DES MOINES, Iowa – When winter comes to Des Moines so do the bald eagles. Thursday afternoon over a dozen were scattered in the trees lining the west bank of the Des Moines river below the Scott Street Dam. This is a favorite area for eagle watchers and photographers.

Today as I shot video of the eagles one moment stood out. After catching a fish and flying to a tree with no other eagles in it, an eagle starts eating its catch. Within minutes another eagle lands on the same branch and within reach of the fish. The first eagle, fish still in its talons, slides away and goes back to eating only to have the second eagle slide close by again. Eventually the second eagle grabs a fish out of the river and flies to yet another tree.

This video ends with a couple shots of gulls, hundreds of them, giving the downtown skyline a Fisherman’s Wharf look.

Digital Originals has more eagle stories online, from downtown in the spring and from Urbandale in May.