While censusing Snowy Owls on Duxbury Beach and the upper part of the Saquish peninsula I noticed a large dark bird out on the ice that had packed in against the shoreline. My initial thought was a juvenile Bald Eagle because of its sheer size and dark color. At that point I couldn't see the head as it was facing away from me and the head was down. I proceeded up Gurnet and out the Saquish road until I had a much better vantage point. When I finally saw the head I was befuddled because it was much lighter than the body, nearly white, and had an unmistakable strong dark stripe through the face. My kneejertk reaction was that I had an early Osprey! But not so..

It soon flew up with prey in its talons and flew briefly in my direction before turning and flying off westward. Though it was still quite away off I could see that the belly and underwings were dark even before I got my camera on it. It definitely did not seem to be an osprey, yet I couldn't figure out what to make of that head. Fortunately I did get this one serviceable photo, and when I got back home started reading about Bald Eagle plumages I learned that a 3rd year Bald Eagle can show this sort of marking. So, no early Osprey, but I learned something new about Bald Eagles. This imperfect flight shot shows the head marking as well as the other coloration including yellow talons, size and shape that are all eagle, yet had it not flown and let me see its undersides and capture an image, I probably would still be scratching my head over this one!