Hi Erb, et al.

Over the last 8 years, I've had definitive looks at Golden Eagle in Vermont a couple other times besides yesterday. It's always been amidst a migration window (twice in early November; once in late March/early April). I've had 2-3 other sightings of eagles that I'd bet were GE, but that I could not confirm 100% - one just last week! 

While I assume it's uncommon, it doesn't surprise me that some GEs migrate through the area. Probably more of them move through than we think. I know there are breeding pairs in NY and MA. Here in VT, any large, dark eagle migrating overhead we know is much more likely to be a Baldie. If it is an adult GE, without perfect lighting on it or extended looks from a trained eye, it is hard to nail down anything 100% diagnostic that says otherwise. Silhouetted immature GEs are just as difficult - it's just a big, dark eagle. I'm sure that some GEs are dismissed as Baldies.

So, while it's probably just good fortune that we were out looking at the times that Golden Eagles were flying over head (and giving it up good), you never know - perhaps one has decided hang around for the winter... ;)

-Rick







 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vermont Birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Evergreen
Erb
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 11:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] golden eagle, red taileds


Dear Rick and others,

I live not far from Brigham Hill in Essex, as the crow flies, and I  
also saw a Golden Eagle here at my home in Jericho, along the Brown's  
River.  We are quite close to the Essex line.  I saw it in early  
September (around the sixth maybe), and it was witnessed by several  
other people at my house who have at least some familiarity with  
birds. I believe I wrote about it to this list, but embarassingly,  
haven't put it on Ebird yet.   It's interesting that there would be  
three sightings in such a small area in a few months.  Evergreen in  
Jericho