ML617808879

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Earlier this week we saw a mature bald eagle flying with two larger birds which were not turkey vultures, they were a group soaring overhead. Sunday, we were viewing birds from the porch for our "stationary" location, A large bird flew down within 15' of the ground just above the feeders. My wife and I were together and I got a good look at the underside and size of the bird. The markings on the underside of the wings were clearly visible. Thy bird exceeded 36" wing span. The bird was about 25' away from me at its closest. When it sensed us, it turned off and flew away in a south-southwesterly direction. You can see from our other photos our house is surrounded by natural grass with some mowed areas, with a few young scattered white pine which serve as resting places for our feeders (small birds). We have northern harriers frequently hunting the open areas around our house, and at initial glance, I thought that is what this was. However, the tail was not long and narrow like the harrier and this bird was substantially larger. There was no sound. The bird flew off slowly increasing in elevation. The local habitat is open areas, large wooded areas, and many water bodies. We have 3 small ponds and one large pond in close proximity to our viewing area. There are frequently red and gray squirrels working under the feeders, as well as the occasional rabbit. Based on my viewing birds over a 50 year time span, and as a Forester working throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin for over 30 years of that time, I believe this was a golden eagle. The following other large birds frequently are seen at our house: Great blue heron, Sand hill crane, Turkey vulture, and Bald eagle, and Northern harrier.

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot ELPH 320 HS

ISO

400

Focal length

18.3 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/16.0

Shutter speed

1/500 sec

Dimensions

1852 pixels x 1389 pixels

Original file size

279.85 KB