[Bristol-Birds] Bald Eagles at Boone Lake

From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:31:55 -0400
25 Mar 2011
Boone Lake
Sullivan Co., TN

Two Bald Eagles keeping company!  Apparently no nest.

Following leads, tips and reported sightings, Two weeks 
have be spent searching for breeding Bald Eagles in
Sullivan Co., TN.  The trail has included more than a
hundred miles driving, phone conversations and
easily 20 or more roadside and neighborhood interviews.

So far, this has led to what can easily demonstrate
three isolated areas where eagles are feeding and birds
spending time or nesting.

At 3:45 p.m. today, the Boone Lake birds were found.  
The trail was getting warm, when at 3:15, a fleeting glimpse 
was had of a bird that might be an eagle was seen going
down behind a ridge and out of sight.  It was a silhouette.

Using a GPS to set that very distant location, it directed
the search over a long route and right to the birds.
What a thrill !

Then the find grew perplexing.  One adult Bald Eagle was 
perched in the top of a tree about one-half mile away.  A
careful search for a mate or nest was coming up empty.
The eagle watched intently into the trees over its shoulder.  
An often good sign of a nearby mate.

Soon, another eagle came into view out of the trees.  Of
all things, this one was a second year juvenile !  They
were obviously very focused on one another.  This bird
flew close past the adult and made a strike into the water,
capturing a small fish and taking it back into a tall tree in
the woods.  It held it in its beak for a long period, flew to
another branch and then fed for a half hour.   It then flew
a few hundred yards to another perch and the adult 
watched intently.  Two crows mustered a mild protest.

While there are rare cases of a successfully-mated 
immature eagle, a juvenile is pretty well off the radar in
that regards.  

This is possibly a chance encounter of two eagles
feeding in good habitat (maybe even migrating) and 
tolerance ruled. The adult occupied the same tree and
small area for 90 minutes. It did not seem to have an
interest in feeding or soaring. 

With light conditions growing less optimal, it was over
at 5:10 p.m. after an hour and one-half of watching 
these individuals.  Will follow up later, per chance the
adult attracts a mate and a nest is built.  While other
eagles in the area have young, they are stable pairs
which are probably permanent residents.  Migrant
birds can still be in passage north and southern 
birds can begin nesting for another month or so.

A second adult, probably too far away to likely be 
one of the other known birds venturing out, has
made regular appearance along a likely flight path.

I've seen this bird but have more field work ahead.

Let's go birding . . . .

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
[Bristol-Birds] Bald Eagles at Boone Lake

Other related posts:
