At least I suspect it’s the same bird but I don’t (yet) know that for sure.
For six years now an adult Bald Eagle has appeared in my huge elm tree almost like clockwork in January (it may have skipped one year, can’t remember for sure). Keep in mind I live in the middle of suburban Salt Lake Valley and it’s quite unusual to see Bald Eagles in my neighborhood or anywhere close.
I’ve lived in this house for over 25 years and I’d never seen a Bald Eagle near my home until January 28, 2011 when this bird showed up in my elm tree. Each year after that a single Bald Eagle has appeared in the tree in January. Sometimes it hangs around for a few days and other times the visit is more transitory. I live at the top of a hill or bluff that overlooks the Jordan River and a fishing pond and this tree is the tallest tree in the area so I suspect the eagle is here to fish the river and pond and takes refuge in the tallest perch available – my tree.
I spent yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA looking for birds to photograph and of course this time of year Bald Eagles are a primary photographic goal for me but the only eagles I saw were very far off and I came home eagle-skunked. So I found it hugely ironic that…
within minutes of arriving back home from Farmington this Bald Eagle landed in my elm tree. The light was marginal and the bird was obstructed by branches so all I got was documentary shots.
Here’s a different perspective on the tree and yesterday’s eagle (which can be seen in the tree). The bird stayed up there for several hours and it was quite a hit in the neighborhood until it eventually flew off.
I suppose I should mention why my home looks so different in the two photos. Just over a week ago contractors installed new siding and new windows and regular readers of Feathered Photography have been aware of the disruption and pandemonium that has caused. I’m quite relieved to have it finished. Some of the colors in this image aren’t accurate – there’s a slight rosy color shift in the siding that may have been caused by reflected light from the snow.
Readers are also aware that I had a huge limb from this tree come crashing down on my roof a few weeks ago. It came from high up in the tree so you can imagine why I thought we’d had an earthquake or a truck had hit my house when it came crashing down in the dark about 10:20 pm. The entire house shook but miraculously there was no significant damage to my roof. It very narrowly missed my brick chimney.
And yes, the camping trailer in my driveway is my summer home on my bird photography trips to Montana and Idaho…
Ok, back to the eagle.
Here’s the eagle in the first photo taken back in 2011. When it gave me an interesting wing-lift I could see that it had been banded on its right leg. If the current eagle hangs around for a few days I hope to be able to confirm whether or not it also has a banded right leg.
I suspect that it may be the same eagle that has returned annually to my tree and seeing that band again would come close to confirming it. I’ll report back if I can confirm either the presence or absence of a band on that leg.
And if I get really lucky I’ll be able to read the numbers/letters on the band so I can report it to the USGS Bird Banding Lab.
Ron
I think that is so impressive having an eagle in a tree right beside your house.Talk of the block!The last pose with the crouch is done so carefully.
Stunning photos – even with that blasted twig in front… what a magnificent creature… we should be so lucky to have it as our national emblem…
I’m jealous too. Beautiful pics of the bird. I like the color of your house too. Very nice!
Thank you, Jean – on both counts.
Woo Hoo. And happy dances.
Though I suspect any smaller birds in your yard made themselves scarce.
EC, Sad to say there are very few birds in my back yard. I just live in an area without many of them – probably because they spend all their time down at the nearby river – better habitat down there.
Soooo cool, Ron! Without going into woo conspiracy theories, I do think animals have some sort of sense about certain people they want to hang with. 🙂
The house looks great! I’m jealous — we need some major painting done, but have to do a bunch of termite repairs first.
I’m glad you like the siding, Marty. No way I was going to paint it again at my age!
Love the fact that you have a “home eagle”! In that last shot you posted, I suspect the visible band and the “wing pose” kind of obscures the fact that the eagle is making a poop shot … I think I can see the white stream behind him if I look closely (lol – I was trained in eagle observations by a rehabber who focused on eagle poop, so I always look … maybe that is what you meant by a “dirty tree” ?) Happy New Year!
OMG, Nancy – I think you’re right about the poop in the last photo of Ron’s!! I get to see a lot of that while watching the Berry College, the SW FL and NE FL eagle nests cams – LOL!! It always amazes me how the little eaglets automatically know to go to the side of the nest to do their business. Isn’t Nature Grand?!!
New film: Crouching Tiger. Pooping Eagle.
Good eye, Nancy!
It looks like you could be right, Nancy. And if so, I’m a little surprised because I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a raptor poop during a wing stretch/lift.
I was thinking the eagle was doing the warble stretch (warble from ancient and arcane falconry language). But that said, they usually don’t hunker down quite that far (involving their legs) when they do that stretch. So, what do I know? LOL!
The other stretch, a mantle, is the one-wing, one-leg stretch.
I was thinking the eagle was doing the warble stretch (in ancient and arcane falconry language). But that said, they usually don’t hunker down quite that far (with their legs) when they’re doing that stretch. So what do I know? 😉
well, now I think I was wrong. The item I thought was poop might just be a twig with a rounded end – it seems to be coming from the tree limb. and there is a large similar rounded-end “twig” way off to the left that clearly has nothing to do with the eagle. But whatever s/he is doing, I love the pose and the expression.
AWESOMENESS times 100, Ron!! What a way to come home after no luck looking for eagles to photograph!! He is a the video of Challenger’s fly-over at the Cotton Bowl!! That has to be a marvelous thing to experience. Also glad the eagle was there so we got to see before and after photos of your house. I really like the new siding – it really brightens up your whole house!! Just LOVE the look on the Eagles face that you took in 2011 – I’d hate to be the critter he’s got his “Eagle Eye” on!!!
