My own observations in the field also suggest that Utah’s Golden Eagles are in trouble. In my frequent birding trips to remote areas of northern and western Utah I used to see Golden Eagles often, sometimes as many as a half dozen or more in a single morning, but I rarely see them anymore. In most of my recent trips to those areas I haven’t seen a single one.<\/p>\n
So yesterday morning I was highly encouraged by an encounter I had with two juvenile Golden Eagles in prime habitat for the species. I didn’t get any great photos of them, but sometimes quality photos aren’t necessary to buoy my spirits in the field and for long after I arrive back home.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/golden-eagle-3267-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"golden-eagle-3267-ron-dudley\\"")
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Soon after sunrise I found this side lit Golden Eagle on a power pole next to the deserted road. In past years I rarely stopped for Golden Eagles on utility poles because those types of photos do little for me. But these days a Golden Eagle encounter is so unusual I stopped to take a few documentary photos and then went on my way to my destination. The eagle was still on the pole when I left.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/golden-eagle-3875-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"golden-eagle-3875-ron-dudley\\"")
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Then, on my return trip 2 1\/2 hours later, two juvenile Golden Eagles took off from clumps of sagebrush within a couple of hundred yards of where I’d found the eagle on the power pole earlier that morning. One of them, this one, circled low over the sagebrush twice before they both landed in separate areas on the hillside to the west about a quarter mile away. This is the best photo I managed to get of the eagle that was circling low.<\/p>\n
So, why was I so encouraged by this encounter? There are three reasons:<\/p>\n
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- The first reason should be obvious. After seeing so few Golden Eagles for the last few years, any sighting of the species is good news.<\/li>\n
- These eagles were young juveniles and they were hanging tightly together so they’re almost certainly siblings from the same nest. Two successful fledges from the same nest is a highly positive development.<\/li>\n
- Both birds were stuffed to the gills – just look at the engorged crop of this one. I don’t know what they’d been feeding on, even though I looked hard for evidence of nearby prey or roadkill. Good Samaritans sometimes drag roadkill off the road to prevent scavengers from becoming additional victims, but I found nothing. But it would have been easy for me to miss a rabbit or a deer carcass or anything else hidden amongst the sagebrush.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/golden-eagle-3888-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"golden-eagle-3888-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nHere’s where one of the young eagles landed on the hillside about a quarter mile away. Even at this distance, and through all the heat waves that made my photos soft, we can clearly see the engorged crop of this bird.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/golden-eagle-3899-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"golden-eagle-3899-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nWhen the other young eagle landed far away on the same hillside, the prominent and extensive white at the base of the tail of juvenile Golden Eagles was clearly revealed.<\/p>\n
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I know, Golden Eagle sightings from a single morning in the same area are far from strong evidence of a recovery. But it’s an encouraging sign and I’ll take it.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
These days encouraging news about Golden Eagles is hard to come by. (4 photos)<\/p>\n