Today I saw...
 

...something out on the ice. At first I thought it was something left behind by an ice fisherman. There's a bunch of shacks off my shoreline, but there's usually not a lot of activity during the week.

Then it moved.

I looked again and I thought it was my cat! I wasn't dressed so I got out the binoculars to make sure before I went charging out yelling at some animal that wasn't my cat...:p


I got the binoculars focused in and could finally see what was out there. It looked like a wild turkey for a second because it's back was towards me, but then it turned and looked my way.


It was a bald eagle! It was sitting on the ice eating a fish. I am not sure if someone left some bait behind or threw a fish out or what, but there it was, in all it's majesty and beauty, having lunch just off my shoreline! There is no open water here now, so I am still confused as to where it got the fish.

We see a lot of eagles and ospreys during the warmer months, but very rarely in the winter. It flew off before I could get my camera, but I got out my Dad's old Canon AE-1 and the telephoto zoom lens and loaded it up and got it all ready for the next time.

Now I want to put some fish or meat out there tomorrow and see if I can get it to come back so I can get some pics!!


{...I am also glad my cat finally came in cause I was getting a little worried! With the size of that bird, my cat would easily be a snack! I saw one grab a neighbor's cat a few years ago. It flew off and dropped it on some rocks just offshore and then swooped in and it was all over. :(...}

On second thought, maybe I will bait it a ways down from my house for the cat's sake!

Beautiful birds aren't they? We have hundreds, if not thousands here...can see them all around. I had a kitty come up missing about 10 years ago, and friends told me that the Eagles love kitties for munchies...ahem!! Not what I wanted to hear, but he never showed up dead or alive...

oopps, just noticed you were going to protect your kitty....not a bad idea!!!

Naturally living in Australia, I've never seen a bald eagle, but I have seen them on TV and they look huge!

I can well imagine an eagle that size taking your kitty cat. Here in Oz we have smaller eagles than that, and they'll take a new born lamb. I guess even eagles have to eat.


:Off-Topic: Greenjeans, I had just noticed your avatar with the northern lights when you took it off. The state I live in down under in Australia, is the only one where you can see the southern lights if all the conditions are right. I've seen them only twice that I can remember. They are both beautiful and fascinating to watch.

Now back to your regular program (Sorry RW)

RW~ I think Bald Eagles are splendid. We see alot of them up my way. The Lock and Dam has a Bald Eagle watch and there are so many, you can't count them. If you get a pic, you should post it.

I have only one time seen a bald eagle at it was in South Carolina. We were going Kayaking to Capers Island and we were on a road that was wooded and isolated.

The lead driver stopped, got out and pointed this eagle out to us. I should not admit this - BUT - I got so EXCITED :eek: that I jumped out of my car to see the Eagle and left my car in drive.

Fortunately, as my car began inching up toward my brother-in-law's car who had stopped in front of me, my BIL can running back, jumped in my car and put it in park - I was so embarrassed, :o but I will never forget seeing the bird... I cannot imagine being able to see them all the time.

Take good care of your kitties... :)

They are beautiful aren't they! We get them nesting here. And flying overhead, there is no mistaking them in flight!

My sister and her husband live in Talkeetna,Alaska they had a log home built right beside a lake and have seen lots of eagles and beavers.I went there for vacation it's beautiful there I definatly want to go back.

Very cool, RW!

They're the devil to get a shot of though, let me warn you. Camera shy things.

:rolleyes:

I've tried for years, nadda.

They nest right down the road from me, fly over my property all the time. When I see 'em, I grab the wee dogs and keep an eye out.

Soon as I have the camera, you can watch them circle higher and higher, taunting me.

I went down the bird trail one time and was talking to some other birders.... We compared shots, and they were laughing cuz I had 15 shots of a redwing blackbird. I said, "He was following me, hamming for the lens - what else could I do? The rest of these Prima Donnas won't let you snap unless they're sure you have their good side."

:D

I did get some great shots of that crazy black bird. He reminded me of Jake.

:wink:

They are indeed magnificent creatures. I can just sit and stare at them soaring for as long as they'll perform within my view. Wondrous.

How wonderful!

Kitties for munchies? Oh GreenJeans....:Bawling:

Wow! I have seen them nesting and it is a jaw dropping sight.

In Michigan, especially northern part there are quite a few. Love to watch them soar but I was surprised how big and ferocious they can look when I saw one "dining" on a dead deer on the side of the road.

My son's puppy was once snatched up by an owl while my son stood right by helpless. Thankfully the pup weighed too much and the owl dropped her before they got too far away or too high to injure her.

Birds of prey are awesome creatures.

OT: Did you like my Northern Lights better? I went with the glacier because on top it's strong and beautiful, but underneath it has this huge hidden area that needs to be 'seen' to get the whole picture....seemed to fit my current situation :D

I had no idea that there were Southern Lights! I asked DH about that once, and he didn't think so either. HA! How arrogant of us!! LOL!!!!! Would love to veiw those lights with you down under!!

Back to topic ;)

Cool, RW, but, yes do protect your kitties and small doggies..:eek:

We used to have a Peligrin Falcon visiting our yard, quite often. I think he was after our mulitude of chipmonks. Either DH or I would accompany our pupper on his daily jaunts around the yard.

Although not as big as an Eagle, the PF is big enough to pick up a small animal, and is a meat eater. They used to nest on top of one of our tall buildings Downtown, until it was torn down. I don't know if they found a new nesting place there or moved on.:confused: