An eagle came to visit

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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

This morning there was a large Bald eagle in my pasture, I took a few pictures but had to use digital zoom so the pics were not good quality. I believe this is a female.

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~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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DornCounty
Posts: 2169
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
Location: Rural SE Kansas
Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi

always a great treat to see a bald eagle.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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Hugh Criswell
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:30 am
Location: MILLEDGEVILLE GA

The eagle pictures are awesome..i have only seen an eagle once in Georia
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Hugh Criswell
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:30 am
Location: MILLEDGEVILLE GA

I meant to say in Georiga
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Don~VA
Posts: 391
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:01 am
Location: Virginia/King George
Martin Colony History: Had a colony many years ago which dwindled over a couple of years and then did not return. Kept trying each year for almost 20 years and finally had a small success in 2011 with two pairs nesting. Colony has grown slowly each year with 22 pairs in 2015. In 2016 my gourd rack of 18 gourds filled up so I added 4 more gourds and then put up a small rack of 6 gourds. All of those were claimed within a few days so I believe I have at least 25 pairs this year.

Beautiful photos Ray, especially that first one!
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
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Connie
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:05 pm
Location: WALKER, LOUISIANA
Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied.
Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.

Beautiful! As always, so cool to see an eagle. Thanks for sharing.
Connie
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JL Murray

Now thats cool to see.
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Emil Pampell-Tx
Posts: 6743
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas

Beautiful photo! I have never seen a live eagle yet, but there are some in the vicinity. My neighbor saw one at our trees twice, but I missed that.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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AnnieM
Posts: 183
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:57 pm
Location: Spring Branch/Canyon Lake ~ Mystic Shores, Comal County, TX
Martin Colony History: 2012 - 4 pair
2013 - 11 pair
2014 - 12 pair
2015 - 14 pair
2016 - Arrival Feb 28 - 17 pair
2017 - Full house for first time. 24 gourds all occupied. :-)

Beeeutiful, Ray! I understand about the zoom. Hard to hold camera still without tripod. Such a majestic bird!
PMCA Member
2012 - 4 pair
2013 - 11 pair
2014 - 12 pair
2015 - 14 pair
2016 - Arrival Feb 29/17 pair
2017 - Full house first time-24 gourds all occupied :)
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Doug Martin - PA
Posts: 1988
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.

Ray,

About the only thing missing in the photo are dive bombing Martins. If he makes the same visit a few months from now that may be the case.

Great photo!!!
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Don
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:14 am
Location: MN/Park Rapids

I have eagles show up everyday during the nesting season. Frequently they use the tree shown to eat their catch of the day. This roost is almost directly above the martin colony. The martins ignore the eagle even when it cruises along the lake shore and flies just above the colony.

When the great blue heron flies by all hell breaks loose in the martin colony.
Attachments
Eagle resting above martin colony.
Eagle resting above martin colony.
Eagle.jpg (99.16 KiB) Viewed 6834 times
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Tim Mangan-Kansas
Posts: 1728
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:25 am
Location: Kansas, Pittsburg
Martin Colony History: 2016 - 22 Pair

At my previous colony on Lake Hamilton here in Hot Springs, I often had a bald eagle fly around my colony. Here is a picture of an eagle flying towards my colony and you can see my martins did not bolt to the air. Somehow they know what is a predator and what is not.

Tim

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Licensed Bander
2015 - 14 Pair - fledged 68
2014 - Moved to Kansas - 7 Pair, 35 eggs, 28 fledged in first year
2010 Thru 2013 - Moved-Tried to start new colony
2009 - 46 pair, 217 eggs, 178 fledged
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Doug Martin - PA
Posts: 1988
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.

That is interesting that the Martins are OK with a bald eagle. I think eagles actually will kill other birds of prey.

I saw a video on youtube where a hawk killed a canadian goose., It was stated that the hawk was eventually killed by an eagle. Maybe they are actually good to have around a colony.

I too have seen them chase a Blue Heron. I didn't realize they were so picky who they chased. I have seen them chase and harrass larger hawks. I figured they would see an eagle in the same light.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. We have a few Bald Eagles close by but never saw one actually near my site.

Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Ladybug
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:09 pm
Location: Indiana/ Jamestown
Martin Colony History: 2005-2019. Lots lookers, 2 successful nesting's.
2010-1 pair nested, 4 eggs destroyed(Wren).
2012- 1 pair nested, 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2019- 1 pair nested, 4 eggs, 4 fledged.
2021- 10 pair, 40 babies fledged.
2022- 17 pair, 10 eggs not hatched= appxy. 57 fledged.

RAY G. -- Those are very COOL EAGLE photos.
I really like them. THANKS. Joanne[/b]
Joanne
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Siberman
Posts: 262
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:03 pm
Location: Titus County , TX

Excellent pics . I saw my first wild eagles last year while fishing area lakes. Nothing this year but I'm still hoping.
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diane davis-ms
Posts: 131
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:29 am
Location: Baxterville, ms
Martin Colony History: Last colony I had was in 2015.

I agree, beautiful photo and thanks for sharing
we have a few bald eagles here on pearl river nesting and it surely ls
a treat to see them now and then. I try to remember to bring my camera when
I go to the river to maby get a good photo of them. But haven't managed to do it yet. When I do see them my camera is at home. That's when I could get a good photo.
purple martin addict!
pmca member.
2015 sy's males here hoping for new colony!
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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

Glad you all like the eagle pics, here is another one... a little different, busy eating.
Sad to hear about the 4 eagles that were shot at Washington Lake.
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~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Susanne_Austin
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:39 pm

Your eagle photo made my day. Thanks for sharing!
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