[ValeriGail]

If so, Do you remember the first time one graced your sights?

I'm 36 years old, I live in Texas.  Currently in South east Texas on a lake (Lake Livingston, for those who know the area).  I've seen bald eagles many times at the zoo, but never live in the wild or in flight.

Two weeks ago, My husband and I were fishing off our dock (actually sitting in our boat in the boat lift, fishing off our nice comfy seats, lol) and I was watching over at this little wooded area about 4 lots from us. (one house separates us from this area)  I call it the habitat.  We have many Cranes that hang out there, and its normal for me to see 10+ cranes camping out in the mornings.  I love this spot, and when I'm out on the dock, more than often it is the spot I am staring at.  This evening was no exception. I was lost in thought, trying to figure out how I could get over there to take pictures of the cranes and other water fowl with out spooking them when a large bird caught my attention.  I was watching it playing on the wind up real high, and then it came a bit lower and started flying directly towards us.  It was then I saw its white head and tail!!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I said "Bryan!"  And he said "Valeri!" as he stared at the majestic bird too.  I asked "is that what I think it is!" And he said "Yes, yes it is!" And we stood up and hurried off the boat to watch it sour over our dock and out over the lake following the shore line.  It was simply awesome!  I never ever thought I would see one in the wild, and most specially not in flight!  Gorgeous!!!

I texted my family, was like you all are not going to believe this!!  

Then life went on.    

Yesterday, we were out front doing yard work and other stuff.  My inlaws were over and they were in lawn chairs in the drive way, and we were all just chilling after working, waiting for dinner to be ready.  Every day around 4-5pm, the hawks come out and play on the wind.  The catch the wind coming off the lake and ride it like a surfer would ride a wave.  I'm talking 20+ birds.  Its awesome, in and of itself.  (Though I do have to admit the very first time I saw it, it was kind of spooky..  you know birds covering the sky.. bring anything to mind? but got over that and see the beauty of it).  so we are sitting there talking about the hawks and about the one sighting of the eagle, and guess who shows up???  The bald eagle!  Except this time, I think its Mrs. Bald Eagle, because she was bigger than the one we saw two weeks before.  Her wing span was awesome, and she was leading the flock of hawks as if she was their queen, I kid you not!  Anyway, off she went, the hawks hung out riding their waves and we were talking about how awesome that eagle was, and how awesome it is to live here were we are with the opportunity to see such a wonderful wild thing... when I saw her again.  This time, she was flying lower, and we could see her in all her glory.. AND she had a FISH in her Talon!!!   Seriously!!   She flew out to the wooded area (there is a TRA park right next door, protected area) and into the trees!!!!   So... Not only did I get to see two beautiful eagles in two weeks, but I'm guessing those two have a nest near by!!! I am simply stoked!  

I love living here!  I was drowning in the city, I missed my open air.. and this place is like heaven!  Eagles!! Who would have thought!  

I'd love to hear your Eagle sighting stories if you have them, please share!

ETA:  PICS ON PAGE 2!!!!  SCORE!!!!

 

[◄ Jess ►]

When I was an undergrad, I wrote my thesis on the bird predation of garter snakes in California. This meant I got to spend a lot of time leaning back in meadows, just watching birds (and writing down which ones I saw!). I saw a lot of eagles and it was so cool to see them soar around overhead. I brought my sister with me one year (I did this during the summers) and we spent an hour watching an osprey nest to see if they brought back any snakes to their baby. We sat there for so long, just enjoying the view, that a deer crashed into the clearing and stood there for a few moments, just looking at us. Then it darted off and went on its way down the hill.

I can't remember the first time I saw a bald eagle, but I suspect it was one of the times my dad took me canoeing in Oregon. 

 

[Carol (was Dara)]

I live near a lake where eagles like to hang out, so it's not too unusual for me to see them. Awhile back when the lake road was extended they cut down the trees the eagles used to nest in. There was a bit of a fuss made over it and some group came along and put up fake trees for the eagles. But they're incredibly ugly and the birds won't touch them.  :-\

 

[ValeriGail]

I live near a lake where eagles like to hang out, so it's not too unusual for me to see them. Awhile back when the lake road was extended they cut down the trees the eagles used to nest in. There was a bit of a fuss made over it and some group came along and put up fake trees for the eagles. But they're incredibly ugly and the birds won't touch them. :-\

OH man, that is sad. I could understand the fuss. I had no idea we had eagles around here. I knew they were here once upon a time, but were endangered. In my research today (cause I go crazy and have to research everything I get super excited about, lol) I learned that there are more in the wild now than used to be and they've moved them to the "Threatened" list and off the endangered. That's pretty cool! I figured that, even though this is a small town, it was still to developed for such wild life. I don't even have deer right here. But, we have a lot of undeveloped land close, and very mature large trees on waterfront.. so I can totally see now why the eagles are here. It was just so cool to see how close I am living to nature with out even realizing it. I love everything about this place.

 

[The Hooded Claw]

They hang around the lakes in Winter here, so they are fairly easy to see as long as you don't mind looking through binoculars!

I remember touring Cape Canaveral in third grade and they pointed out a HUGE bald eagle's nest to us that was quite near the road, but there were no bald eagles around.  I don't actually remember my first time seeing the bird itself.

