Topic: Bald eagle sighting

[70CB750]

I went for a lunchbreak joy ride and bald eagle raises from a tree and flies paralel to the road.  We moved "side by side"  for 100 yards or so.

It felt like a scene from Top Gun 

[Maurice]

Great, I do the same around here. With turkey vultures.

[demon78]

Jesus I haven't seen a bald eagle since last time I was on the coast also last time I saw a momma bear and cub also a killer whale.
Bill the demon.

[eigenvector]

We have a few where I live.  I've never seen one in my life before this year - first time I spotted one sitting in a tree I was stunned.  They're HUGE, way bigger than I thought from seeing only pictures.

Since then I've noticed at least 4 or 5 in the area, plus one has a nest just down the road from me.  Seem to be really making a comeback.

[faux fiddy]

Jesus I haven't seen a bald eagle since last time I was on the coast also last time I saw a momma bear and cub also a killer whale.
Bill the demon.

I miss seeing them. Southeast Alaska was full of eagles.  Juneau had bears crawling all over the place, I  got real close to one once, and had one go through my camp once. It chewed on my jacket that had a small motel shampoo bottle in the pocket.

They show up at the Lakes down here this time of year.

[demon78]

How about Snowy Owls? We used to get them every year you'd be booting along and look at fence post coming up and you'd say to your self hmm seagull on a fence post odd and you get closer, no and then slow down and off would lift this huge white bird.
Bill the demon.

[Roach Carver]

I saw one here a year or so back and saw one with a nest on a lake i was at just outside of Shreveport Louisiana. They are huge. I think I could sit in the nest.

[MoMo]

I see one every time I look in the mirror

[70CB750]

I see one every time I look in the mirror

 

[vfourfreak]

A lot of work is being done in the Pyrenees about 2 hours from where I live. They are re-introducing lots of species that had died out. They have already had great success with bears, I believe birds of prey are now on the program.

Great road to ride on up there also, once I did Barcelona (after moto GP) to Bourg Madame and then down to Perpignan on my little RVF400. Not the best bike for going up, but definitely the best for coming down !!

Kev

[333]

Saw one last week on Rt50 in Arlington VA, near Glebe Rd.. For those not familiar with the area, it's fairly urban there. It's rare to see one that far from water.

[Don R]

 When there is ice on the river you can see them on the Mississippi watching the open water for fish. Near the I 280 bridge at the Quad Cities. We're 40 miles from the river they do fly around here from time to time.
 

[333]

I'd think there'd be much more food in the Potomac. Barcroft is man made, and I don't think they stock it.

[bwaller]

We're rural in SW Quebec province, not bald eagle territory. However two years back in the spring one was seen working a deer carcass just off the road side on my property. It is truly amazing how many people reported seeing it over two days...just not me.    I expect he filled his gut and continued on his way. It must be a good sign if we get a glimpse around here.

[Stev-o]

There is a nest about an hour from me, at certain times, there are many cars pulled over to watch them...

[Bob Wessner]

It seems the ban on DDT use is what brought them back. Some years ago they began reappearing around Lake Gogebic in Michigan's U.P. My wife and I vacation there every summer. One of the residents described the location of one of the nests over on the east shore. I drove around and found it, but all I saw were two very large totally dark birds perched nearby. Come to find out, they were, in fact, bald eagles. They were juveniles. Apparently they don't develop the white feathered head and cape until they are about two years old. We now see them down here along the Huron River (Ann Arbor) occasionally.

[70CB750]

First time I saw one that bird looked like made out of play-doh, base colors and defined areas will do it for you:)

[cb650]

There are several I see here.  By my old work there was a nest.  Usually 3 around it.  Went to show Lyn once and had one one each side of the bike going down the road.  Many years ago had a golden eagle fly next to me going down rabbit ears pass.
Took a couple pics but they came out crappy.

[demon78]

Ok Brent do you get Snowy Owls to or are you to far south.
Bill the demon.

[bwaller]

Bill, we'll see snowy oils during those looooong winters when they fly farther south in search of food. Like last winter for example! Pretty cool bird too.

[faux fiddy]

Any of the eagles here are soaked to the bone today.

[DH]

We see them a lot along the Great River Rd. between Alton and Grafton Il.
This time of year especially. Lots of folks with high quality cameras and equipment stopped along the roads taking advantage of the excellent photo oppertunities.
Amazing to watch them fishing. Almost like the nests are made of small tree trunks.

[faux fiddy]

I think I will commit to doing a christmas bird count this winter, possibly arrange for numerous people to to watch their feeders who otherwise wouldn't.

I've done a dozen perhaps, and if you've never done one your local Audubon Society can usually give you a stalking type assignment over one to several square miles, or you can sit in the comfort of home and fire watching a feeder. Once when we were assigned a golf course, buddy and I pitched in for an off season golf cart. (woo hoo!)  I can't remember but one year they wanted us to not do the university course and Jack wrote a letter to the University President and sh8 was changed the next year for us!

I got my mom into it and she did several and met other little old lady birdwatchers.  Use a field guide on the sparrows, unless you've been watching them all season.  Get accurate numbers and count all visits. Established  Feeders have data calculations that account for repeat visits is what I understand, protocal is to count every visit and watch continuously over a minim time for the data requirement. Simple enough?

The Christmas Count data has been compiled more than any of any animalia research, depending largely on amature participants.

That threadjack being said, look for ospreys while tracking the eagles, they migrate the same patterns, someone might have mistaken one for an eagle before.



                                LOOK AT THE FIGGIN' LOOK ON THAT STUPID CARP'S FACE!

[DH]

It'd be really cool if the eagles and large birds can prey on that recently discovered species of carp they have found to be invading the rivers. The name escapes me, but they are a non native fish here.  I've seen them in television reports, thousands of them, jumping into boats even, when they are startled. Seems like they were invading the Illinois(?) river. Wildlife management was concerned they would spread, and invade Lake Michigan. They are supposedly a delicisy in China.
Better off with more native birds of prey than those worthless fish IMO.

[Bob Wessner]

Silver Carp. AKA Asian Carp. Trying to keep them out of the Great Lakes.