I made an observation, in connection with the coloration of two bald eagles at 
Blackwater Wildlife Refuge on the 4th that at least to me was curious. The 
birds were sitting on an Osprey nest platform in the field on the north side 
(right side) of Wildlife Drive just before it turns to exit back on Key Wallace. 
Both clearly mature birds with white tail and head and yellow bills. They were 
apparently a pair with one considerably larger than the other –no doubt the 
female. The male was the usual blackish color. What was curious was that the 
female’s coloration was distinctly different, a reddish brown. I do have 
photographs that show this –not very good photographs because the birds 
were far away. Nevertheless the photos distinctly show the back of the female 
as a kind of red brown that can be compared to the male’s black. . I checked 
with Sibley and also Peter Dunne’s Essential’s but saw no mention of this kind 
of color variation.

Phil Brody