on the water and in the woods. We were paddling the lower Saluda River yesterday.Several large birds were flying over the river and at first I thought they were buzzards (black Vultures).
But then 3 of them broke into a dogfight, aeronautically speaking.
They moved closer at high speed doing maneuvers that I had only seen kites perform.
They were bald eagles! I had never seen 3 at once ,let alone acting like that. They continued into the woods and never slowed.
Competition for a female ?
Maybe territorial? I watched three adult eagles here at home doing a similar performance on Sunday, but think they may have been arguing over a meal as one kept diving down to the ice to retrieve something. We see them quite regularly here but it’s always a thrill, especially when they land in a nearby tree.
The Berry nest (Georgia) has two eaglets doing a lot of wing flapping; Decorah (Iowa) has lots of babies in their nests and here in Northern Michigan, the nest at the Platte River Fish Hatchery has two eggs being incubated by the parents.
With the ice finally out, heard the frogs singing tonight although it’s snowing lightly. Spring is good.
I saw a trio of juveniles doing some sort of dog fighting in Alaska last summer. I took it to be play, as they spent the time hanging together after.
One swooped and circled around me at close range and I snapped off a quick shot with my point and shoot.
We paddled the Upper Iowa River near Decorah on Saturday and saw quite a few bald eagles busy with springtime activities
Great shot. They’re such fabulous raptors. But don’t ever pick up and keep an eagle feather that you might find on the ground. Under the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 you can be fined up to $100,000 and get a year in the slammer. Unless you have Native American or Alaskan native bloodlines and even then I think they have to get a permit.
@Rookie said:
Great shot. They’re such fabulous raptors. But don’t ever pick up and keep an eagle feather that you might find on the ground. Under the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 you can be fined up to $100,000 and get a year in the slammer. Unless you have Native American or Alaskan native bloodlines and even then I think they have to get a permit.
“But I thought it was a turkey plume!”
Uncle Benjamin exclaimed.
“A noble quill with which to ink my will,
or Common Sense of my fellow Paine.”
“But now you tell me I’m to pay large fine,
for ascribin’ with the blanc-head raptor.
Well such institute this Franklin does refute!
A soar subject with the Pennmanship chapter!”
Esp. after a couple adult beverages.