Not something you see everyday (bald eagle content)

We're lucky enough to have bald eagles around here. I see them from time to time, either circling or dive bombing for food. I've never seen one in the wild this close up though (not my picture). Luckily, this guy eventually flew away. What a great picture.

Gainesville drivers halted for a national symbol in an unusual traffic jam on Thursday morning.

An injured bald eagle was hit by a car around 9:35 a.m. and sat on Southwest 34th Street for about 15 minutes before flying away, said Maj. Brad Barber of the University of Florida Police Department.

Justin Simmons said he was passing by when he noticed the eagle on the pavement near the Southwest 34th Street graffiti wall. The eagle sat still on the road but was alert and looking around at the drivers, Simmons said.

As Simmons took photos of the bird, a driver told him the eagle was in a fight with two crows in the air when it was clipped by a car.

"Everybody was very concerned for it," Simmons said. "It wasn't groundbreaking, but it's still pretty interesting."

UPD and Gainesville Police Department officers arrived at the scene to control the traffic jam after drivers flagged officers down, Barber said. UPD officers said the bird did not appear to have physical injuries but seemed to be favoring one of its wings.

It remained in the road for about 15 minutes until Alachua County Animal Control officials came to tend to the apparently injured bird. When they tried to secure the eagle by throwing a protective blanket on it, the eagle flew away and left the area, Barber said.

"We get many animal calls here on campus. This was a definitely an unusual one," he said.

berkeleying crows

What a cool shot. We love eagles.

I took this one from my deck.

When I was around 14 or 15 I was telling my brother about how the most beautiful thing in the world is seeing a bald eagle flying. He said obviously you haven't discovered () yet. Yeah, class act that guy is.

Cool shot.

I had a mating pair circling over my house a few weeks ago. I was mesmorized, and didn't pick up the camera until they were too high for a good shot. My photo just shows a couple little spots in the sky.

I had no idea that they mate in flight. At an elevation of a thousand feet or so, the female rolls over upside down (a position she can't fly in), and the male holds her in his talons- like the ultimate trust fall with a happy ending.

I know- its a little strange. But it was really cool.

I guess that cuts out any serious foreplay.

i see bald eagles all the time... they are like unpaid government workers that clean up all the roadkill.. saw 3 of them circling around overhead a few weeks ago.

the DNR was doing a survey of some sort in some eagle nests up in west central MN a few years back, and they found something like 20 dog collars in one of the nests...

There are a couple that fish the pond by my parents house on a regular basis.

I hate to see one injured. I managed to hit a hawk a couple of weeks ago.

That bird isnt in good shape. Looks like he has a problem with whatever is the bird equivalent of a pelvis or lower spine.

I once picked up a Barred Owl that was sitting in the middle of the road injured. Unfortunately he expired before I could find a vet to treat him. Awesome creature, humbling experience.

In reply to SVreX:

Talk about giving a flying berkeley

Bald eagles have been coming back around here after years of absence due to pretty serious pollution in the Hudson River. About a month ago I saw 13 of them flying around and landing on the remaining ice floes. Still haven't gotten a good photo, though.

I've got nesting pairs of barred owls and peregrine falcons around the house. The owls have been here longer, but both are pretty cool to observe. I've managed to snag photos of them, along with a pair of the more common red-tailed hawks:

I love this board. I'm in a restaurant on SW 34th St in Gaunesville, check the forum, and naturally am in on the local buzz for the day. Thanks.

Margie

Marjorie Suddard wrote: I love this board. I'm in a restaurant on SW 34th St in Gaunesville, check the forum, and naturally am in on the local buzz for the day. Thanks. Margie

Argh! I wish we'd known...we could have put together a Gville GRM Get together!

Mmmmmmm. Bald Eagle.

In reply to dyintorace:

Me too... This was a spur of the moment overnight as Tim and I look over routes for the 2015 Orange Blossom Tour. (Ate a GREAT meal at Embers.)

Margie

Mmmmmmm. The TOP.

No thanks, Poopy. Too many hipsters there that want killin'.

Margie

Local good guy, Al Freeman is a Sailboat Sail Maker by day and in his off time a photog.
He get most of these pictures right here from the south shores of Lake Erie.
Lot of Bald Eagle shots.
http://www.acfreeman.com/Galleries/Wildlife/BALD-EAGLE/

I was once standing next to Al while he was shooting some ice boats with a big telephoto lens. I inquired what kind of money I was looking at in that big lens. He pointed to his likely one year old Toyota Yaris and said, "more than that car!"

Embers is excellent. You chose well. Hipsters are stopped at the door.

Communist crows.

crankwalk wrote: Communist crows.

just trying to protect their stuff from the Imperialist eagle..

I don't see many hipsters around here, but I see hawks and eagles quite regularly.

Of course, I actually know what an eagle looks like. I'm not sure I could positively identify a hipster if I saw one in the wild.

We have a coue families of bald eagles in my corner of suburban Delaware. In fact, one was cruising over the course at Saturday's autocross. I was in grid, watching it circling.

Gorgeous. Sure hope he was okay. I love crows though. Incredibly intelligent and social birds.