A bald eagle just flew over my yard!!!

[Guspuppy]

Today when I came home from work, i let the dog out and he ran down in the yard, scaring up a flock of turkey vultures, which are huge birds. There were at least 6 of them, and I didn't know why they were in my yard. I went down to look and apparently yesterday my dog had killed the groundhog that's been digging up my yard for the past month, the vultures were eating it. Well, I threw the groundhog over the fence and then sat out in the yard waiting to see if the vultures would come back in range for pictures. After awhile I saw a single bird come circling in, but it was not a vulture, it was the eagle! I was so amazed that I never even thought about my camera!! Now I have to go back to work, but all I really want to do is sit in my yard and watch for birds of prey!!

 

[lsg]

We used to get a bald eagle now and then after we had butchered a beef or a hog.

 

[Arimara]

I would love to move to PA if it means a chance to see a bird of prey (besides a hawk). the wildest bird I've seen was a guinea fowl (I wanted to catch it and roast it but I learned that they eat ticks so I can't do it).

 

[DeeAnna]

I'm really glad you saw your eagle! They are beautiful aren't they?

If you want to see tons of them, come to the upper Mississippi River valley in the Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin region, especially in winter. The eagles often congregate near the open water sections of the river when most of the river is frozen so they can catch fish. You can see flocks of 30-50 birds hanging out at the river's edge.

We have a nesting pair at the edge of our little farm -- about 1/4 mile away from the house. For the past 5 or so summers, we've been privileged to watch them build their nest and raise babies. Pretty cool!

Such a change compared to when I was a kid -- there were no eagles, no deer, no wild turkeys. It takes my breath away ... in a good way ... to see this.

 

[reflection]

i think i saw a bald eagle too a couple months ago. i happened to be looking up at the sky when walking my dog and saw a soaring black bird with a huge wingspan and the head was all white. i looked online when i got home and it sure looked like it could have been a bald eagle. i think it was soaring through my 'hood on its way to hollywood for the latest film screening.

 

[KristaY]

They really are breathtaking, aren't they? My DH spends a LOT of time in the wilderness and sees some of the most amazing things but his favorite are the eagles and the condors. Sometimes he even remembers to turn on his Go Pro or point his camera, lol.

 

[houseofwool]

I'm just a bit north of Deeanna on the Mississippi and as a kid never understood why bald eagles were considered endangered because every winter there would be hundreds of them on the river.

 

[Susie]

I would love to move to PA if it means a chance to see a bird of prey (besides a hawk). the wildest bird I've seen was a guinea fowl (I wanted to catch it and roast it but I learned that they eat ticks so I can't do it).

Guinea fowl are good eats. And chickens will eat ticks, or any other insect, larva, or worm if they can catch them. You often see folks with guinea fowl flocks down here. They are better at protecting themselves than chickens.

 

[Arimara]

Guinea fowl are good eats. And chickens will eat ticks, or any other insect, larva, or worm if they can catch them. You often see folks with guinea fowl flocks down here. They are better at protecting themselves than chickens.

If I owned, let alone lived out in at least more rural suburbia, I'd consider raising chickens or at least layers. In an urbanized setting, it won't happen.

 

[kchaystack]

Careful of any small pets you might have. I have had friends loose small dogs and cats to eagles.

My great grandmother had guinea fowl and chickens. The guineas were free range - they were better fliers than the chickens, so we rarely found the eggs.

 

[BlackDog]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets excited to see one! When I was growing up (in the 80's, cough) we would see like, one a year. And it was a big event. Now I see them weekly but I still pitch a fit. Once I saw five in a bare field on the way home from work and almost crashed the car staring at them.

 

[TeresaT]

Lucky you!! I haven't seen any in my area that I've been able to identify. I know we have them in TN, but they don't get their white head feathers until they're well into adulthood. The only thing I see a lot of are hawks, falcons and turkey vultures. Oh, and crows. I've got a murder of crows in my front yard nearly every day. I get to see them if my neighbor hasn't let his dogs out.

 

[Guspuppy]

Eagles are actually fairly common in PA, we have a nesting pair in Pittsburgh, about 20 miles from me, that is on a webcam every year. (Hay's Eagles) And I've seen several on various hikes around rivers and whatnot. This was particularly exciting though because I live nowhere near any creeks or large bodies of water, AND I had just been all excited about the vultures. I also have a red-tailed hawk family living in the valley behind me, I hear them calling all day everyday and got to watch a juvenile eat a rabbit in my yard earlier this summer. I just LOVE birds of prey!

I've read that guinea fowl are better for tick control than chickens because they ONLY eat the bugs, while chickens will eat everything and destroy your garden. I even bought a book (Gardening with Guineas) because I was thinking of doing just that. Now though, housing developments are going in all around me and I will probably sell out and move further into the country at some point, but for now I am enjoying this summer of big birds in my yard!

p.s. the turkey vultures came back today just as I was leaving for work and I got a couple shoddy photos because my zoom lens is not good enough. How I wish I had a good camera!

 

[Arimara]

Thanks for the pics. I've never seen turkey vultures. I don't really want chickens around me since I remember my mom's childhood stories about having to go to the chicken coop every now and then on great grandpa's farm. It doesn't help that I know how unholy that smell could be.

 

[Saipan]

Growing up in North East Iowa, I've seen Eagles all over, more now than in the past. Something has changed that causes the Bald Eagles to come deeper into Iowa from Minnesota the past few years.

We've been having a huge return of wild life, when I was young I occasionally would see a coyote, I've seen packs in the past 2 years.

We've even had Mountain Lion, Black Bear, and Gray Wolf sightings.

 

[CTAnton]

I can't say I'm feeling warm and fuzzy right now for any predators. My cat of 12 years, a stray so i can't say that was his chronological age, has been missing for almost a week.This is the cat when I pulled into the driveway I opened the car door, letting him jump in my lap and knead me until I couldn't take it anymore;a personality for days...friendly, more like you'd expect from a dog. And as I type this I'm reminded he was fearless, which might have played into his supposed demise.I suppose, all in all, better to have been a creatures meal then run over by a car and injured; suffering. I'm sure I could start a thread concerning indoor only or indoor outdoor cats and get many a heated response. But T'Beau will be missed at weeding time, when he'd park himself 10 feet from where I was working with a purr like approaching thunder. He was, as we say in these parts at least, a mush.

 

[HowieRoll]

We usually get a few bald eagle patients each year at the wildlife rehab center I'm with. It can be a little unnerving trying to pill one, especially once you realize their beak can be the size of a suitcase handle. The turkey vultures are interesting, too, in that their first line of defense is to throw up on you. That can be a real treat, especially if their last meal prior to admittance was a dead skunk.

ETA: CTAnton, I'm very sorry to hear about your missing cat, and certainly hope he turns up soon. You just never know... he could show up at your door one day and be like, what, I had an errand to run. Here's hoping...

 

[TeresaT]

CTAnton, I'm sorry about your cat. I hope he turns up soon.

 

[CTAnton]

For those of you who heard my tale of woe concerning my missing cat.....well, today at 530 as the moist food cans were being popped open who should stroll in but TBeau...missing a week,less weight but otherwise all intact.I feel like I've won a lottery; the forces that be have smiled upon me!

 

[HowieRoll]

Hooray!!! Aaaah, animals. You gotta love them. And want to box them in the ears sometimes. I'm thrilled he's home!!