Eagles
Contributors to this thread:Kansas
From: KsRancher
16-Jan-19
Wondering how many people are seeing bald eagles around. I very rarely see them around where I live (around Pratt) I have seen several this fall/winter. I seen three sitting just off a dirt road eating on a dead coyote. I have never seen more than one at time. So three together was really out of normal
From: keepemsharp
16-Jan-19
Most winters there is quite a few hanging out at Tuttle Creek but this year it seems pretty thin.
From: ruger
16-Jan-19
We see them at Webster all the time !
From: Catscratch
16-Jan-19
We see them around our place often (in the winter). Pretty damn cool when one lands in the tree you're hunting out of!
From: Kansan
16-Jan-19
A lot of them follow the Snow Goose migration pretty closely. They’re thick in NE Kansas whenever Squaw Creek stacks up with birds.
From: Westksbowhunter
16-Jan-19
They follow ducks. Go to any reservoir in Kansas and you will find them. Saw one last week at Cheyenne Bottoms.
From: sitO
16-Jan-19
Lots in SC right now, and yea they follow the Spring migration for sure. Saw an adult and a juvenile at Augusta City Lake last week.
Randy(Trebarker) is getting some great pics on his deer carcus, maybe he'll share some here.
From: Quailhunter
16-Jan-19
Saw one up close picking on roadkill last weekend. Right in the shoulder. My son couldn’t believe it. First time he’s seen one up close. Near Pawhuska, Ok.
From: Ben
16-Jan-19
Saw 2 mature Bald eagles feeding on a duck or goose in a wheat field near Maris de Cynes bottoms a couple weeks ago. Have seen as many as 7 there in a tree at one time.
From: writer
16-Jan-19
Had two matures on the carcass of a doe I shot and quartered last weekend. They were on it in about 4 hours. A juvie was on it the next morning. A buddy has been getting good pics this week in downtown Wichita. Most I’ve seen within the past few years was 25 on the ice at Quivira. Friends counted over 100 out around Cheney a few years ago when there was a huge winterkill on white perch. We had over 130 active nests last summer in Kansas. Not uncommon to see them all times of the year. I’d rather see one golden eagle than a dozen balds.
From: KSflatlander
16-Jan-19
We do a lot of eagle surveys for work. We do stationary counts all year and aerial nest surveys from helicopters in March. Bald eagle population is exploding and we are seeing more and more nests in eastern half of KS, MO, and NE, and most of MO and AR. They usually nest near rivers and lakes but due to nesting habitat competition we are seeing nest pop up in unexpected areas. We are seeing more and more in the western part of KS and OK. We do the surveys to help energy companies with eagle conservation plans and eagle take permits.
Most of the nesting eagles in KS summer in the Great Lakes area and southern Canada based on GPS tracking.
Golden eagle populations are fairly stable in most areas in the US.
From: Thornton
16-Jan-19
They show up in the Flint Hills every December and have for decades. Saw the first migrant in November this year. Many will nest until April/May before migrating back to where ever they came from. Dad and I saw 7 sitting on a carcass in a beanfield in Butler County last winter
From: One Arrow
16-Jan-19
We’ve seen an increase in them over the last few years. I just got one on trail camera this past week for the first time... large male. I’m pretty sure I can see a nest on our property from the road, but haven’t investigated it yet. Can see it well, almost a 1/2 mile away. Near Pittsburg.
Our swans have come back as well... those are some cool birds. Huge.
From: Thornton
17-Jan-19
I watched a nest of eagles hatch near Pittsburgh back in 2007. Huge nest in a sycamore
From: leftee
17-Jan-19
Had 2 matures on a carcass near St Paul last month. Lots all summer on Lake Of The Woods.
From: Trebarker
17-Jan-19
Their wing spans are amazing
Their wing spans are amazing
Was having camera issues last year, not an Eagle but a picture from last year that I really appreciated
Was having camera issues last year, not an Eagle but a picture from last year that I really appreciated
2018 Picture of two eagles feeding
2018 Picture of two eagles feeding
I've set up a camera over my antlerless carcasses shot in January the last two years.
Crows are always the first to show up, but have gotten some really cool pictures of eagles, owls, hawks, possums, coyotes, and even deer that come to check out the remains.
From: jayhawkmarauder
17-Jan-19
See them every year, cant leave ducks outside the blind or they steal them , and I' m not willing to fight one for them.
From: KB
17-Jan-19
“For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.
With all this injustice, he is never in good case but like those among men who live by sharping & robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our country…
“I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”
Ben Franklin
From: Matte
17-Jan-19
Nice one KB.
I see them all the time Along the Arkansas River South of Derby. Writer I did see a Golden Eagle on some rock formations Nw a few miles of Scott Lake. Very cool moment for me.
From: sitO
17-Jan-19
I see a Golden or two almost every year when I'm out chasing Pronghorn around that area Matte, they're about a time & a half bigger. Saw one on the N end of Custer Park trying to take out a fawn a few years ago too...it failed on that attempt but they can do it.
There was a video on the main forum a couple weeks back that showed one sitting on the back of a Pronghorn, eating it alive as it walked along.
From: writer
17-Jan-19
Ray - the big ones are females. Kyle- a friend saw one take a pronghorn fawn. The next week they found an adult doe, dead, from similar wounds. As a falconer friend says “bald eagles are democrats. Golden eagles are republicans.” Randy - we always found redtail a to be the first, and most possessive. We also had pics of barred and great horned owls on carcasses. The eagles usually went for goose carcasses first.
From: sitO
17-Jan-19
sitO's Link
Pretty graphic...but hey it's nature.
From: KB
17-Jan-19
Dad and I were working a King salmon drag near the beach on Baranof Island a few years ago. A Golden had killed a blacktail and was single handedly keeping about 20 baldies off while he ate. Eventually the baldies took over and it was cleaned up in a couple hours. Pretty neat bird. See one or two a year during my stops through NE Finney Co.
From: KSNimrod
17-Jan-19
I've seen more this Fall/Winter around the Salina area than I ever recall before. Several flying overhead while in the treestand and also several on dead deer you could see from the road. One had claimed a roadkill buck as its own and there were probably 25 crows sitting back about 50 yards just waiting for it to leave.
From: ks chas
17-Jan-19
When Glen has ice it is not uncommon to see 100 balds on the ice. I have a pair that has been nesting at the farm the past 4 years. I saw 2 goldens this morning.
From: LTG 11
17-Jan-19
We had a bald eagle swoop down and try to grab a bigfoot goose decoy while hunting in Manitoba 2 years ago. Really cool.
I see them duck hunting, especially late season. But we've seen some at the lake of the ozarks in July recently. Makes me think a few are hanging around all year.
From: Trebarker
17-Jan-19
Sorry Benny, the turkey to me is as bad as the left side of the aisle, gobble gobble, crapping on those roosted below them, clumsy and useless other than making babies and noise.
Mike, the first picture after setting the scene was a single crow. Within minutes, all his buddies showed up. The hawks are driven off by small birds. Owls tend to always face away from the camera. Am going to change the memory card tonight before the new snow arrives tomorrow. Haven't been home to watch what was going on down there.
From: Bodyman
17-Jan-19
There is a pair that show up so of sedan every year love to watch them. Myself and my fishing buddy watched them diving for fish in the arkansas river all day one year very cool birds
From: One Arrow
17-Jan-19
Learn something everyday. I always figured the big ones to be the males. That’s what I get for assuming.
From: One Arrow
17-Jan-19
Learn something everyday. I always figured the big ones to be the males. That’s what I get for assuming.
From: writer
18-Jan-19
That’s a reason males are more likely to starve. Females take food away from them. Mortality rates are pretty high the first year for eagles. Not so after that. Kansas first recorded nesting pair was at Clinton in 1989. That male is still breeding, and he had to be at least five the first time. Both chicks from the first year are also nesting in northeast Kansas.
From: sitO
18-Jan-19
Got one sitting above its nest over here by Argonia this morning.
From: MDW
19-Jan-19
Had one setting in a tree across from my driveway a few days back. Fantastic looking bird!
From: One Arrow
19-Jan-19
Not my image, sent by a friend, but too cool not to share. Taken within the past month.
From: writer
19-Jan-19
Don’t understand the excitement about bald eagles any more. They’re so common. But, I have birds I really like many of you wouldn’t get, or have never seen. Glad so many enjoy non-game wildlife.
From: Thornton
20-Jan-19
Speaking of, I saw 3 pilated woodpeckers 2 weeks ago as I waited on ducks in a flooded beanfield in Fall River WA. So much for me thinking they were rare.
From: One Arrow
20-Jan-19
I still get that ‘Merica feeling whenever I see a bald eagle. Their body size is amazing... love the way they move in the sky.
Swans are pretty dang cool as well.
