Seeing a bald eagle

[MichaelWinicki]

Other than at the National Zoo, I had never seen a bald eagle in person.

Out where my daughter lives (the desert part of Washington State), with the sparse waterways and greenery they're much easier to spot... Even though the couple times she took us out where they've been seen all we saw were the huge nests they like to build on the top of telephone poles.

In our neck of the woods, southwestern New York State/northwestern Pennsylvania, bald eagles were just about gone until about 20 years ago. However sightings have increased a lot over the past 20 years due to a variety of reasons– But I had never seen one myself.

Until last night.

We were coming back from dinner, near a large waterway, and first I saw a telephone pole with a large nest at the top... Before I got the words out of my mouth to my wife, "Hey look at that nest" we were at the next pole and there they were sitting at the top of the pole– two of them. They were magnificent.

It's something everyone should get to see once in their lives.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I agree. They are big majestic looking birds and an amazing site to see.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I've seen a few of them in Florida. At the Kennedy Space Center there is one tree that has a Bald Eagle's nest. It weighs 800 pounds!




YR

 

[DFWJC]

I was in Alaska last summer.
Saw hundreds of them.

And yes, they are spectacular!

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

Used to live along the Missouri River. Would see them quite often. Never got old. Also lived for some time near Whiteman AFB, home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber and would see those flying overhead often. Again, never got old.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

 

[Denim Chicken]

See them all the time here in Virginia.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Other than at the National Zoo, I had never seen a bald eagle in person.

They were magnificent.

It's something everyone should get to see once in their lives.

I agree. I've been fortunate enough to photograph them a few times.

https://jdjohnston1960.smugmug.com/Birds/Feathers/

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I've seen a bunch of them over the years and they're always a beautiful site to see. I saw my first Mexican Eagle / Caracara a couple of weeks ago near Wimberley TX. I'd never even heard of them before, but apparently they're fairly common in East Texas. Really cool looking bird.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I've seen a bunch of them over the years and they're always a beautiful site to see. I saw my first Mexican Eagle / Caracara a couple of weeks ago near Wimberley TX. I'd never even heard of them before, but apparently they're fairly common in East Texas. Really cool looking bird.

Also common in the bottom half of Florida.

 

[Runwildboys]

I've seen a few in and around Connecticut over the years, but the most exciting occurrence was at work. It was a fairly breezy day, and a bald eagle was hovering near the edge of our building, where he apparently spotted a mouse or something in the gutter. It was enormous, and his wings were rolling with the wind, compensating for the sudden gusts, and I've seen fewer things so awe inspiring in my 53 years. I don't know how large the wingspan actually was, but it looked like 10 feet, and if that bird had started heading toward me, I might've soiled myself!

 

[daschoo]

A few years ago my wife got me a days introduction to falconry as a present, got to fly various different birds of prey. The last one was a bald eagle, you had to have a thick leather sleeve as well as the normal falconers glove and you could still feel the pressure points of the talons through that. The other thing that surprised me, other than the weight of the bird, was how delicate looking the end of her beak looked. Was pretty amazing having her sat on my arm though I must admit I was kind of terrified as she was flying at me due to the size of the wingspan.
Would love to see one in the wild one day, we have Golden and White Tailed Sea Eagles here which are both stunning birds in their own right.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Would love to see one in the wild one day, we have Golden and White Tailed Sea Eagles here which are both stunning birds in their own right.

I was way more excited to get to photograph a Golden Eagle in Wyoming several years while it fed on a coyote. They've been notoriously skittish the few times I've seen them; flying off from hundreds of yards away when I'd stop my car to see them after spotting them from the road. I was able to photograph this one for about 10 minutes from about 50 yards and it was quite a thrill for me. They're much larger than our bald eagles.

 

[Robbieac]

I've seen a few of them in Florida. At the Kennedy Space Center there is one tree that has a Bald Eagle's nest. It weighs 800 pounds!
YR

I've seen that exact one that you're talking about. I agree that it is really cool. Never thought I'd see one in Florida of all places!

 

[Tabascocat]

I have seen three in WA state and one in the Houston suburbs of all places, majestic birds

 

[Biggems]

they taste a bit gamey......jk.

They are cool looking birds. I have only seen them in the zoo. BTW, while I really like zoos, seeing our national bird in one kind of bugs me. On one hand, it allows us to study and preserve them, as well as let children across our nation see one up close. On the other hand, these majestic creatures, a symbol of freedom, should not be locked up in an animal prison.

Kind of ironic that most children who encounter this symbol of our freedom, do so where it is anything but free. Even Alanis thinks so.

 

[kimrose]

I agree. I've been fortunate enough to photograph them a few times.

https://jdjohnston1960.smugmug.com/Birds/Feathers/

Did you photograph these eagles, Silver?? They are amazing!

 

[Runwildboys]

they taste a bit gamey......jk.

They are cool looking birds. I have only seen them in the zoo. BTW, while I really like zoos, seeing our national bird in one kind of bugs me. On one hand, it allows us to study and preserve them, as well as let children across our nation see one up close. On the other hand, these majestic creatures, a symbol of freedom, should not be locked up in an animal prison.

Kind of ironic that most children who encounter this symbol of our freedom, do so where it is anything but free. Even Alanis thinks so.

I wonder how many dictionaries people sent to her, after she came out with that stupid song.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I wonder how many dictionaries people sent to her, after she came out with that stupid song.

Which song? Why a dictionary?

 

[Runwildboys]

Which song? Why a dictionary?

Ironic, because almost none of the circumstances in the song is an example of irony. They're mostly just bad luck.