Oops – Don’t know know what happened to my second sentence??? I did start to say I just saw the video of Challenger this AM.
Jo Ann, The primary reason for the new siding was that I was just getting too damned old to climb on ladders and scaffolding to paint it. Again!
I’m so jealous. But then, I practically trip over myself when the Cooper’s hawk lands in the tree overlooking my back yard! Not sure what I’d do if I found a baldie there! 😁
And house does look great, BTW.
So then, Ron Dudley, Happy New Year!
Thanks, Susan. You too.
How lucky to have a grand visitor! Thanks you for posting the stretching eagle, it is one of my favorites and always make me smile.
How are the roads at Farmington, I was thinking of going yesterday or today but my car is low and I don’t want to get stuck. Between the 2 days we have another foot of snow at my house. Just finishing up my coffee and I am out to shovel again.
The house looks good, the Eagle approves too.
April, the Farmington road wasn’t too bad yesterday morning but just before I left I passed the grader plowing the roads and it was headed south as if it was going to plow all the way to the 4-way. That said, I don’t know how much snow they got last night. I got 4″+ here.
Wow—-the definition on the feathers in the first photo and the wonderful expression on his face in the last photo is superb.
Thank you, Bobbi.
Thank you for sending this…
🙂
What an amazing stroke of luck…an eagle in your own yard…just feet away!!! Just having a living Elm is lucky…most of ours are long since dead. I especially like the last shot and, once again, am grateful not to be what that bird is focused on!
Patty, My elm is a pretty dirty tree but having it does have its advantages.
I live in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake and three years ago there was a bald eagle in a tree on the golf course behind my house. I keep watching for that to happen again. The same week I saw it the newspaper had a picture of one in Sugarhouse park which is only 4 blocks from my house. Very exciting.
It often hangs out at Liberty Park in a group of trees on the island in the pond.
Betty, I used to live in Sugarhouse and I taught school at Highland High. I’d often go to Sugarhouse Park for my lunch break and look for birds. Never did see an eagle there though.
Terrific that you’ve got an eagle visitor, even if it’s only for a day or two. In MY world, that’s a blessing. Of course, it helps a lot to have a huge tree (aka an excellent perch) from which the eagle can command a wide vista for hunting. That was excellent prior planning, despite the scare of the broken limb on the roof!
I really hope you can collect band information, assuming s/he is wearing bling! Good luck! For me, it’s ALWAYS interesting to find out banding information. But, as you know, I’m so easily amused 😉
Rest assured, Laura, it’s a blessing in my world, too!
How fun for you. Love the photos. Very different pose to capture on film. Maybe the Eagle is looking for a tree to build a nest. How long does the Eagle hang around? Maybe a stop over as he is headed to other nesting grounds.
Trudy, Almost all of our eagles are migratory and only here for the worst of the winter. They head north again for nesting.
How lucky for you!! Even your “documentary” photo looks amazing to me! I have lived in a part of Texas most of my life that is rarely visited by bald eagles… I didn’t even see my first one in the wild until I was in my fifties! What a terrific visitor!
Thank you, Sheryl.
I would be thrilled to have a Bald Eagle land in my tree. But, I don’t know that they come this far south, and the only lake we have is on our street when it rains, and of course, not only does it disappear within a few hours, it’s also not supposed to rain at this time of year (we’ve had several days of rain lately). There’s something about being close to an Eagle that is awe-inspiring. Hopefully he will hang around and you’ll be able to get better shots of him and get the banding information.
I hope it happens, Susan.
He heard you did portrait shots…,
🙂
That is great Ron. I think this eagle originally met you out on the local refuges and just likes hanging out with you, likes the photos you take of it. It is always good to have friends in high places 😉
Wouldn’t that be fun if it were true, Ed? 🙂
“Friends in high places”???? Bad!!!!
Eagles! This is my first year as a Florida Audubon Eagle Watch volunteer. It would be amazing to have one in my tall pine, even if only for a few days. Thank you for a great start to the morning, as always!
Thanks, Gail. I’m glad you enjoyed this start to your morning.
Gail – where do you live and volunteer in Florida?!! I live in Palm Beach County and I’ve visited the SW Florida Eagle nest that’s the home of Harriet and M15. The Berry Eagle nest in Rome, GA got me started following not only that nest but the two in Florida!! What a wonderful opportunity for you!!
Great shots as usual!
I think the Eagle knew, and just liked you enough to be sure you weren’t skunked!! LOL!
Interesting read today – hope you are able to see if this Eagle is banded, and whether you can get close enough to get a picture of the number! Good Luck!
Well, I hope this bird likes me or the tree well enough to stick around for a while, Dick. Sometimes I only see it once per season, other years it’s here for a while. Time will tell.
Love it !! A bald in your yard ! Precious !! They circle my farm but I’ve never known them to land here. I bet you it’s same one!! They are very habitual About what tree they hunt from or just rest in . Every winter two balds hang out in my Freind’s back yard. And every winter in the desert Bonnie and Clyde ( couple theifing eagles) sit on exactly the same dune every year .
Marina, I won’t be surprised at all if it’s the same eagle each year. I hope I can confirm it, one way or another.
Try a paintball…
Both photo’s are great! Good detail and, in the 2011, behavior. 🙂 The siding and windows look good and do change the appearance of the house. 🙂 Glad you didn’t get entirely skunked! 🙂
Judy, that’s happened twice now, where I spent the morning looking for eagles and never found one and then came home only to unexpectedly find an eagle in my tree.
That photo from 2011 is fantastic. I find it quite appropriate that an eagle would visit you 🙂
Thanks, Zaphir. I’d never before seen that particular pose from a Bald Eagle.