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: