Link to article....Bald eagle officially declared US national bird after 250 years The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the US, after President Joe Biden signed a law on Christmas Eve bestowing the honour upon the white-headed and yellow-beaked bird of prey. The bird has been a national emblem in the US for years, appearing on the Great Seal of the US - used on US documents - since 1782. But it had not been officially designated to be the national bird until Congress passed the bill last week, sending it to Biden's desk to be signed. "For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn't," said Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, in a statement. "But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving."
Awesome bird, We saw our very 1st eagle in the wild a few summers ago while visiting my brother along the coast of Maine.
Oh wow, I wasn't aware that it was not the "official" bird. Never seen one in the wild until within the last 5-6 years they have moved in locally...we have a nest about a mile down the road, and another on the other side of town, probably 4 miles...I'm sure there are more too, these are just the ones I know about.
They will still land in trees in my yard; one tree specifically and sometimes a few others. Sadly, the main tree that they use is dying and loosing it's large limbs near the top. Winter months-we won't see any until spring when nesting begins. Even at the beginning of this month (dec) you could spot one or two out on the partially formed ice snacking on their "catch of the day". But once the lake freezes over completely, about the only place you'll see them is on a road kill deer. Scavenging is not too fitting for a national emblem but they didn't ask for that position!
We see them quite often here. Many times they are eating on a dead deer or possum in the road....they're like a white headed buzzard around here.
In our part of the country, the bald eagle is everywhere. when the fish are coming back to the rivers to spawn, they are all lined up in trees along the rivers edge. Unfortunately they are scavengers as well so the trees along the regional dump has them roosting there as well.
I remember seeing one for the first time up in Alaska back in 95’. I was just a kid then But I’ve since spotted a few here in Connecticut. Several riding the updrafts above the hills lining the CT river, looking for fish. I’ve even seen one in my town a few years ago, actually hearing it before my eyes caught it. Agreed, I thought it was already our official national bird.
They move in around here about October or so & the buzzards move out. Most usually leave around April/May but there are a few that stay around. It was around 25 years ago that they started making appearances here.
campinspecter's oldest brother did a lot of fishing out in the islands. There was a bald eagle that roosted in the same tree year after year. His brother would always have a small greenling or rock cod ready when he went by the tree and throw it out for the eagle. It would come down and pluck the fish out of the water. Quite a few of the local fishermen do it too. Our daughter and her husband took pictures of a swimming eagle on one of their kayak trips. Eagles can swim pretty good in the ocean.
Blurry phone picture but I was about 80 yards from this guy just sitting g on one of the poles in our pasture. We get a bunch of them as the road crew department drops car killed deer out in the field for mom to watch.
I was leaving the girlfriend’s house this morning. I saw this big bird circling and diving behind some houses…. Then it came out over top the of the roof peak. That’s when I realized what it was. This was the picture I got it when it got into the tree tops… (center of picture)
We had one do a low flyover yesterday morning. Must be some ice fishing scraps on the ice. Woodwidow ........ https://youtube.com/shorts/-1VkHzkRnIU?si=3Qf9IF9GcooOm4VM
Lake Ogallala on the Platte river is a congregation spot for bald eagles in the winter. So much so that the Nebraska game and parks commission, and probably a few other agencies built a “viewing center” Last time I was there I think there was 25-30 readily visible. Lake McConaughey and lake Ogallala are separated by a damm with a hydro plant. The birds gather to feed on fish that wash up on the ice.
