Jonny Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 I posted one thread complaining about the cormorants on Nipissing. I figured I should post another more positive one. Last summer my wife and I were trolling the Goose Islands on Lake Nipissing and when we came around a point, we saw a large bird perched on a granite boulder. We reeled in and I let the boat drift toward shore. Now the bird didn't let us get as close as it looks - the picture is taken with a digital camera with a 12X optical zoom - but we got within about 40 or 50 yards of it before it lifted. A friend had told me that he had seen a golden eagle around occasionally, but this was the first we saw of it, and what a good look we had. That's one BIG bird. Has anyone else seen one around? I take it there aren't too many of them in Ontario. The only other time I've seen them is way, way up above the peaks when I was fishing the Kananaskis for cutthroat.
JohnF Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 I posted one thread complaining about the cormorants on Nipissing. I figured I should post another more positive one. Last summer my wife and I were trolling the Goose Islands on Lake Nipissing and when we came around a point, we saw a large bird perched on a granite boulder. We reeled in and I let the boat drift toward shore. Now the bird didn't let us get as close as it looks - the picture is taken with a digital camera with a 12X optical zoom - but we got within about 40 or 50 yards of it before it lifted. A friend had told me that he had seen a golden eagle around occasionally, but this was the first we saw of it, and what a good look we had. That's one BIG bird. Has anyone else seen one around? I take it there aren't too many of them in Ontario. The only other time I've seen them is way, way up above the peaks when I was fishing the Kananaskis for cutthroat. I hadn't realized they came this far north. For some reason I thought they were more inclined to warmer climes. Mebbe I just watched too much Tarzan as a kid. JF
Terry Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 shouldn't a golden eagle be..well golden......LOL
Guest gbfisher Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 Ive seen two in the passed 5 years. A lot more Bald Eagles around as well. Cormorants, pelicans, eagles,,,there gonna eat up all our fish eh?!?!....
highdrifter Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 Yup, seen them on the Montreal River.. Great shot! I still remember seeing it lif and following it for a bit. What an awesome bird of prey!! I betcha cormorants would give that one a wide birth.. Something to ponder.. If decoys were set up in the midst of a colony of nesting birds. Have some recordings of eagle cries and play them continuously at 20 minute intervals, at 150 decibels.. That would send those beasties packing!! Meanwhile, clutches go cold, chicks go hungry. Play this at the height of the breeding season until it's too late to lay another clutch, problem solved. cheers HD
fishinfool Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 This site was posted on here I think a while back, it's amazing how fast they grow up. It's a live Eagle's nest cam. http://www.hancockwildlifechannel.org/stat...090302200021473
siwash Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 Ive seen two in the passed 5 years. A lot more Bald Eagles around as well. Cormorants, pelicans, eagles,,,there gonna eat up all our fish eh?!?!.... Remember my friend, we're not the only "predators" on this planet! I'd welcome an increase in eagles any day... Anyone who truly enjoys the outdoors would... it'd be a boring world if all we did was fish!! Stop and smell the roses!
siwash Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 BTW, you were VERY lucky to see that... and get a pic Golden eagles are VERY rare
Guest gbfisher Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 I was kidding about the eating all the fish part,,,,, Just had to add some drama to the big bird post......
Jonny Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Posted June 10, 2009 Thanks for the replies... So there are a few around. This one, if it's the same one every time, or part of a pair, apparently has been around for a few years now. It would be awesome to spot a nest site. Here are a couple more shots, one wider angle and one of the eagle having taken off...
Billy Bob Posted June 10, 2009 Report Posted June 10, 2009 NICE pictures, thanks for sharing...... Bob
tbayboy Posted June 10, 2009 Report Posted June 10, 2009 It could also be an immature bald eagle. I was with a biologist fishing up near Thunder Bay when I pointed out a golden eagle only to be told that it was an immature bald. They look very similar but the balds are more common. Of course that was NW ontario so it might be different down here. I did find this with a quick google which might help: Wikipedia Bald Eagle Article "The plumage of the immature is brown, speckled with white until the fifth (rarely fourth, very rarely third) year, when it reaches sexual maturity.[2][5] Immature Bald Eagles are distinguishable from the Golden Eagle in that the former has a more protruding head with a larger bill, straighter edged wings which are held flat (not slightly raised) and with a stiffer wing beat, and feathers which do not completely cover the legs.[7] Also, the immature Bald Eagle has more light feathers in the upper arm area, especially around the very top of the arm." Hmm, looking at their pic I think your right but I'm no bird expert:
Jonny Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Posted June 10, 2009 You're right, TBayBoy, there's not much to choose between them. I'm going to try to look up some more reference pictures.
Cudz Posted June 11, 2009 Report Posted June 11, 2009 Your bird looks like an adult. I am going to say Golden Eagle but I not an ornithologist either.
Jonny Posted July 10, 2009 Author Report Posted July 10, 2009 I just saw an eagle cruising by our shore (Nipissing) yesterday and got a good look through my binoculars. I think it was a golden eagle, based on its all-brown appearance. I know that the juvenile bald eagle is all-brown, but we never see any adult bald eagles here, though we do see all-brown eagles every summer, so I'm tending to think that it's goldens that we're always spotting.
Raf Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 there's a few pairs of balds on the other side of the lake from you jocko, down in the french r. valley. nice to see more and more of them. good pics.
Jonny Posted July 10, 2009 Author Report Posted July 10, 2009 there's a few pairs of balds on the other side of the lake from you jocko, down in the french r. valley. nice to see more and more of them. good pics. I know we're within their range, Raf, but we've never seen one up here on the north shore, definitively anyway, with the white head. Still, whenever we see an all-brown eagle, we're not 100% sure it's not a juvenile bald. Whatever they are, they're impressive birds! Way bigger than any other birds we see except the turkey vultures that like to ride the updrafts on the north shore (Beaucage) near the Nipissing Lookout on Hwy 17.
fish_finder Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 Very cool man! Always nice to see endangered species surviving! Thanks for sharing!
outdoorguy61 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 I have seen a considerable amount of bald eagles, and was actually within about 5 paces of some on Canada Day, in Prince Rupert BC by a fish cleaning station. The most I have seen is roughly 200 within a 3km area on the Harrision River east of Vancouver in late fall (chum salmon), but have heard of more significant concentrations near Squamish. I have also been to Kannanaskis country many times, and although being aware it is a flyway for Golden eagles, am unsure if I have ever seen any. That said, I plan on going to a place called Boston Bar, up the Fraser R. in August to hopefully get a confirmed golden eagle siting. In the Bay of Quinte area back home in Ontario, I have heard of bald eagles, but have not seen any myself. Supposedly somewhere in the eastern part of Hay Bay, around the 1000 Island bridge in Gananoque (regular winter location I understand) and near Bon Echo. Alas, I am still waiting to see this back home. outdoorguy61
I'mHooked Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 The Burlington Bay area has a number of Bald Eagles. LaSalle Park in Burlington has at least 1 nesting pair, and we've seen at least 2 juvenile birds as well. In the hard water season from shore you can see an adult sitting out in the middle of the bay at the edge of the ice at the open water watching for food swimming by. Best seen through binoculars, quite distinctive white head and huge curved beak. Seagulls always dive bombing at it. It's quite impressive to be in your yard and watch these impressive creatures gliding overhead. Who'd have thunk it within site of the steel mills!
cambo Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 When i was a kid growing up on Manitoulin I never saw bald eagles now I see them quite a lot, nice to watch them while fishing
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