 

[planet_janet]

I don't remember the first time I saw a bald eagle in the wild, but my DH, kids and I saw four of them in one sighting while we were camping last summer at Burney Falls (Shasta County, CA). They were amazing to see and it was fascinating to watch them.

 

[StaceyHH]

There's a pair that nests in a tree right off the I5 south of Wilsonville, OR. Once in awhile if you're  lucky, you'll see them flying to and from the nest as you're driving down the highway.

My first was when I was a kid camping at the coast. They are amazing.

 

[Vegas_Asian]

wow amazing. That would be so cool to see. I haven't seen a bald eagle in the wild, but I have seen Russian swan during their migration. I lived in Japan and there is a lake (we americans called it Swan lake) and in the winter it would be covered with swans. Can barely see the water's survive. So much beauty

 

[NogDog]

My father and my younger sister (who's staying with him until he get's back on his figurative feet again) saw one here in NJ last week flying near his house. Yes, the most densely populated state in the union still has some bald eagles (most probably in the Pine Barrens in the southern part of the state).

 

[vsch]

Bald eagle live webcam from Iowa, hosted by the Raptor Research Project. Two eaglets in the nest, one egg ready to hatch at any time.. Very well done camera. I know not in the wild, but really very interesting to watch.

http://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/Decorah_Bald_Eagle_Nest.html

 

[loonlover]

When we vacationed in Minnesota, there was an eagles nest near the river we took to get from one lake to another.  Since we had to go very slow while in this area, we would usually see the eagles and sometimes just stopped to watch them.  We also saw eagles when we took a boat tour of Lake Itasca.  Seeing them is always an amazing experience.  I've also really enjoyed the eagle cams available.  It has been nice to see the activity from the top, not just from down below.

 

[Amy Corwin]

I used to be on Eagle watch at Mason Neck in Virginia. I loved it and got to see all kinds of eagles from adults to juvies. It was a fantastic experience.

 

[Jane917]

We have bald eagles nesting in the trees by the lake across the street. We see them fishing daily.

 

[julieannfelicity]

It's funny I'd see this thread right after getting an e-mail with this, from my husband's cousin:

You have to watch this. I've been watching this for a while now. The Eagles eggs finally hatched two out of three. The male caught a rabbit and a crow. The first baby has been feeding now the second. The first one even pecks the second one.

The cam is on a tree and the lady who runs it can zoom in and then you see the eagle. The male is smaller than the female. So cool.

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

PS - Not sure if this is the same video as posted below (I didn't watch either) ... sorry if it is!

 

[carl_h]

I see them frequently here in Oregon. 

 

[Coral Moore]

My husband and I took a driving vacation all over Wyoming/Colorado. It was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life. We did a rafting trip down the Snake River in Wyoming and we saw more than a half dozen of them, just hanging out in the trees looking for fish. We saw a ton of wildlife on that trip: bison, elk, moose, birds of all kinds. I'm hoping to talk him into doing another one this year up into Montana/Idaho this time. Highly, highly recommended.  ;D

 

[JennaAnderson]

They are really making a come back here in MN. I see them when I am driving through Bloomington, around Lakeville and at my sister's cabins up north. They are amazingly beautiful.

Cool but icky nature story - warning:

A couple of summers ago, my son and I were at my sister's cabin in WI. Every evening the bald eagles would get primed up to hunt on the lake. They'd sit on their perch, screech, and flap their wings - well this would send the loons and ducks into a frenzy of quacking and calling. The entire lake would be in a uproar. One evening there was a group of duck mamas and their ducklings out right in front of the cabin. The bald eagles started their cries across the lake, took off and headed over to the group of ducks that were swimming near us. One mama gathered up a set of ducklings and swam one direction, the other mom went the other way. I don't know how they did it but one of the babies got pushed back and was left in the middle of the two groups - out in the open all by itself!! I swear they pushed it. The eagle circled over head. The little baby was in a panic swimming one way then the other. We were all standing shocked and horrified on the shore. (No we didn't think of covering the eyes of our little kids. UGH) The eagle swooped down to get the duckling and the little bugger dove down under the water! The eagle missed! It came up near one of the groups of ducks. We all cheered and jumped up and down - which scared away the eagle and the ducks.

It was an amazing sight to see. I'll never forget it.

~ Jenna

 

[NapCat (retired)]

I spend a lot of time in the Pacific NorthWest where the Bald Eagle can been seen often.....
Last summer in Davenport, Iowa, I got to see some up close, "fishing" in the Mississippi River. Too Kool !

Golden Eagles hang around my place here in the desert...(really makes the cats nervous !!)

 

[ValeriGail]

Awesome story, Jenna!!


I saw one of the eagles again this afternoon.  I was sitting out on the dock watching the habitat, and there he was perched on one of the dead trees sticking out of the water!!!  I went in to get the camera, and was planning to walk over there, to the back side of the habitat and maybe get a pick by zooming in.. but found all my batteries dead!  ARG!!!!!!  by the time one charged enough to use, he was gone .

BUT!! that is the third sighting in the same area, SOOOOOOO... I think my chances of getting a picture are getting good.  As long as I keep the batteries charged, that is! 

 

[matt youngmark]

They're not uncommon here in Washington State. A friend lives near Pt. Defiance in Tacoma, and one day we were on his back porch and saw one perched on a telephone pole behind his house. There was a flock of crows that was very agitated by its presence, cawing and flying in wide circles above it, but the eagle just sat there, ignoring them. It was pretty great.