Eagles Nest Township Eagle Day - UPDATE March 6, 2024
Bald Eagle
Not officially designated as a township day, it was an eagle day I’ll never forget. Imagine the surprise when a bird with a nearly seven-foot wingspan flies by with its nearest wingtip only 8 feet from where you are sitting at your desk, then swerves off with one wing pointing up and the other down as it holds a freshly snatched piece of meat in its talons.
Bald eagle
It’s been years since an eagle snatched meat like that, but another one is learning the program. Three days ago I wrote that an eagle flew within a few feet of the meat but flared away when it saw me at my desk. Today at about 7 AM, the eagle flew close again, saw me, flared off, and landed across the yard just like before. It picked a magnificent spot to land. The rising sun made the background a beautiful yellow. It seemed the eagle is learning that I’m not such a danger as it calmly watched me aim the camera and click. When it finally flew off, I believe it went to join its mate because it was only a few minutes later that I saw a pair fly across the little lake together. An hour or so later, it came over low and alone and flared off as usual. The persistence made me think this could be a red-letter day. Over and over it came close. Then came something familiar. It swooped in fast and then suddenly rose 20-25 feet to land on a branch for a good look just like the eagle did years ago before it dove down, grabbed the meat, and was off. Sitting at my desk I held the camera ready despite the problem of bright background and shadowed meat. Then came the dive and grab. The camera caught the eagle coming in with feet and talons held far forward for the grab, the moment of contact, and then disappearing with a long piece of ham fat in its left talons—a sequence that took less than a half second.
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
Bald eagle
Hours later, the eagle was suddenly back, swooping in unexpectedly, grabbing another piece of ham fat and doing the big swerve mentioned above as it turned back toward where it had come from.
That had to be the end, I thought, but mid-afternoon it flew over low, landed in a big pine across the yard, and sat looking at the meat and maybe me. I wanted to catch it coming and grabbing in good light. Then it came with its eyes intensely looking at the meat as it flew in close. Coming from that direction, I wondered if it would actually land, but it didn’t. At the last second it flared off and disappeared for the day—an eagle day.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
