# The American Bald Eagle



## Gypo Logger (Dec 23, 2005)

The American Bald Eagle, like any other raptor, often will have arial battles of courtship or merely defending territory or a nest.
Sometimes the pair will become locked together like moose will hopelessly intertwine their antlers.
Whatever the story is in the picture, I am not sure, but I bet both birds drowned after becoming locked together.
Lets hear other Eagle stories you may have or other birds for that matter.
John


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## Marky Mark (Dec 23, 2005)

Please delete this post I don't want to look at pictures like this. Mother nature would never do such a thing.


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## bwalker (Dec 23, 2005)

Yes, I am deeply offended by the site of a dead animal....unless its a hot dog or hamburger.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 23, 2005)

Oh Barky! I was trying to be nice and not tell anyone you shot them after thinking they were Pileated woodpeckers!
John


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## Marky Mark (Dec 24, 2005)

Those birds were found in MI. They drowned, as far as I know that picture was given out to a few people and it wasn't suposed to be leaked out. The other story is that they were poisened by spiking a deer mixed with fly bait and cola. There was a deer carcus found in the area with several dead animals near a barn. They couldn't prove it.

What ever you do DO NOT USE THAT MIXTURE TO CONTROL ANIMALS.


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## kf_tree (Dec 24, 2005)

marky

if you take a ride with me next week, i'll bring the cola


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## Marky Mark (Dec 24, 2005)

That goes on alot more than people will ever know. Trust me it is a very very deadly combo. I am not for it in anyway shape or form.
Here's what it looks like in the liquid form.






Many dairy farmers leave it out year round for racoons. Of course a cow could never get into it. But it will drop an animal in seconds.


Ken I will bring my own beverages. I don't like those dirty drinks.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 24, 2005)

Barky, isn't it bad enough you are indiscriminately killing everything that moves?
Now you are poisoning farmers livestock??? This is an outrage!!
I'm calling the SPCA.
John


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## Marky Mark (Dec 24, 2005)

Gypo I just pointed that poison out since most don't know what goes on with the way people handle things. You looked at the picture of the results of that poison. It bothers me to look at that plus the dumb farmer who did that killed his own dog. But he kept after those coon. 

I have had several wardens stop me never once did I have an issue. I guess that's why they call me since the trapper always see's the dopes jacking deer at night.


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## spacemule (Dec 24, 2005)

Ever noticed how eagles look like buzzards with pretty feathers?


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 24, 2005)

Rex, they are basicly scavengers or in the least opportunists, generaly prefering carion or anything that doesn't require much work. Spawning salmon are a large mainstay of their diet, however they are very majestic and proud birds.
I saw one once grab this old ladies miniature poodle and carry it off into the nest yelping away.
John


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## John Ellison (Dec 24, 2005)

I have seen them swim. Sometimes they grab a salmon that is just too heavy for them and they cant release it in the air. So they land in the water and swim to shore. Both wings forward at the same time, is that a butterfly stroke?


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## tawilson (Dec 26, 2005)

*not for weak of stomach*

John,
I hope this fits in with the theme of your thread. I've caught some of my wife's interest in birds, plus I like taking pictures. My wife spotted this waxwing nest in our back yard back in 2002. I set up some scaffolding and sat on a stool with a sheet over my head for hours in 85 degree weather, but got some great pics. Also happened to catch this video. I guess it's how they keep the nest clean. I edited down to what I thought would be a manageable file size. 
File didn't show up. I'll try again.
I don't know what's going wrong. It's a wma file around 200 kb called bird. It uploads to the site but doesn't show up in my post. Must be censorship. 
Ok, I see, it's a wmv file and it won't upload. I cut it down with Windows movie maker and can't see how to save it as a mpeg. Crap. Maybe I should just delete the whole post.


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## Marky Mark (Dec 26, 2005)

When you go to save it drop the menu bar under where you name it and make it mpeg.


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## tawilson (Dec 26, 2005)

Windows Movie Maker isn't giving me that drop down option. All I can do is type in the name. I tried bird.mpeg but it's still a wmv file. I'll see if I have another program. The whole clip is over 5 megs, too big.


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## tawilson (Dec 26, 2005)

Well, I found a conversion program, but it made for a bigger file. If it doesn't work, then I give up. Wonder why we can use Windows media audio(wma) files but not Windows media video(wmv) files?


