Bald Eagle and bad timing

[Southside]

So first off - no bald eagles were harmed in the making of this story.     We have a bald eagle nest on the farm and they raised little ones this year, could hear them calling over the summer now and then, would see them from time to time and this fall I found the nest in a pine that I specifically left when thinning that area.  For some reason I remember deciding to leave this tree there, it's an area that we use for savanna grazing, it's probably 100' tall with a lot of space around it and maybe 200 yards from water - guess that's perfect for eagles. Did have some wood ducks nesting in a Sycamore this year by the sawmill but that's another story.  

Saturday we ran about 3000 BF of what were to become 2x6 T+G blanks through the edger before they headed over to the moulder.  Had 5 of us and the edger runs at 100 FMP so things went fast.  Got it done and decided to take 5 minutes before we fired up the moulder.  About 3 of us were walking toward the moulder when over the mill building we saw a mature eagle crest just above the roof, so naturally we all pointed and simultaneously yelled out "BALD EAGLE" - exactly, and at the same place, as a customer stepped around the corner into the building....Never met him before, he had never been to our place before, and the second he sees humans they all yell "BALD EAGLE" and point at him.  Poor guy didn't know what to think or just how strange of a place he found himself in.  So there I was trying to convince the guy that if he looked behind him and up he would see a mature eagle - of course there was no way he was turning his back on any of us at that point.     He was a good sport about it and we got him the lumber he was after, his wife who was in the truck when the introduction happened had quite the laugh over it.  Got to have fun somehow!!  

[Walnut Beast]

That’s pretty neat having them around your place. I’ve seen some a few times when I was bow hunting. I think they where passing through. I know the wild turkeys 🦃 are terrified of them. I’ve seen there reactions 😂

[Raider Bill]

We've got a family in the park behind my house. Like to watch them circle the lake looking for dinner. Also have ospreys.

[WV Sawmiller]

    I saw a young one last week when my sawdust customer came. It was just flying over. They don't usually come this far up our creek from the river which is 4 miles away. Many people confuse the young ones with golden eagles or think they are just a big hawk because they don't start getting white heads and tails till they are 4-5 years old. We have a picture of 5 year old and he still has a few brown feathers in his head. We have lots of ospreys on our local lake and the eagles steal a lot of fish from them. i watched one crash into an osprey about 75 yards ahead of where i was fishing some years back which made the osprey drop the fish he was carrying. It fell in the edge of the water and the eagle circled down and picked it up and flew away. The osprey followed about 10' behind as if debating on trying to take it back. I doubt he ever attacked the eagle so maybe he was hoping it would drop the fish. 

   On the lake we see 3 age groups. Immature/this year's young who have black feet and black beaks. Juveniles maybe 1-2 years old with yellow feet and beaks but no white on their tails or heads. Mature - over about 2 years old with significant to complete white heads and tails.

    They are majestic birds but several times we have seen, and my wife even has pictures, them coming in for a landing with wings spread and floating gently down to their perch only to find the limb was too small or too old and it will break under them dropping them several feet and leaving them scrambling to catch enough air to fly to a new perch. We have seen blue herons do the same thing.

[Larry]

They usually spend the winter on the lake here as it seldom freezes over.  Got a few that are residents.  I have a great view from my deck and enjoy watching them.

Posted these a few years ago.

Saw this one out fishing.




Shot a armadillio in January about 50 yards from the house.   Took about a day for a eagle to spot it than he invited his buddies.  They ate lunch about the same time I did for about a week.




B-I-L was a wildlife professor and used my picture to teach his students what eagles eat!

[Walnut Beast]

😂 I’ve seen the same thing Howard. With turkeys 🦃 going to roost in the big trees busting branches off and scrambling for the next one. Makes quite a commotion 

[sawguy21]

Southside that would have been funny. We see them along the river when the salmon are running, it is an amazing sight.

[firefighter ontheside]

We see eagles often around our place too.  Never had them nest there though.  A few years ago I yelled Bald Eagle like that as one almost came thru my truck window.  It flew out of a roadside tree in front of me.  I swear its wings touched the glass.

[Bruno of NH]

They have made a great come back in my area.
I live around lots of wetlands. 
I have a pair out back in river. 
They are fun to watch.
They fly over the mill yard lots.

[moodnacreek]

It seams like they are almost anywhere near water. I shot a buck right under the nearby eagle nest and mom and dad sat in a tree and watched me field dress it. They hang around this nest all year long. I have had their young brown eagles in a tall dead tree behind the saw mill. I have also seen browns working on the white heads nest. Bear are becoming regular residents here also. Only 60 miles above nyc.

[GAB]

SS:
I sure hope the guy was not bald.
GAB

[Southside]

Ironically he was - took off his hat to prove it when he was laughing - and had on a Philly Eagles sweat shirt.  The whole thing was just weird.  

[dougtrr2]

We had hawks build a nest in our forest less than 30' from our house.  It was fun to watch them build it.  The best was when you could start seeing the down covered heads peeking above the edge of the nest.  Unfortunately, they only used the nest that one year and it is gone.  But it was great while it lasted.

Doug in SW IA

[Raider Bill]

I have a family of Coopers hawks living around me.

Don't know where their nest is but they hunt my yard often as we feed the birds, squirrels and I guess the hawks.