Golden Eagle in Alton

Lakebabies · 09-11-2006, 10:25 AM

We had an enormous Golden Eagle fly low over our house yesterday. It spent quite a while hunting from the neighbor's tree, then caught a big fish off Woodlands Point near Little Mark Island. It was quite a site. I'm no expert, but my Google search info says that their wing span is up to 7 feet and they stand about 3 feet high. Amazing.

I posted some photos in the photo gallery.

Resident 2B · 09-11-2006, 12:01 PM

Thanks for capturing the moment and sharing with us.

R2B

Grant · 09-11-2006, 12:28 PM

That eagle appears to have a red band on its right leg.

Lakebabies · 09-11-2006, 01:01 PM

I didn't notice the band before you mentioned it, but zooming in on the photo I can see it. I'll have to check the other pictures (we went a little overboard) to see if it is visible.

ApS · 09-11-2006, 04:26 PM

Lakebabies:

Last week, I posted seeing a juvenile Bald Eagle on its way to Alton, but was waffling later about the identification.

It was a really dark brown bird, and had too-few scattered white markings to be a juvenile Bald Eagle. Goldens are less often seen in the Eastern states, which complicated the identification for me.

Now I think the bird I saw was "your" Golden Eagle.

But even Audubon painted one and named it the other, so I'm in good company.

Loony Singer · 09-12-2006, 04:13 PM

Very interesting! We live at the end of Moultonboro Neck, and last Saturday saw a very large bird gliding around, swooping down looking for fish, etc., right in front of us. He was big enough that he sat on a dead tree branch which promptly broke under his weight! We didn't have a camera nearby, but studied him through our binocs. He looked just like your guy. We checked our Audubon guide, and decided that he was indeed either an immature bald eagle or a golden. Our guide says that goldens are very rare in the eastern U.S., so we were leaning towards the immature bald.

A little later on, we saw two big birds gliding nearby on the thermals. We think it was the same bird, plus a friend. Quite a sight in any case!

riverat · 09-13-2006, 06:38 AM

I also saw this beautiful bird, only it was late spring or early summer. It was flying treetop height and was looking for dinner over the Merrymeeting River about a mile south of the Rt. 28 bridge. I got a good look at it from below because it flew right over my head, and after some research the only bird I could match it up to was a Golden Eagle but thought that being kinda far fetched. But now I feel more confident that it was. Cool

SteveA · 09-13-2006, 07:02 AM

This sure looks like the eagle in the pictures lakebabies took.

http://www.centralpets.com/animals/b...s/rpt2973.html

It was many years ago, but all three of my kids went on a field trip to the top of some mountain to watch the raptors riding the thermals. They were told the birds they were observing were "Golden Eagles'

And we all know that we have the Gilford Golden Eagles

SteveA

Lakebabies · 09-13-2006, 09:09 AM

We identified it by using our handy dandy birds of North America book and a little online research. I think it's a Golden Eagle - but the extent of my scientific knowledge is that it looked like the picture in the book and seemed to match the description...HUGE!

We were eye level with that bird and it was menacing.

Quilt Lady · 09-13-2006, 12:01 PM

Last winter there was a thread on the forum about a deer carcass on the ice near the mouth of Small's Cove. It was being visited daily by a pair of full grown Bald Eagles. They were happily enjoying their meals until a beautiful Golden Eagle came along and took possession of the carcass. Seeing the two birds side by side (well, almost) you could see the Golden was much larger, leading me to believe the Golden was a female. (With birds of prey, the female is generally larger.) The Bald Eagles tried to force her off but she took no guff from them and rolled on her back with talons up and ready to defend the carcass. The Bald Eagles backed off and waited until she finished. It was an amazing few days as the carcass disappeared.

And some people wonder what we do up here all winter!

The ice is full of interesting wildlife adventures!

Weirs guy · 09-13-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quilt Lady

Last winter there was a thread on the forum about a deer carcass on the ice near the mouth of Small's Cove.

Thats wicked funny, I was just wondering the other day what had happened to the deer.

ApS · 01-29-2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakebabies

"...I think it's a Golden Eagle - but the extent of my scientific knowledge is that it looked like the picture in the book and seemed to match the description...HUGE!

We were eye level with that bird and it was menacing.

How about from below eye level?