From: Thornton
21-Jan-19
There were half a dozen fishing on the edges of the ice this morning on the east side of old Bluestem at Eldorado. With that many around, any crippled waterfowl won't last long
From: writer
21-Jan-19
Jason- pileateds made a big push west after the drought killed a lot of trees. One - you get that ‘Merica feeling when. You see a bald eagle ripping into a road-killed armadillo? (They love them, and winter-killed gizzard shad)
From: writer
21-Jan-19
Friends granddaughter photographing one in downtown Wichita this morning.
From: One Arrow
21-Jan-19
Yes I do, hate those things.
If we’d built that dang wall years ago those rodents wouldn’t have crossed the border;)
From: Thornton
21-Jan-19
I saw another Pialated behind the dam at Eldorado this afternoon. I figured the eagles were catching something. About 15 years ago, I saw one hit the water like an osprey on a watershed up in the Flint Hills by Cassoday. The sun was behind him and the spray was awesome.
From: writer
22-Jan-19
Jason- there are at least three nesting pairs of pileateds south of the dam, several woodchuck dens, too.
From: Thornton
23-Jan-19
Interesting. The only woodchuck I've ever seen lived on a few acres one of my mowing customers have on the east side of town not too far from the dam. It lived there for years.
From: writer
23-Jan-19
See these fairly often, especially around food plots with clover.
From: Bodyman
23-Jan-19
are woodchucks the same as a groundhog
From: t-roy
23-Jan-19
Yep. Same as a whistle pig, or a land beaver too.
From: Bodyman
24-Jan-19
had one in my back yard one day had no idea what it was, first one i had ever seen
From: Wapitidung
25-Jan-19
I agree. Good One KB. After reading your post, I found Ben Franklin's thoughts on the Bald Eagle on the internet and bookmarked it.
From: N2BUX
25-Jan-19
Saw one today south of Anthony. It was sitting in a wheat field that was being used by a couple thousand ducks.
From: sitO
19-Feb-19
Pretty sure this is a Golden? I set a camera on a bunch of goose and duck carcasses near Augusta city lake, several hawks and then this'n.
From: writer
19-Feb-19
Hard to tell because of quality. Doubtful, but Jake saw one south of El Dorado last week...I’ve learned to not doubt his bird ID.
From: cherney12
19-Feb-19
DOUBTFUL!!!
From: sitO
19-Feb-19
You guys think it's a hawk?
From: Bodyman
20-Feb-19
the only golden i ever saw was in ks and had been shot, that one bird looks way to big to be a hawk
From: Kansan
20-Feb-19
We’ve seen a few on our snow goose hunting trips up to Saskatchewan. They’re huge! The one in your picture looks like one to me, but I’m not certain.
From: Genesis
24-Feb-19
Great thread,saw a huge “Andre the Hawk’” this year duck hunting in KS this year.My sons didn’t see it but I coulda swore it was my first Golden Eagle. I just didn’t realize they were in KS.
From: sitO
06-Mar-19
Picked up the camera today and had some more visitors to the final carcass pile(dates are wrong). Still think that's a Golden that visited earlier, look at the size difference between him and these "Baldy's"
From: Deerplotter
06-Mar-19
Interesting Eagle story. End of March one year I dropped several beaver carcass in my field 100 yds from my Osprey nest. Had a dozen or so Eagles on the carcass pile and got some great game cam photos. The carcass were cleared by mid April when the Osprey returned to their nest. The young were born late spring and all seemed fine. Unfortunately the eagles I had attracted to the area never went far. They killed the young ones and the female in the nest. Was an awful thing. Heard the Male going crazy. He sat in a tree near the nest for almost a week waiting. Eventually left. Felt terrible about creating that scenario. Never even crossed my mind. Those Eagles are aggressive killers.
From: Shawn
17-Mar-19
See if this worked! Shawn
From: Shawn
17-Mar-19
Another!
From: Shawn
17-Mar-19
I know they are not in Kansas but pretty cool. I see over 40 or 50 different eagles each year. We have a few large lakes and the Hudson river near me, plus the catskill mountain watershed, basically a series of reservoirs that supply NYC with water and there are tons of eagles around.
From: Shawn
17-Mar-19
The above two are hawks I believe! This one is pretty cool!! Shawn
From: Shawn
17-Mar-19
From: Shawn
17-Mar-19
Sorry have others but cant seem to pick them out!!
From: cherney12
17-Mar-19
Really cool, Shawn!
From: One Arrow
17-Mar-19
Cool photos! Had a friend find one dead this past weekend... he reported it to KDWPT and they took the body for an autopsy.
From: cherney12
04-Jan-20
Yep
From: Kansan
04-Jan-20
I’ve been seeing eagles all over the place as of late.
