Bald Eagles

The bald eagle is a fascinating bird. An eighty inch wing span is mind blowing.

The decline of the bald eagle occurring in the late 40’s early 50’s was due to DDT and Dieldrin. These pesticides interfered with egg development by creating super thin shells. A high concentration in the bird could and did prove fatal.

The numbers have changed from a low of less than 3,000 to over 7,000 nesting adults. Nebraska has both the golden eagle (western part of the state, I think year round) and bald eagles in the winter time. The bald eagles hang around the hydro electric plants because the turbulent water below the dams do not freeze and fish are available. They fly in low and flat, talons extended, to pluck the fish from just below the surface of the water.

Two of the plants have viewing areas for the public on the weekends. I may have to make a road trip.

I was lucky enough to observe soaring adult and feeding immature bald eagles while fly fishing in Alaska a couple of years ago.

Bald eagles also winter in Texas.

Texas

It is starting to snow..(sigh)