Bald Eagles to take you into the weekend

I've had the pleasure of seeing a lot of Bald Eagles this last year. Some were in New York, and some in Florida. When I think about how the species was listed in the Endangered Species Act in 1967, I am reminded how special it is to see one today. Populations have recovered enough since then to reclassify them as a species of "low conservation concern."

This one was hanging out in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. 

When it took off out of the tree, it revealed the half-eaten pigeon in its talons.

This is another adult soaring on a bright sunny day.

This is an immature eagle. They start out all dark and get their distinctive adult white head and tail around the 5th year. This site has a helpful chart that shows their plumage transformation.

I encountered these two (immature on the left, adult on the right) fighting in the air over a lake in Florida. The younger one was apparently in the territory of the adult who was not tolerating any of it.

The adult took a dive at the younger eagle...

...but somehow ended up in the lake!

Pulling itself together, the adult eagle quickly took off out of the water and chased the younger eagle out of the area.

You can see in this photo the eagle is looking up to its right, its eye on the intruder who is flying away.

Bald Eagles don't just get hassled by their own species, but are often harassed by smaller birds. In this case, Boat-Tailed Grackles were nesting in a wetland area when the eagle approached. The grackles teamed up to chase the eagle off.

After escaping the grackles, the eagle extended its landing gear and swooped over the lake to go after some fish.  

As luck would have it, several Magnificent Frigatebirds descended over the lake and the Bald Eagle took off.

 

Florida eagles tend to start their nesting season earlier than their northern relatives, so you can tune in now to see a pair (F23 and M15) brooding eggs on the live Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. This nest has a long and interesting history, and the hosts are great at providing information and opportunities to chat and ask questions.