Golden Eagles

[McChuck]

I think Di and I are seeing Golden eagles lately. We have seen as many as five at the same site. Neither of us are bird experts- so we are interested if any experts out there are seeing them.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by McChuck. Reason: When ducks order chapstick do they tell the druggist to put it on their bill?

[Richard Spener]

Chuck you are probably seeing immature American eagles that have no white on the head or tail. It is possible to see a stray golden eagle in this area but rare. It would really be unusual to have more than one golden eagle in the area. What distinguishes the golden eagle is the gold color on their neck. The legs are completely feathered and the feet are yellow. Try this link it may help. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_eagle Toni and I usually see them in northern Alaska by the Arctic Ocean.

[Freddie Carter]

1. We have seen Goldens before …. Not Juvenile Baldies . I do know the difference !

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Freddie Carter.

[McChuck]

Yes, they don’t look like juveniles to us either- we have seen many,many times our share.

[GootchNickels]

• Interesting. Never saw a group of 5 without a single mature in the group. i have also noted numerous non white eagles past few days. One was swooping piglets. Are golden eagles partial to pork?

[Bill Fordyce]

Just one of the bonus’ of living for months at a time in a Lookout on top of a mountain is bird watching through high powered optics. I see more Golden’s’ than Baldies. Richard’s clue for spotting differences–the Golden has feathered legs all the way to their toes is a handy tool and they are a more solitary Bird. I’ve been lucky enough to see both species playing in the air—incredible arial ballets, soaring, locking together, tumbling for hundreds of feet, and then breaking away to soar up to do it again and again and again. Also, one dropping something only to have the other catch it out of the air and drop it so the other can grab it—kind of an ariel game of catch. Once, one morning at my Lookout I stepped out with coffee to sit in my chair. There was a loud ‘whump whump’ over my head. It was a huge Golden who had decided to spend the night on top of my Lookout (the highest place for miles and miles). As it flew out, it looked back at me, decided I wasn’t a threat, and circled back to it’s perch. We sat and calmly watched each other not 8 feet apart for several minutes. When the sun rose enough to light up the Eagle it took off for parts unknown over the Divide…
PS>Unrelated but…
A good book to read is: Prairie Keepers: Secrets of the Grasslands by Marcy Houle

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Bill Fordyce.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Bill Fordyce.

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