The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Eagles Are Quite A Sight

by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

12 October 2005

Tuesday morning, I noticed two large birds swooping down around my front yard and then landing in some dead branches of a tree along my drive. I hurried to the window to see what they were and found about five Eagles were perched at the top of the tree.

I found my camera and went outside, hoping not to disturb them while capturing a picture.

Some grain trucks drove by and one Eagle spread his wings and gracefully flew around our huge oak tree before resting in another dead Elm tree at the edge of our property. I was surprised to see about ten to twelve Eagles perched in our trees altogether, and was fascinated by these huge stately symbols of our country.

I am sharing a couple of the pictures I captured although they would be more impressive enlarged or when you can witness them for yourself

In reading up on Bald Eagles, I found that Bald eagles tend to migrate in groups. A "stream" of migrating bald eagles can be twenty to thirty miles long, with birds spread out about a half mile apart.

Not all eagles migrate, but those that do, ride columns of rising air called thermals and can average speeds of 30 mph. Effortlessly, an eagle can circle in a strong thermal to a high altitude, then glide long distances in the direction of its migration until it finds the next column of rising air.

I found that generally, the eagles follow seasonal food supplies. As lakes and streams freeze over, bald eagles must go south to find open fresh water or head to the coast or they go to lock and dams where there is open water.

It was interesting to read about their excellent eyesight. Their sight is four times that of a human with perfect eye sight and they can see forward and at the side at the same time. According to the American Bald Eagle web site, The eagle can probably identify a rabbit moving almost a mile away. That means that an eagle flying at an altitude of 1000 feet over open country could spot prey over an area of almost 3 square miles from a fixed position. Bald eagles are capable of seeing fish in the water from several hundred feet above, while soaring, gliding, or in flapping flight, and are protected by the government. It is illegal to even have a feather of an Eagle, the site said.