09-11-2006, 10:25 AM	#1
Lakebabies Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Golden Eagle in Alton We had an enormous Golden Eagle fly low over our house yesterday. It spent quite a while hunting from the neighbor's tree, then caught a big fish off Woodlands Point near Little Mark Island. It was quite a site. I'm no expert, but my Google search info says that their wing span is up to 7 feet and they stand about 3 feet high. Amazing. I posted some photos in the photo gallery.

09-11-2006, 12:01 PM	#2
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,352 Thanks: 987 Thanked 310 Times in 161 Posts	Great Photos! Thanks for capturing the moment and sharing with us. R2B

09-11-2006, 12:28 PM	#3
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,485 Thanks: 337 Thanked 212 Times in 116 Posts	That eagle appears to have a red band on its right leg. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

09-11-2006, 04:26 PM	#5
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,788 Thanks: 2,085 Thanked 742 Times in 532 Posts	Oops... Lakebabies: Last week, I posted seeing a juvenile Bald Eagle on its way to Alton, but was waffling later about the identification. It was a really dark brown bird, and had too-few scattered white markings to be a juvenile Bald Eagle. Goldens are less often seen in the Eastern states, which complicated the identification for me. Now I think the bird I saw was "your" Golden Eagle. But even Audubon painted one and named it the other, so I'm in good company. __________________ Every MP who enters Winter Harbor will pass by my porch of 67 years...

09-12-2006, 04:13 PM	#6
Loony Singer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 109 Thanks: 28 Thanked 16 Times in 11 Posts	He seems to get around.... Very interesting! We live at the end of Moultonboro Neck, and last Saturday saw a very large bird gliding around, swooping down looking for fish, etc., right in front of us. He was big enough that he sat on a dead tree branch which promptly broke under his weight! We didn't have a camera nearby, but studied him through our binocs. He looked just like your guy. We checked our Audubon guide, and decided that he was indeed either an immature bald eagle or a golden. Our guide says that goldens are very rare in the eastern U.S., so we were leaning towards the immature bald. A little later on, we saw two big birds gliding nearby on the thermals. We think it was the same bird, plus a friend. Quite a sight in any case!

09-11-2006, 01:01 PM	#4
Lakebabies Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	I didn't notice the band before you mentioned it, but zooming in on the photo I can see it. I'll have to check the other pictures (we went a little overboard) to see if it is visible.

09-13-2006, 06:38 AM	#7
riverat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alton, NH Posts: 722 Thanks: 337 Thanked 280 Times in 123 Posts	I also saw this beautiful bird, only it was late spring or early summer. It was flying treetop height and was looking for dinner over the Merrymeeting River about a mile south of the Rt. 28 bridge. I got a good look at it from below because it flew right over my head, and after some research the only bird I could match it up to was a Golden Eagle but thought that being kinda far fetched. But now I feel more confident that it was. Cool __________________ Waking up in the morning is the greatest, everything after that is a bonus

09-13-2006, 07:02 AM	#8
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	Golden Eagle info This sure looks like the eagle in the pictures lakebabies took. http://www.centralpets.com/animals/b...s/rpt2973.html It was many years ago, but all three of my kids went on a field trip to the top of some mountain to watch the raptors riding the thermals. They were told the birds they were observing were "Golden Eagles' And we all know that we have the Gilford Golden Eagles SteveA __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

09-13-2006, 09:09 AM	#9
Lakebabies Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	We identified it by using our handy dandy birds of North America book and a little online research. I think it's a Golden Eagle - but the extent of my scientific knowledge is that it looked like the picture in the book and seemed to match the description...HUGE! We were eye level with that bird and it was menacing.

09-13-2006, 12:01 PM	#10
Quilt Lady Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Alton, NH Posts: 169 Thanks: 0 Thanked 25 Times in 11 Posts	Golden Eagles are huge! Last winter there was a thread on the forum about a deer carcass on the ice near the mouth of Small's Cove. It was being visited daily by a pair of full grown Bald Eagles. They were happily enjoying their meals until a beautiful Golden Eagle came along and took possession of the carcass. Seeing the two birds side by side (well, almost) you could see the Golden was much larger, leading me to believe the Golden was a female. (With birds of prey, the female is generally larger.) The Bald Eagles tried to force her off but she took no guff from them and rolled on her back with talons up and ready to defend the carcass. The Bald Eagles backed off and waited until she finished. It was an amazing few days as the carcass disappeared. And some people wonder what we do up here all winter! The ice is full of interesting wildlife adventures! __________________ QL (Doing my best to encourage Global Warming ... one quilt at a time!)