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## hobby climber (Dec 28, 2005)

Cool Vid tawilson! Bald Eagles eh? About 6 or 7 years ago while bow-hunting for moose in northern Ontario, I was fortunate to see many eagles. I was also tending a bear bait and each day I added more bait, at least two pairs of bald eagles could be found there along with some ravens. After I had pattern the bear thats been hitting the bait pile, I decided to hunt on day six. As usual, My hunting partner & I drove to the bait station and we topped it up, I stayed back & sat in my open ground blind. Buddy drove down the trail, turned around and drove back past me and back to camp. A few minutes later I could no longer hear the trucks motor, the ravens flew back followed by 5 bald eagles. (My God , they are big birds!!!) The ravens were on the ground feeding on the bait. Four eagles in the trees over the bait and one was on the ground eating some dead little critter,(could not tell what it was). Five minutes passed and all of a sudden the birds (all at the same time)went silent and looked into the bush in the same direction. Then, in silence, all flew away together. That was kinda freaky to me at the time. Moments later this 450 lbs class black bear emerged from the bushes. This had to be one of my most numerable hunting experiences ever! Never really knew just how bit bald eagles were till I was up close to them, well over 3' tall. WOW! As far as the bear goes, no I didn't shoot, he walked to within 4-5 yards of me but never offered a good shot, . Oh well, thats hunting, what a hell on an experience though! HC


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## rebelman (Dec 28, 2005)

yes spacemule, eagles do look like buzzards. A favorite tactic is disguising themselves by circling with many buzzards. I often see eagles while working or playing, I love 'em.


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## Tree Sling'r (Dec 29, 2005)

Here's a few I have taken over the last couple of years. I have a photography business on the side.


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## smokechase II (Dec 29, 2005)

Gypo logger:
The type of aerial battle/or perhaps courtship I've heard is from two knowledgeable witnesses accounts where the birds will gain altitude, circling each other then dive together. One of these was on where a Golden Eagle had taken a fish from an Osprey by Crescent Lake in Central Oregon and then got into one of these aerial things with a Bald that took the fish from him.
The other was near Chief Joseph Mtn in NE Oregon and had two Bald Eagles that did not connect with claws flying but grabbed hands and just spun with what were probably good "G" forces. It appeared to be playful to Mike Walker.
All three bald in the above accounts were mature.
One neat thing I got to see almost four years ago just across the river from SunRiver OR was an Osprey beating up on a Bald. The Eagle was like a truck and the Osprey a Porsche. He connected three out of four dives/attacks (this was a mostly horizontal sporting event) on the Eagle. Whatever the Eagle had done, he was getting out of Dodge.
We have a neat thing going on at the East Shore of Wickiup Res. just south
of Bend Oregon where a population of around 100 immature Bald are gathering in about late June for the lakes receding. This sets up a place where fast food catfish in small pools make for great scavenging. I've been able to walk directly underneath an immature Bald preening (about 80' up) and watch it for 8+ minutes. This does not represent the problem that visiting a nest site does for several months of the year. Better than Wickiup is Klamath Lake in South Central Oregon. Better than that is Juneau AK. But I digress.


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## Tree Sling'r (Dec 29, 2005)

Quote: Better than Wickiup is Klamath Lake in South Central Oregon. 

Better than Klamath Lake is Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge just south of Klamath. Last year I read nearly 900 bald eagles wintered in the timber outside of Worden, just a short flight to Lower Klamath. I spent three days there taking pictures. I go around 10 times a year, lots of waterfowl and mule deer too.
But, like you said Alaska is the best for eagles.


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## smokechase II (Dec 30, 2005)

Tree Sling'r;
What do you do with your photos?
How high a resolution?
Got pelicans?


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## Filer (Dec 30, 2005)

While bass fishing on Lake Shasta a couple years ago I watched two mature bald eagles( I assume the parents) forcing a immature bald eagle out of a tree. It appeared they were teaching it to fly. As soon as it started flying it floundered a little and ended up landing on the bank where we were fishing no more than 20' away from us. It just sat there squawking at the parents until they landed next to it and started harassing it trying to make it fly again. It refused and they stayed there for at least 15 minutes until the immature eagle finally flew away with the parents in tow. The whole time I was kicking myself for leaving my camera at home. I coulda damn near spit on them. It was very cool to say the least!!! Bass fishing I have seen several very cool wildlife realated things. One morning we heard a dog barking for at least a half an hour, we just figured it was a dog on a houseboat somewhere as there is houseboats tied to every stump. All of a sudden there was a scream that raised the hair on the back of my neck. It sounded like a sick baby or something. 10 seconds later a coyote came haulin ass out of the woods yelping with a cougar on its tail providing an ass whoopin. The cougar stopped and howled a couple times at the coyote and turned and strutted back into the woods. Didn't catch any fish that day, but it was one of the best days I have spent fishing.


