Its That Time Of Year--For Bald Eagles

13 years ago

This morning, as I was getting in my car just outside my garage, I heard a crack in the woods about 100 feet away. I looked towards the noise and I saw an adult bald eagle carrying about a 6 to 8 foot branch in its talons. I assume it was taking it to enhance its nest which is about about a mile away.

I didn't see how the eagle got the branch but it was about 70 feet off the ground and flying out of the woods. As it flew, it dropped a bit in altitude before it flew off. Under the circumstances, the eagle must have taken the branch from the tree. Perhaps they have learned how to identify a weak or dead branch and snap it off from a tree. Or the branch may have snapped while the bird was perched on it and it simply decided to take it with it. The vultures here often snap dead branches from the weight of the bird(s) as they are perched.

About a week ago, I observed an immature bald eagle flying alone and then rolling until it was talons-up then returning to normal flight and doing a roll into another talons-up position. I guess they practice. Perhaps this was similar to 2 immature bald eagles that locked talons above my back yard, dropped together towards the ground, and then released talons and flew away together.

From late October to mid-Spring bald eagles are a common bird here in SW Chester County. (Last year I observed 10 at once above my back yard.) When I walk my dogs in the morning, I hear their high-pitched screams which then turn into their unmistakeable cackle.

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Comments (6)

Konrad___far_north
13 years ago
Sounds like you're heaving some great birds of pray spectaluar
going on,..lucky you!
chescobob
Original Author
13 years ago
konrad:

I've been out here in the sticks for 8 years now. The number of bald eagles and red-tails have incresed over the years. At first, I saw single bald eagles flying around; then a year or two after that, I saw 3 in a tree cackling; last year I saw 10 at once. Now, its common to see them out back in the woods overlooking a creek. They scream and cackle out back quite often. They nest about a mile away near a lake.

Same thing with red-tails. Years ago, I would see a solitary red-tail flying with the vultures. In the last month, I saw 4 red-tails flying around together.
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chescobob
Original Author
13 years ago
I was just out putting air in my tires when I noticed 3 immature bald eagles. At first, 2 appeared to be engaging in what I would call a game of tag. The 3rd was doing circles and flying in the same area. Then, all three were engaging in this "tag" game. The interesting thing was a new sound I heard. It was one note and sounded like "chorp." I don't know if one bird was sounding it or all three.

These were young birds, mostly black and white, black beaks, etc.
oldgardener_2009
13 years ago
I was sitting in front of the wood stove today and happened to see four bald eagles fly past the living room windows. Such a wonderful thing to see...I never get tired of seeing and listening to them.
chescobob
Original Author
13 years ago
The bald eagles greeted me for the start of the New Year. I walked past the parking area and up the driveway with the first dog and the screaming and cackling began. It was loud and they had to be close. They were--about 100 feet away and about 80 feet up a tree. An adult--with all its white plumage--and an immature bald eagle sitting next to each other. Another adult had flown off--probably after hearing me open the garage door.

While walking the second dog, I heard a crack from a tree on the other side of the house. The other adult must have landed there and took flight again. While on that side of the house, I heard a white-throat singing its song. Then a red-belly called and finally an eagle again. The red-bellies are here all year; the white-throats are here for the Winter as are the eagles.

Happy New Year.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
13 years ago
Bald eagles are very rare and usually seen from a distance here, but I once saw a juvenile about 30ft away while I was sitting on my deck. I had heard a frantic sound of rustling leaves and looked up to see the eagle braking in mid-flight by a tree and then turning and flying off. No doubt some terrified little bird or critter was hiding there.

Red-bellies and white-throats here too, but not singing too often (mostly eating). The noisiest birds are the jays and the crows.

Happy New Year to you too and everyone else.

Claire