The Mrs. and I were out for a walk, and stopped to chat with neighbors. Lo and behold, we saw a genuine bald eagle perched in a tree, surveying us all with regal splendor.
I’ve been here now for nearly a half century, and this is the first time I’ve seen a bald eagle near my home, on the shores of Lake Michigan. I’d heard reports over the years of occasional sightings not too far away, but frankly I never expected to see one here.
It was pretty spiffy. I hope it has a nest nearby, and becomes a local fixture.
Oooh a bald eagle close up! jealous There are golden eagles about here, but the only times I think I’ve spotted one is when it’s been high up doing eagle stuff. It’s really noticeable how many more smaller hawks and kites and things there are around though, the reintroduction programmes and legal protections are obviously working. There are some ospreys, but not really near me, and some of the osprey sites are still secret. What I really want to see is a sea eagle, but those are all on the islands.
Fun possible fact - the Army has been used to protect nesting sites - some of the soldiers who need to train on long-term surveillance missions have been used to protect nests from scumbag egg-collectors.
I live beside the Arkansas River, near a bald eagle preserve. It’s a treat to see these magnificent birds in flight, but I seldom get to see them up close. Once I saw a large bald eagle swoop down and snatch a squirrel out of a tree right behind my house. Sure wish I’d had my camera handy.
They must be making a comeback. I grew up here in the 50’s and 60’s without ever seeing one. Moved back 15 years ago and they’re more common. Not common, but not as rare. We’ve seen them along the river about a mile from the house, and a few years ago we saw hundreds of the Golden ones flocking down near Boone.
I live on the eastern shore of Maryland, where there are a LOT of them, and I still never fail to be in awe when I see one.
They seem to be getting used to people now (two weeks ago, there was confirmation of a nest within the Philadelphia city limits!!), so perhaps the one you saw will nest nearby.
There’s lots that live around here. One day I watched one swoop between my building and the one next door from my couch. I don’t like them much, though. They raid the Heron Nests to steal baby herons (there’s a Great Blue Heron preserve here). The racket raised by the adult herons must sound a little like how Hell sounds.
There are only a few places on earth with more bald eagles than were I live and I still love to see them.
They seem more impressive when there are only a couple around though. Seeing 50+ without even turning your head is only exciting the first 20 times or so. If I see one or a couple I still always say. Hey! Look, an eagle.
The first two bald eagles since the 1940’s on Santa Cruz Island have hatched in the past year or so. Pervasive use of DDT had weakened the shells to the point of nonviability. Two bald eagles also hatched on Catalina Island this year. Perhaps there is hope for the environment.
I don’t know fifty-six, they have begun hanging out in the trees along cannery row here, and 50+ bald eagles loitering in the trees is still an impressive sight to me. I have a pair just to the northeast, I am able to see their nest from the front deck, and another pair to the northwest that nest just out of sight in the trees between me and the college. They swoop around daily, and I enjoy watching them, after I count the cats!
Bald Eagles are supposedly more common in Florida than anywhere else in the Southeast, but there’s still only a thousand or so mated pairs across the entire state. A couple months ago I was walking home from work and I happened to hear a curious sound directly above me. Glancing up, I was boggled to see a pair of gen-you-wine Bald Eagles perched on a power pole smack dab in the middle of north Tampa. There’s a small pond nearby that still attracts the occasional osprey or pelican from time to time, but that was a first. I’ve seen one or both of them a few times since then, and I confess that I’m anxious on their behalf. There just isn’t a huge amount of wilderness left in this area. It’d be nice if they have found a secure nest site, but I sincerely hope they’re wiser about avoiding roadkill than the local vultures are.
We saw two today flying low overhead around the tulip fields. Hubby took some video of them, but we haven’t processed it yet. If it comes to anything, I’ll post it.
Just yesterday I drove along Lake Pepin in southeast Minnesota and saw a couple bald eagles. They’re not uncommon there, but you still slow down to look and watch.
I’ve rented a cabin there for 5 days over Memorial Day. I hope to get some “action shots” of eagles fishing.
I’ve seen a few around Springfield, Oregon. Apparently some are nesting nearby. Before this spring, I haven’t seen them thsat far down the valley, but once in a while a little further north.
picunurse, you probably were up in the Skagit Valley, right? What a treat, seeing the tulips and bald eagles!
I hope you will post pictures if you do.
Here in Western Washington, bald eagles have made an amazing recovery since DDT nearly wiped them out in the '60’s. They’re fairly common now and can be seen quite often. Just yesterday, while I was out on a walk, one glided slowly overhead. The light was such that I got a good look at the way the feathers were arranged on its wings before it passed out of sight over the trees. It was an immature eagle with just a little glint of white on its head. They don’t get full white heads and tails until their fourth year.
About a month ago I was at the marina in Des Moines, south of Seattle. I’d gotten out my binoculars to look at some sea birds in the water below when a man got my attention and told me there was a bald eagle on a sign out on the breakwater. As we went to get a closer look, another bald eagle flew up and joined the first!
I’m glad that bald eagles are making a comeback in some of their old stomping (flying) grounds as evidenced by Qadgop’s post. Maybe in another 20 or 30 years, they’ll be as common a sight in much of North America as they are here. No matter who you are, seeing your first one really makes an impression on you.
I see them fairly regularly along Boulder Creek east of Boulder, CO. The above quote is revealing, as sometimes I see the majestic ones that have a look that says “If you were at all worth the time and effort, I’d kick your ass and drop you in a swamp”, but I also see some scrawny ones that look like they just dipped their head in a port-a-potty.
I see them regularly here in northwest Florida.
Lately I’ve been seeing them just about every day. I’ll be walking the beach, or stopped at a red light, and there they’ll be, gliding through the air.
I thought they left for the summer, but they still are very much around.
I love watching the adolescent eagles, they seem about as hungry as my own teenager. Bald Eagle pix
