Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

One of an astonishing 52 Bald Eagles tallied passing over the Cape May hawk watch viewing platform that day. Exact ageing can be tricky, but this immature type is usually called "sub-adult II." It still has a dark head with some white mottling and a mottled belly. Note also the uneven trailing edge of its wings caused by a mixture of old and new feathers. Formerly imperiled by shooting and DDT contamination, this iconic symbol of the United States has mostly recovered and continues to expand its range. It was delisted in 2007. This is presumably the larger northern subspecies "H. l. washingtoniensis."