Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

March 24, 2008

Tree

That's right, children! A Golden Eagle! *does a little happy dance*

I used to live inside the range of the only breeding pairof Golden Eagles in the state. I would stand out in the dooryard, and hear them call as they were soaring, so I started calling back. I lived there about ten years. Then I moved about 100 miles away, but once took a friend on a roadtrip to the area.

I parked the car on the side of the road up on the blueberry barrens, just down the road from where I used to live. It was an excellent place to spot the goldens, but no sign of them when we stepped out. Since it was a nice day, I said, "let's wait a minute," and sure enough, a spot appeared in the sky.

I started whistling and whether the bird recognized the whistle or the car, or we just stuck out standing along the road, I'll never know. But it flew straight for us and circled lazily overhead.

Having deadlines to meet, we got back in the car and headed down the road, and the bird shadowed us over the road for about a half a mile, which was really cool!

Excuse me if I have shared this story before on the old blog-but it was a good one, and one that I love to tell! Heheh.

Back to today. I was driving home from the farm after combing a bunch of goats, and happened to have the camera on the seat from taking farm pix. I was in the golden's range, and another spot where I have frequently seen them in the past.

There it was! Circling over a gravel pit, roadside. I slowed the car and pulled to the right, sticking my head out the window and whistling while groping for the cam. I was in a bad spot, with a high embankment along the road to block the pit, but could see the bird through the young trees growing on the bank.

I kept whistling and decided to risk pulling ahead to get clear of the bank. The eagle stayed in view, circling and checking me out, while I was snapping pics off rapidfire. Finally the eagle flew off-up the road, and I took several of it retreating.

None of the pics are spot clear at that distance-this one was one of my favorites. :)