An Eagle at the Ponds

Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
Sail over the canyons and up to the stars
And reach for the heavens and hope for the future
And all that we can be and not what we are

~ John Denver and Mike Taylor, The Eagle and the Hawk 

After the wealth of birds observed  yesterday at the ponds, it was pretty easy to talk DH into coming with me for another look.

It had been raining off and on all morning and was a grey, grey mid-day.

When DH drives I am able to look at more of what is happening along Witter. We first spotted an American Kestrel. I think it may be the smallest of raptors. It is so small, you don't really think about it being a bird of prey until it behaves like one. Still, I had a feeling that chubby bird wasn't just an ordinary perch-er. It appeared to be drying it's wings a bit. The mist was still upon us and more rain is expected today.

I saw another large-ish bird in a tree across the way. I was a little disappointed that it was only a crow and a solitary one at that. A few days ago I saw "more than a murder" of crows. There were 40 or 50 swooping from tree to tree and calling out their almost sarcastic "caw-haw-haw."

Then a mockingbird flew quickly by - too fast for a photo.

As we drove along we looked for the herons and egrets who call these ponds theirs. They were not home today.

Then I almost grabbed DH's arm. "Stop!" I called.

A large raptor was in a tree below some of what we call LBBs*

It appeared to be holding it's wings out to dry. I took a look and exclaimed, "I think it's a Bald Eagle."

Now, I have never seen a Bald Eagle in the wild** and I was surprised to see one here.*** So I continued to look at it and take terrible cell photos.

We moved down the road and the eagle moved with us - to another, closer, tree. We stopped for more photos.

Finally a delivery U-Haul (don't ask me - it's Christmas and I suppose they are using anything that moves for last minute deliveries) headed down the road past us and the eagle took flight.

It was a moment.

Here you can see it a little better with the wings held out.

The classic look of a Bald Eagle.

Then it looked at me.

And looked around.

And got ready to take off.

Notes:

*Little Black Birds or Little Brown Birds. These are the birds that move too fast or are too far away for us to identify. There are many in this category. There will continue to be MANY until we start recognizing flight and song better.

**I have seen them in zoos and on some "eagle watch" cameras (most notably in DC with my nephew). DH has seen them in Minnesota with our son and my brother. He has seen them along the Colorado River with folks from work. And I believe he has seen them with one or both of our daughters.

***There was a pair of Crested Caracaras (Mexican Eagles) here earlier in the year. Even those are pretty special to see in this spot.