OMG!! A Bald Eagle Eaglet!!!! (1 Viewer)

I couldn't believe my eyes! I live in southern Ohio and have seen adult eagles fly over our house, but haven't seen them for awhile. We have nests in our county, but very few people know where they are as the ODNR won't disclose that info.

Anyway, I was coming home from dropping dh off at a friend's house and a huge bird flew over the top of my car from our hickory trees into the neighbor's hickory trees. At first I thought it was a buzzard, but then I got a better look! I couldn't believe my eyes!! There it sat in my neighbor's tree and me without a camera!! I parked the car ran inside and it was gone. I could still hear it, but couldn't locate it in the trees cuz it just kinda blends into the bark.

I had been hearing a strange call today, but thought it must be a hawk.

WOW!! I'm so excited! When is the best time to try to see them? It was about 6:30 this evening when I saw this one. You think it will be around close yet tomorrow. We live on a lake and I'm assuming that must be why it is nearby.

Wow!! Gotta go look outside again....this time with a camera in my hand!! Woohoooo!!

Julie

thats great! theyre making a comeback

Great sighting Julie! They sure are impressive birds up close.

Every summer I am blessed with many sightings of Bald Eagles and their young. I live right next to the Columbia River, so they're everywhere. I find their calls very stirring, however weak they may sound compared to other hawk species. While I do see them most often during summer, I have seen them in other seasons.

About a month ago, a pair flew not more than 20 feet above my head. It was a magical experience, to say the least!

What a great experience, to have a juvie eagle visit! Hopefully he will still be around tomorrow. Sorry, I can't help with the best time to be on the lookout.

Hi Julie,

Congrats on viewing an immature Bald Eagle so close to your home. They are impressive birds.

I was formerly a hacking team leader for the PA Bald Eagle Recovery Team, back in the day. The eagle you saw in immature plummage could be anywhere from newly fledged to c. 4 years of age--they don't develop the more familiar pattern of the mature (and begin breeding/nesting) until c. 5 years of age. During that c. 5 year time period, immature eagles will migrate over quite some distance... primarily moving just as far as they need to in order to continue to find a good food supply.

Since you mentioned that you live on a lake, you may see this immature sticking around for a while. I would recommend looking for him to be fishing most often during the cooler hours of morning and dusk. Also, don't be too surprised if you see him scavenging, as oppossed to actually fishing. Bald Eagles tend to be opportunists. (We once had an immature brought to us for rehab, after he had been repeatedly observed scavenging around a dumpster outside of a 'fast food' eatery). Also watch for him to potentially be soaring high overhead when the weather is right. They frequently will soar along with a mixed group of large raptors (sometimes including hawks and osprey).