[TN-Bird] Bald Eagle in Gibson Co.

Sept. 27, 2004
Mt. Orange (just outside Trenton), Gibson County
Yesterday afternoon at approximately 5 pm as I was driving home from work 
(about 1/4 mile from my house), I spotted a large bird flying from the 
southeast towards me.  I slowed down to look and from a distance with the 
slow wingbeats I thought the bird might be a Great Blue Heron.  Within a 
couple of seconds I could see that it wasn't a heron but was rather a 
raptor of some kind so my first thought was a Turkey Vulture based on the 
long wingspan and dark color..  As the bird turned parallel to me I 
immediately noticed the large head and beak and knew that the bird was an 
immature Bald Eagle.  I was thrown for a loop for a second though because 
as I continued to slow down observing the bird I heard the distinctive 
call of a Red-tailed Hawk.  There were no other birds visible in the sky 
but as I continued to observe the bird I heard again, but louder this 
time, the call of a Red-tailed Hawk.  As the eagle passed over a group of 
oak trees in a cow pasture I saw a Red-tailed Hawk perched in the top of a 
dead oak looking up at the eagle as it passed over and was calling at it 
repeatedly.  Weird seeing the eagle but hearing a Red-tailed Hawk.  Kinda 
like watching TV or a movie where they show the eagle but play a sound 
byte from a hawk. 

The eagle slowed and made a couple of turns over the tree where the hawk 
was perched and I was within 200 yards of my driveway so I sped up and 
turned into the driveway.  I jumped out, grabbed my binoculars from the 
back, and looked up just as the bird was casually passing overhead.  First 
year Bald Eagle for a yard bird - not bad!  I then saw my wife out in the 
yard and so I raced down the driveway pointing out the window at the bird. 
 I handed her the binoculars and she was able to get a view of the bird 
for several seconds before it disappeared behind some trees.

You never know what might be flying over so it pays to keep one eye to the 
sky (and the other on the road)!  ;-)

Good birding,

Mark Greene
Trenton, TN

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