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## Tree Sling'r (Dec 30, 2005)

smokechase II said:


> Tree Sling'r;
> What do you do with your photos?
> How high a resolution?
> Got pelicans?


I sell some of them - but have worked so much this year that I have not taken very many photos - other than portraits.
Both of the pics I posted were from slides, then scanned on my 5400dpi slide and film scanner. I have a digital SLR as well, a Canon D60.
I have some pelican shots somewhere in my file, but nothing worth posting.


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## notahacker (Jan 1, 2006)

Last Winter time I was working in the cold. I was sitting in my truck while eating my lunch. I looked accross the street to a creek with a lot of huge Willows and Cottonwoods. Then I noticed a Bald Eagle pirched on a limb. It had some kind of rodent in it's talons. It would take it's sharp beak and tear this thing like no other and eat away. We were having our lunch at the same time. (I know cheesey)

Then, something unthinkable happened. All of the sudden I see a small Pomeranian dog walking along the street. I knew of the huge bird in the tree, but this dog did not. I looked to the right and saw the owner walking behid at least 10 yards. Then, the Eagle turned it's head and spotted the small dog. I thought, "this is going to be like, 'When Amimals Attack.'" Then, I thought I should say something to the owner. The large raptor then took some blinks of the eye and tore back into his all organic rodent from the creek. 

I couldn't help but wonder if that Eagle was not already eating, would it have grabbed that poor little dog? My imagination says it would have.


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## Gypo Logger (Jan 4, 2006)

Great Eagle stories!
Here's an immature Bald or Golden Eagle I got a shot of in the Yukon at a garbage dump of all places.
John


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## Schultzz (Jan 4, 2006)

Nice photo Gypo!


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## Stihl Crazy (Jan 25, 2006)

*eagle rescue*

Found a bald eagle at work today, it had a broken wing. We called the DNR and they told us to catch it and bring it in. We followed their instructions and used a blanket to catch it. They have it now and will keep us informed of its progress.


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## hobby climber (Jan 25, 2006)

I was shocked to see a Bald Eagle today flying along the Detroit River between Windsor Ontario and Detroit Michigan. I had to take a double took to see if my eyes were playing tricks on me. Sure enough, it had a white head with white tail feathers and dark body. I asked my partner to take a look and he also confirmed it was a Bald Eagle. Just something you don't see every day and especial in that built up area with the Renaissance Center (Detroit) in the background. Was cool to see though! HC


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## PWB (Jan 28, 2006)

Hobby climber, I'm not much more than an hour from you, on the thames river. There's a bald I've been seeing here along the river for several years.

There's supposed to be a nesting site on Peche Island, not too far from where you saw them.


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## hobby climber (Jan 28, 2006)

Peche Island you say! Thats interesting. I occasionally see them perched in trees over the canal that empties into River Canard,(Amherstburg). Had taken some photos of em a couple of years back but quality was to poor to post. So, you must be in the Chatham area eh? Hi ya neighbor! HC


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## bottlefed89 (Feb 8, 2006)

I picked up a load of firewood the other day, I passed a farmers field and there was a cow calving... After a few hours passed, I was on my way back out and we saw an immature bald eagle eating what I would guess was part of the after birth. Yummy. This was in southeast Kansas. I wished I had my camera with me.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Feb 8, 2006)

We had a pair cruising over the house a few weeks back. They were hunting, and only about 80 feet up or so. Wonderful sight! They hung around for a half hour or so, in the general vicinity. I suppose they made a half dozen passes over us in that time.

We're about a half mile from the Shenandoah River.


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## Stihl Crazy (Feb 21, 2006)

*eagle release*

We got our eagle back yesterday. His wing has fully mended and he was ready to go free. We let him out of the box and he gracefully took to the air. His mate was in the area just an hour before we released him.


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