Philippine eagle & Bald eagle

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is the world's largest eagle, and one of the most threatened raptors. The male and female Philippine eagle are similar in appearance, possessing a creamy white belly and underwing, whilst the upperparts are a rich chocolate-brown, with a paler edge . The long feathers of the head and nape form a distinctive, shaggy crest and are creamy-buff in colour with black streaks. Philippine eagle chicks have white down, and juveniles are similar in appearance to adults but have white margins to the feathers on the back and upperwing. The Philippine eagle has heavy, yellow legs with large, powerful claws, and the large, deep bill is a bluish-grey. [source: arkive.org]

Instantly recognisable as the national emblem of the United States, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has long been a key symbol in the human cultures of the Americas. The second largest North American bird of prey after the Californian condor, the bald eagle is also the only eagle solely native to North America. This majestic species is named for the conspicuous white head, which, contrary to the name, is in fact fully feathered, and contrasts strongly with the dark brown body and wings. The tail is also white, and the legs, eye and large beak are bright yellow. The wings are long and broad, and the tail rounded. The female bald eagle is larger than the male, but otherwise similar in appearance. The call of this species is relatively weak, seeming rather inadequate for such a large bird.

The juvenile bald eagle can be recognised by its entirely dark brown plumage, mottled with white, and by the dark eye and beak. It takes at least five years to reach full adult plumage. Although similar in appearance to the golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, the juvenile bald eagle can be distinguished by its unfeathered lower legs. Two subspecies of bald eagle are generally recognised, the northern Haliaeetus leucocephalus alascanus, and the smaller, southern H. l. leucocephalus. However, the boundaries between the two are not clearly defined. [source: arkive.org]

Thank you very much Genek!

Aalborg

We found it hard to get a handle on Aalborg, sitting at the narrowest point of the Limfjord (the long body of water that slices Jutland in two). It’s Denmark’s fourth-largest city but feels somehow larger, more industrial and more impersonal than Århus (strange, given that Århus is more than double its size). Aalborg has lost chunks of its historical­ quaintness to industrial and commercial development, although the centre contains enough ancient half-timbered buildings to give you an idea of the kind of affluence its Renaissance merchants enjoyed. Aalborg is certainly handsome in parts, but it seems to lack a city heart, and the long-awaited waterfront rejuvenation is slow in coming. Meanwhile, tourism authorities are shining the spotlight on Aalborg’s ‘lifestyle attractions’ (shopping and dining), and indeed its restaurants are one of its best features. Sadly the accommodation doesn’t match up, and the city is crying out for a swish boutique crash-pad to woo the city-breakers. All in all, Aalborg’s a mixed bag but shows loads of potential. Traditionally it’s been ignored by foreign travellers, but there are enough diversions here to occupy a day or two for most visitors, from families to foodies, party animals to history boffins. [source: lonelyplanet]