![\"bald-eagle-in-my-elm-tree-7022-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bald-eagle-in-my-elm-tree-7022-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAt least I suspect it’s the same bird but I don’t (yet)\u00a0know that for sure.<\/p>\n
For\u00a0six 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.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
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…<\/p>\n
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![\"bald-eagle-3835b-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bald-eagle-3835b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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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.<\/p>\n
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![\"bald-eagle-in-my-elm-tree-9969b-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bald-eagle-in-my-elm-tree-9969b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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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.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0rosy color shift in the siding that may have been caused by reflected light from the snow.<\/em><\/p>\n 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\u00a0entire house shook but miraculously there was no significant\u00a0damage to my roof. It\u00a0very narrowly missed my brick chimney.<\/em><\/p>\n And yes, the camping trailer in my driveway is my summer home on my\u00a0bird photography\u00a0trips to Montana and Idaho…<\/em><\/p>\n Ok, back to the eagle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u00a0absence of a band on that leg.<\/p>\n And if I get really lucky I’ll be able to\u00a0read the\u00a0numbers\/letters on the band so I can report it to the\u00a0USGS Bird Banding Lab.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At least I suspect it’s the same bird but I don’t (yet) know that for sure.<\/p>\n![\"bald-eagle-2008-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bald-eagle-2008-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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