering from an injury at Reelfoot Lake State Park.

The Bald Eagle became our national symbol on June 20, 1782.  We almost lost these magnificent creatures in the 70's due to unregulated and ignorant use of pesticides.  Fortunately, they are making a strong comeback at Reelfoot Lake and other areas and currently have been removed from the endangered species list.