Sunday Pic of the Day

Straight Arrow · Apr 18, 2024

Redmt said:
I couldn't wait until Sunday! To some it's no biggie but to us it's major cool! We have 2 Bald Eagles. I've seen a couple miles to the south of us but never around here in 40+ years of living in the Backcountry. I was in my backhoe running up to stack some brush to burn. The tractor didn't bother them a bit so I got a little closer. I was about 100' away and they took off.View attachment 323354 View attachment 323355 View attachment 323356 View attachment 323357

Very cool!

Where I live along the West Gallatin River, the bald eagles are around all winter, fishing and feeding. Last year for the first time I had seen it, two eagles were flying together along the river, making more noises than usual. As I sat by the firepit watching them, they alit in a big cottonwood tree ... and the one bald eagle gave the other one a piggy-back ride!
By the time it was clear to me what was happening, I couldn't get my phone camera ready quickly enough to document the exciting scene.

MNElkNut · Apr 19, 2024

Nice to see them spreading out. We have quite a few around here. One summer, we went to Yellowstone. A bunch of cars were pulled over so we stopped. Our little kids hopped out and they ran to where the people were watching something, hoping to see an elk or grizzly. They asked the people what they were watching and when they said, "There is a Bald Eagle over there!!" my kids' shoulders slumped and all dejected they came back disappointed. I couldn't help but chuckle. I certainly understand the excitement if you don't have them around your place! I would certainly trade seeing bald eagles for seeing elk and mule deer!

Redmt · Apr 19, 2024

Elk we have! Mule deer no. Lots of little coastal black tail. There's been reports of Condors at the fire lookout on Copernicus but no pictures. The Baldys are always great to see. It's pretty cool that they have come this far north to our place. I'm not sure what their range is.

BrentD · Apr 19, 2024

Redmt said:
Elk we have! Mule deer no. Lots of little coastal black tail. There's been reports of Condors at the fire lookout on Copernicus but no pictures. The Baldys are always great to see. It's pretty cool that they have come this far north to our place. I'm not sure what their range is.

If you mean species range, I think pretty close to the entire continent.

As individuals, they also have huge ranges. A juvenile in NorthEast Iowa was tracked up to James Bay and back to Iowa a couple of times. Just taking a vaca "Up North" as good Midwesterners are wont to do.

We have a lot of eagles hanging out on our property, esp. in the winter and during migration periods. The closest nest was a couple of miles away, but it may not be occupied now. I believe it may have blown down.

Quite a change from my childhood in MN and even since my arrival in Iowa in 1992.

Redmt · Apr 19, 2024

I remember my first trip to Kenai and the amount of Bald Eagles was incredible. It became common to see huge numbers at a time. Here at home there's always been a few nesting pairs but we don't see them all that frequently. Having a pair sitting in a burned out tree a couple hundred yards from the house was way cool.