FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Golden Eagles, Pileated Woodpecker - Russell County, VA

[Thomas Hunter <opiehunter@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Friday 2-10 I took some time to bird in Russell
County. I did not start out looking for Golden Eagles
but I certainly found them. I sighted 8 Golden Eagles
in about 4 hours of traveling around the county.
The first was at the end of Loop Road in Corn Valley.
It was an adult and I had a very good but brief view.
The next encounter was on Elk Garden Road near the
Forty Foot Bridge. I saw 3 circling at quite a
distance but 2 of them came closed and perched in a
tree at the opposite end of the field I was watching.
Both were 2nd year birds. I have seen this pair in
that area 3 times in the last 2 weeks. There was a
significant size difference between the two birds. The
next area I birded was the Clifton Farms Church Road.
I saw one eagle at a distance above House and Barn
Mountain. About 1/2 hour later I spotted 3 more near
Kents Ridge. One of these could have been the earlier
sighting on House and Barn. I feel certain that there
were at least 7 individual Golden Eagles.
The Pileated Woodpecker encounter happened yesterday
2-11. It was still snowing but my son's Labrador
Retriever still insisted on her daily walk. We were
walking in the woods behind our house when I saw a
Pileated fly across the path in front of us. I heard
it call a couple of times and when we came around the
next turn in the path I saw it on a snag. I kept
walking closer and closer. The Pileated was intent on
whatever it had found. It would turn it's head first
one way then the other and start attacking the snag. I
was able to get within 5 feet of the snag and the bird
was no more than 15 feet above the ground. It was the
closest I have been able to get to a Pileated for any
length of time. It was an awesome encounter.

Tom Hunter
Russell County Bird Club

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