On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 22:52:26 +0000, Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:

I was out with the dogs when an American Bald Eagle floated around the
house. I ran in to get the camera but he had gained a ton of altitude and
I couldn't get a good shot.

It was exciting anyway. I think I have two nesting pairs in my woods
around my pond - I know I have one. The picture of the one I posted was a
huge male - when he passed over the house before I ran in to grab the
camera and I think it's a new one.

For the past several weeks, I have been watching several Bald Eagles fish
a local lake. You are right, they are quite exciting. They are also
making quite a comeback. In this state, New Jersey, we've gone from
having one nesting pair a few short years ago, to over fifty nesting pair.

http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/edweb/baldeagle.htm

It seems the Delaware River is an important wintering ground, as is the
Connecticut River. The bird is making such a comeback there is talk of
taking it off the endangered species list, if it hasn't already been done.

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 18:28:04 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 22:52:26 +0000, Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:

I was out with the dogs when an American Bald Eagle floated around the
house. I ran in to get the camera but he had gained a ton of altitude
and
I couldn't get a good shot.

It was exciting anyway. I think I have two nesting pairs in my woods
around my pond - I know I have one. The picture of the one I posted was
a
huge male - when he passed over the house before I ran in to grab the
camera and I think it's a new one.

For the past several weeks, I have been watching several Bald Eagles fish
a local lake. You are right, they are quite exciting. They are also
making quite a comeback. In this state, New Jersey, we've gone from
having one nesting pair a few short years ago, to over fifty nesting pair.

http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/edweb/baldeagle.htm

It seems the Delaware River is an important wintering ground, as is the
Connecticut River. The bird is making such a comeback there is talk of
taking it off the endangered species list, if it hasn't already been done.

Twelve years ago, there were none in CT, then one pair appeared in
Lyme along the Connecticut River. It was about three years later when
was walking through my woods when I spotted a huge nest in crock of a
big hemlock tree - wondered what the hell it was, so I called DEP and
they said not to enter the woods until they sent out an observer.

Gal comes out - spent a day and a night - bingo - I got me a nesting
pair of American eagles. I received some instructions about what not
to do and what to do and when she left, she said - Oh, and you have a
pair of peregrine falcons and a pair of red tail hawks and I think a
Barred Owl.

I've been told that in the CT valley, there are 12 pair of nesters,
about 10 transients and in the state as a whole about the same as NJ.

Not bad for twelve years.

Another resurgence is wild turkey. I've got a rafter of at least 30
turkeys wandering around the area and while I've been told I
misidentified a dog (highly unlikely), I know there is a pair of
bobcats in the area and a few bears.

Kewl.


I am going to have to give you my Davy Crocket hat.

Nice catch with the pic, BTW.

RCE

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 18:28:04 -0500, thunder
wrote:

For the past several weeks, I have been watching several Bald Eagles fish
a local lake. You are right, they are quite exciting. They are also
making quite a comeback. In this state, New Jersey, we've gone from
having one nesting pair a few short years ago, to over fifty nesting pair.

They are apparently making a spectaular comeback. We have seen four
adults so far this year and one adolescent, here in south Florida. In
my entire life we had seen two previously in the wild, one on the
Connecticut River near Essex, and one off the coast of Monhegan
Island, Maine.

We have a LOT of Osprey around here, almost dime a dozen. From a
distance it's fairly easy to confuse the two but once you spot the
yellow beak and all white head, you know you've got an eage.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 18:28:04 -0500, thunder
wrote:

For the past several weeks, I have been watching several Bald Eagles
fish
a local lake. You are right, they are quite exciting. They are also
making quite a comeback. In this state, New Jersey, we've gone from
having one nesting pair a few short years ago, to over fifty nesting
pair.

They are apparently making a spectaular comeback. We have seen four
adults so far this year and one adolescent, here in south Florida. In
my entire life we had seen two previously in the wild, one on the
Connecticut River near Essex, and one off the coast of Monhegan
Island, Maine.

Also, the wing profile of an osprey is more W shaped with the wingtips
swept back a little. Eagles are straight across.
We have a LOT of Osprey around here, almost dime a dozen. From a
distance it's fairly easy to confuse the two but once you spot the
yellow beak and all white head, you know you've got an eage.

