Our Nation's Majestic Symbol...

[gallantwarrior]

No kingfishers here, but I have had loons come check me out when I've been flyfishing in my tube. They'll dive underneath me and even try to take a fish off my line. Nothing like loons singing on a mirror smooth lake at dusk.

 

[editec]

Bald Eagles are quite common here in Maine.

Beautiful creatures.

If you like these birds thank your government for banning DDT.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Took this photo yesterday morning just before noon while at a customer location at Amelia Island (Nassau County), Florida.

The tower was about 300 Yards away, the height of the tower is approximately 70 feet.

Note the nest in the center of the structure?​

That's super! We have at least one (maybe two) that roost down the road and back in the woods. They are fun to watch.

 

[daveman]

On Christmas Day, we were at my in-laws and my daughter was shooting her new rifle. A bald eagle flew overhead, his white feathers absolutely gleaming in the sunshine. Majestic.

Great pics and stories, everyone!

 

[gallantwarrior]

When I worked down at the shipping terminal in Whittier, I watched the same pair of eagles fledge a new eaglet each year for three years in a row. They refurbished the same nest in the same tree each year. It was pretty neat watching them sit, hatch, feed and fledge the young ones.

 

[Katzndogz]

When I lived in Nevada, we had hawks. Just gorgeous creatures. Early on morning I was out walking the dog and a snake was just wiggling himself along. I don't know if he was dangerous or not. He seemed pretty intent on whatever snake business was on his mind. A hawk just dropped out of the sky, looked right at me, screamed, grabbed up the snake and took off. I'm lucky it was the snake and not my dog. I used to watch them wheel in the sky for hours, then drop straight down like a stone, not even the sound of wind in feathers, grab up a rabbit, mouse or whatever.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Some of those hawks could take a small dog. I know it is not uncommon for eagles to take small dogs and cats up here. As a matter of fact, there's an urban legend about just that! There are always a few eagles around and I worry when the animals start birthing (hatching) their young. I guess the eagles are not as big a threat as the ravens, though.

 

[rdking647]

these are from a nest about an hour from my house


you can see an eaglet in the nest


coming in for a landing

 

[koshergrl]

Some of those hawks could take a small dog. I know it is not uncommon for eagles to take small dogs and cats up here. As a matter of fact, there's an urban legend about just that! There are always a few eagles around and I worry when the animals start birthing (hatching) their young. I guess the eagles are not as big a threat as the ravens, though.

Eagles can and do kill grown deer by striking them on the back of the skull.

Check this out:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VklTs-Tid_I]golden-eagle-drags-goats-off-cliff - YouTube[/ame]

 

[sitarro]

I worked as a member of a wild bird rehab group in Louisiana years ago, handled a number of hawks and owls. I found owls to be the most viscous, they never warmed up. Red Tail hawks can be semi nice, I had a friend who was a Falconer and she served a large female Red Tail(you never possess them). She could kiss this beautiful lady but they had a very special bond. I had a Great Horned Owl on a welding glove (that's him in my avatar) and I could feel the points of his talons through the thick gloves......
When I moved to Denver a year later I sought out another group, I found a woman that had an amazing place in Broomfield. She was very special, magic hands that could handle a hurt Great Horned Owl without gloves...... I watched her take this owl out of a pet carrier that someone had brought to her. It had become impaled under the wings near the "arm pits". She spoke to it with a strong eastern European accent and scratched his head and he seemed to magically become hypnotized....... she then reached in to the cage to take him out and he showed no resistance. She laid him on a table upside down and he let his wings swing open, there was blood in each pit and she worried that tendons could be ripped. She got him to a vet that worked with her and he was eventually released........ she had a amazing 49% release rate.

Anyway, she asked me if I wanted to help her feed her eagles, she wanted to show me a immature Bald Eagle named Einstein, she was going to release him soon. She had a deer carcus on the floor, road kill brought to her by Wildlife and Fisheries people. She ripped the hind quarter off and through it over her shoulder and had me bring the bucket of fish. We came to this 40 foot tall, wood slat , 100 foot long cage and went in. Perched up near the roof across the cage were 8 eagles, 6 Bald and 2 Golden. We brought the food in the center and Einstein, with his 7 foot wingspan, made a low pass over us........ pretty intimidating. Pretty awesome....... but seeing and Eagle in the wild is very inspiring.

I am trying to get up to the Chilkat River for the salmon runs, 3,000 bald eagles show up every year...... a wildlife photographer's dream! Check out this guy's sight............

Bald Eagles of Alaska - Bald Eagle Puffins Newfoundland Chilkat Photography Haines Alaska Photo Tour Workshop | SmugMug

 

[sitarro]

Check out this series on you tube. There is a camera on the nest 24 hours a day that you can watch.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P27n1WrNC18&feature=g-all-f&context=G29ad8e8FAAAAAAAAQAA]Trout Supper 2/1/12 - YouTube[/ame]