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Thread: Bald Eagle sighting

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Western Maryland
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    5,548

    Bald Eagle sighting

    While in some parts of the country, many of you might see them on a daily basis, around here in MD, they are present, but sightings (at least at my house) are fairly rare.

    Over the past 6 years, I have seen one soaring way overhead twice.

    Yesterday was a treat.

    While coming home from a lunch date with my lovely wife, about 3 miles away from home, a circling bird caught my eye, and I immediatly knew it wasn't a vulure or buzzard. We pulled over and watched it as it swooped down and got a ground hog (or something). It took off with its big beautiful white tail beaming...fanned out.

    THEN, while walking my dog in the woods behind my house, I scared up a big something in a tree about 100 feet from me. Yup, it was the same Bald Eagle with that dead whatever grasped in his talons. He flew up a couple hundred yards ahead of me, perched in another tree and resumed his lunch.

    As I slowly meandered my way along the old railway path, I got within about 150 feet of him again. I stood in awe...watching him rip and swallow, rip and swallow.

    One of my dogs broke her "stay" and jogged ahead of me scaring up the Eagle. It flew out of the woods and into the adjacent field, circling back towards my house. I called my wife and told her what just transpired. And told her that it reperched somewhere very near the house.

    She went outside to get a gander, and sure enough, there he was, right in an big oak that sits not 40 feet from our house!

    What a rare and beautiful day...

    Unfortunately, I didn't have my nice camera with me, just my cell phone. I got a bunch of pics, but without optical zoom, they are very fuzzy when you zoom in on the image on the computer. So, no pics...
    I drink, therefore I am.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Kansas City, MO
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    No Pics but a heart warming sight just the same.

  3. #3
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    We recently spent part of a day at Kinzua Reservoir in NW PA. The lake was frozen over and the water below the dam tends to congregate eagles over the winter we saw eight eagles at one time. Most were too far off for normal camera shots, but they were still interesting to watch through Binoculars and telescopes. Some of the regulars we talked with said they had seen more than a dozen at once on some days.



    Lee Schierer
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  4. #4
    They are common in Oregon, and always spectacular to observe. My wife took this pic through the sunroof of our car. We sat and watched him devour his meal for about 20 minutes.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
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    Apr 2006
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    Escondido, CA
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    Welcome Paul.

    I've only seen two in a lifetime. Once while visiting Alaska and once at Big Bear Lake in California. Despite fishing there often, where they have a bald eagle nesting area, I have had the privilege just once. But that motion picture is in my memory ever since.

    Aren't you glad they didn't select the wild turkey as the national bird?
    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    central, Wisconsin
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    They are a magnificent creature to watch. Not very common in my immediate local area but on occasion in the past year or two I have seen them. I hope their numbers increase around here. Last summer while driving down a county highway there was what I thought was a kid walking down the road, until I got closer and it flew up right at my truck. These birds are huge when you get close to them.

    Better teach the small dogs and the cats in the area some self defense moves.
    "If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy" -Red Green

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Alaska's got a few of the magnificent creatures.

    This is from a couple of years ago.
    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=54426
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    "It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Bucks County, Pennsylvania
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    Mike: Maryland has a lot of Bald Eagles -- especially around the Chesapeake Bay-- they nest in the Loblolly pines.

    I have a place not far from Blackwater NWR in Cambridge MD -- Blackwater has one of the largest concentrations of breading pairs west of the Mississippi.

    We had a few spectacular days around the new year holiday this year at Blackwater.. Lots of birds .................. no people!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Atlanta, GA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Godley View Post
    ........Maryland has a lot of Bald Eagles -- especially around the Chesapeake Bay........
    Bingo, Tom. Good friend has a house on the VA side of the lower Potomac - 20 min by boat from the Bay. Ospreys nesting all around, and eagles cruising through on a constant basis - never seen a nest, but now I know where to look. If I could fish as good as those critters, I'd pack it in in a heartbeat. Wonderful to watch. Heading up there in a few weeks - you've got me thinking about it again - thanks.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Lewiston, Idaho
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    Congrats! They are, indeed, a beautiful sight.

    They are common in Idaho especially in the winter. They migrate to our area from points farther North...like Canada, etc. In one 40 mile stretch of US-12 I have seen as many as 8 while driving. I'm sure there were more but you don't dare take your eyes off the highway in the 40 mile stretch or you could end up swimming in the Clearwater River.

    While jet boating with a Boy Scout troop into Hell's Canyon on the Snake River...we had a bald eagle fly along side the boat for nearly 1/2 mile...

    They are, indeed, beautiful.

    I have had the opportunity to watch bald eagles and osprey fish on lakes in OR and ID.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Sammamish, WA
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    I see 2-3 of them nearly every day along the lake on the drive home from work, but I never get tired of them, truly majestic birds.

    We did once have a great blue heron in our yard, unfortunately he was there to snack on our pond goldfich.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

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  12. #12
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    Jan 2010
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    Central Nebraska
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    We have several nesting pairs in the area, we see them all the time when we are on the lake. It is fantastic to watch them on the thermals in the river canyon. Osprey also are very abundant.

  13. #13
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    What a wonderful surprise...they are magnificent birds.

    I've occasionally seen one or two in this area, especially closer to the Delaware River...which is about 6 miles away, give or take. Their population is really recovering from where it unfortunately got to a number of years ago, so it's likely that many more folks will get to see these beautiful creatures in the wild and more often, too.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #14
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    Feb 2007
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    South Dakota
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    They are moving through our area in fairly large numbers right now, following the the snow goose migration. I saw about a dozen this week. I live about 100 miles too far east now but where I grew up the geese would stretch from horizon to horizon during the spring migration.
    The Plane Anarchist

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    Western Maryland
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    Then I would have been telling you the story about the 9 little peepers I almost ran over with my mower! Their mom was screaming bloody murder at me. That is what got my attention and got me to stop. As I found each one, I picked it up and placed it gently in the woods where their mother was squaking. Cutest little boogers I've ever seen.
    I drink, therefore I am.

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