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 20:08:30 -0500, Wayne.B wrote:


They are apparently making a spectaular comeback. We have seen four
adults so far this year and one adolescent, here in south Florida. In my
entire life we had seen two previously in the wild, one on the Connecticut
River near Essex, and one off the coast of Monhegan Island, Maine.

We have a LOT of Osprey around here, almost dime a dozen. From a distance
it's fairly easy to confuse the two but once you spot the yellow beak and
all white head, you know you've got an eage.

There is something special about seeing a Bald Eagle, but Osprey ain't to
shabby either. I used to enjoy watching them dive on mullet. I've also
seen them with fish that I was sure they would never get airborne. So
far, I've seen these eagles with fish, but didn't actually see them catch
them. Hopefully, they will stick around, but I tend to think they are
heading north.

When in Florida, I've also enjoyed watching pelicans fish. A very silly
looking bird, but wonderfully adapted for it's tasks.

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 23:47:04 +0000, Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:



Gal comes out - spent a day and a night - bingo - I got me a nesting pair
of American eagles. I received some instructions about what not to do and
what to do and when she left, she said - Oh, and you have a pair of
peregrine falcons and a pair of red tail hawks and I think a Barred Owl.

I've been told that in the CT valley, there are 12 pair of nesters, about
10 transients and in the state as a whole about the same as NJ.

Not bad for twelve years.

They must be doing something right. There are a lot more people
hereabouts, but also a lot more wildlife.



Another resurgence is wild turkey. I've got a rafter of at least 30
turkeys wandering around the area and while I've been told I misidentified
a dog (highly unlikely), I know there is a pair of bobcats in the area and
a few bears.

I haven't seen a bobcat around here, but I sure did hear one. The sound
damn near gave me nightmares.

On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 11:30:46 +0000, Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:


Scary ain't it? One of these days when I'm feeling better I'm giong to
walk the three hundred acres of woods around here and fine their spoor.
I have one of those deer IR cameras - if I can find the trace spoor,
I'll set up the camera.

I've heard that bobcat have a rather large range, and can travel large
distances with ease. A few years back, NJ released a radio collared
bobcat. Well, it headed north, and, IIRC, on a least one day, covered
over 50 miles. Hopefully you'll get lucky with that camera.

On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 06:39:38 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

You haven't lived until you've
been awakened at 3 am by a 35-pound bobcat sitting on your chest while
he howls at the moon, a passing cloud, a snowflake, a dust mote, et cetera.

Pictures??

On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 07:57:22 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Pictures??

Yeah, we're working on getting Bob a three-picture deal.

Excellent, I'm sure he will be Oscar material.

Technical question: Do bob cats purr ?

thunder wrote:
On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 20:08:30 -0500, Wayne.B wrote:



They are apparently making a spectaular comeback. We have seen four
adults so far this year and one adolescent, here in south Florida. In my
entire life we had seen two previously in the wild, one on the Connecticut
River near Essex, and one off the coast of Monhegan Island, Maine.

We have a LOT of Osprey around here, almost dime a dozen. From a distance
it's fairly easy to confuse the two but once you spot the yellow beak and
all white head, you know you've got an eage.


There is something special about seeing a Bald Eagle, but Osprey ain't to
shabby either. I used to enjoy watching them dive on mullet. I've also
seen them with fish that I was sure they would never get airborne. So
far, I've seen these eagles with fish, but didn't actually see them catch
them. Hopefully, they will stick around, but I tend to think they are
heading north.

When in Florida, I've also enjoyed watching pelicans fish. A very silly
looking bird, but wonderfully adapted for it's tasks.

A long time ago some friends and I were fishing at Lake Taneycomo near
Branson Mo and we watched a Eagle in the top of a very tall tree. We
were not doing much good and were cold as heck as it was winter. Then
the eagle took flight and made a beeline toward the lake about 50 yards
or so from us. It stopped just as the lake surface and plucked out a
nice big trout. Then went back to its tree and ate it. Sometimes I think
it was just mocking us :-)

But it was very cool to watch.

Capt Jack R..