A Bald Eagle Winter

A Bald Eagle fly-by.    2/6/2018    dwm photo

In the six or more trips I've taken to Sauk Prairie to watch the Bald Eagles along the Wisconsin River - I never saw anything like this.

The trip was with a group of residents, the goal to watch Bald Eagles.  We sure did.

For the first forty-five minutes, we saw an immature Bald Eagle take off from a tree on the bluff above our parking spot.

Other than that, we saw around 10 eagles roosting in the branches of large trees at the river's edge.

Bald Eagles in flight.

We changed locations twice, and returned to the first location for another look.

My previous visits included an eagle or two on the wing, usually out of camera range.

Just what happened, or who sounded the alarm at 10:20... I have no idea.

Within a few minutes our group tried to count how many were aloft.  I noticed a game of tag in one tree as one eagle took off when one landed.

Immature Eagle soars off the bluff.
2/6/2018   dwm photo

They swooped to water level, talons out to grab an early lunch.  Others seemed to practice flight maneuvers with tight turns and quick climbs.

On our bus we watched through binoculars or with camera in hand.  Other than admiring comments, it was quiet.

Most of the action was over the river upstream from our location.  While focusing on one, I saw two other eagles flying in from above the dam, it was like they were talking to each other.

Just a couple times one or two ventured our way.  I felt the excitement on the bus as we watched one cruise our way.  Someone said it was coming.  We found it, twenty feet above the water, a little higher than the bus as it confidently, methodically, gracefully eased past.  (Top photo)

It was like the eagle (male and female share the distinctive white head and tail) was providing a photo opportunity.

Count the Bald Eagles in the photo.
Click on the photo to make larger.  (2/6/18  dwm)

Lots of questions come to mind... 'Do the birds schedule a fly-in every winter morning around 10:30?'  I don't know.

You know, it's tempting to stick around next January to see if mid-morning finds these Bald Eagles stretching their wings and grabbing bites to eat.

This bonus trip to see the local snow-birds was beyond expectations revealing majestic beauty in the sky over Sauk Prairie.  The birds will depart soon, hurry to see them before they leave.