A Visit From the Eagle

It is a very cold day outside with some snow flurries. That being said, it is a great day to do some writing inside a warm house. I was trying to decide what to write about on my blog today when the blog story flew into the neighbor's yard. We have a pair of nesting eagles that live north of our property on the White River. I have seen them flying down the river on occasions when I have been gardening, but I never was able to take a photo or have a camera available when I needed one. 

 

Today, my husband was working in the cabin when he spotted the eagle sitting in the tree in the neighbor's yard. He called up to the house to tell me. I grabbed the camera and my coat and headed down towards the river. Sitting high in a sycamore tree overlooking the river was a bald eagle. I started taking pictures and slowly moved closer and closer to the tree. The eagle's back was towards me and I was able to get close enough that he didn't see me. I took lots of photos of this majestic bird.

 

 

It was wonderful to see this bird living free and surviving in the city. It is just not every day that you get this opportunity to view an eagle up close. Suddenly the eagle ruffled it's feathers and leaped from the limb into full flight over the river.

I continued to watch him as he flew back up the river until he disappeared from view. Hopefully, I will get to see the eagle again and just maybe, I will have the opportunity to photograph him again in the future.

Happy Gardening!

Debbie

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday and "Happy New Years".  Check back for my next blog on "Eagles in Indiana".

Eagles in Indiana

My last blog post was about an eagle that was in my neighbor's tree. Today's post is on "Eagles in Indiana". Here are some facts that you may or may not know about eagles.

• The bald eagle was designated as the national bird of the United States in 1782.
• The loss of wetland habitat in Indiana caused a decline in the eagle population.
• The use of chemical pesticides caused the bald eagle population to severely decline in the 50's and 60's. Chemical pesticides called DDT were found in the fish that the birds ate and it caused the egg shells to be thin and break.
• Female birds weigh more than males.
• Female and male birds are identical in color.
• Adult birds have bright yellow feet, bills and eyes. Younger birds have brown bills and yellow feet.
• A young bird reaches maturity in 4 to 5 years at which time they can start to breed.
• Eagles mate for life, breed and nest in the same location every year.
• The primary diet of an eagle is fish. They will eat ducks, rabbits, squirrels and other small animals. They can spot their prey from up to two miles away with their keen eyesight.
• An eagle's nest is huge from 5 to 6 feet wide. It is made from sticks and lined with moss, grass and other materials.
• Bald eagles can live in captivity for up to 50 years.
• Federal law protects eagles with very large fines or jail time.

Over the years, the Bald Eagle Reintroduction Program that was started in 1985 has done a wonderful job in repopulating these birds in Indiana. This program introduced young birds into Indiana in the Lake Monroe area. The birds came from areas of Wisconsin and Alaska and were monitored over the years in their new home. There are now estimated to be up to 175 nesting areas in Indiana.

I am very thankful for programs like the Bald Eagle Reintroduction Program. I live in the city with the White River in my backyard and I can watch eagles flying along the river as they search for fish. What a sight to see and enjoy from my garden.

Happy Gardening!

Debbie