• Saturday-What'sUP September 25 - 03:38 am

Today we have three Early Birds, and get a good look at several of the larger species inhabiting the Keweenaw. The proud looking Eagle in the dead pine was observed by Robert C. Wetton at his place in Bootjack. RCW also captured the photo of a Turkey Vulture enjoying a shoreline feast. Perhaps that's what the eagle seems to have his eyes trained on so intently. E. Neil Harri was also fortunate to spy an Eagle sitting around waiting for a fish dinner at Cedar Creek, located in EAGLE Harbor of course! Great shots, especially the two of our National Bird, which by the way is the only type of eagle unique to North America.

Greetings from way down state - Eagle, Michigan - just west of Lansing.

The early bird gets the worm!!! Great pics. again. I really like the eagle sitting down on the rock. Thanks Neil, you must have been in the right place at the right time.

I think our best UP eagle sighting was at Grand Sable dunes. We were sitting on top of a dune looking out into the lake when a eagle flew by right at our eye level. As the bird was only twenty feet from us the sound the giant wings made was unforgettable. Im glad we adopted this animal as our national symbol,there were plans to make the turkey such.

The three mature bald eagles fishing the channel at 8:30 yesterday, returned this morning at 7:50; two days in a row is too awesome for words!

Eagle is the mascot for both schools we teach.

Beautiful pics of the majestic eagle. So glad that the turkey didn't become our national bird...because that would have left us eating what for Thanksgiving? ;)

Good morning, here in CA., or afternoon in Yooperland. These pictures immediately made me think, "Land of the free".

Hello from Fowler, Michigan - home of the Fowler Eagles. We are northwest of Lansing, and about 20 miles north of Eagle, MI. Several years ago we had a wonderful siting of eagles flying over Copper Harbor from our window in the King Copper Motel.

The bird in the center photo looks more like a Turkey Buzzard pecking on the fish than a Bald Eagle.

Gus LL (Gusll)
"The bird in the center photo looks more like a Turkey Buzzard..."

Well Toivo said:
"RCW also captured the photo of a Turkey Vulture enjoying a shoreline feast."
Close enuf?

Well Tovio just named it wrong, in my gallery it is labled as a Turkey Buzzard. Certainly is a ugly bird regardless.

Toivo sez: Me thinks you better go back and take another gander at the notes I wrote!

I almost hit two wild turkeys with my car on my way home today. D... turkeys were jay-walking. Almost had an early Thanksgiving Dinner. (Except I don't know how to pluck them and wouldn't want to try. I had to make a wide swerve and almost ended up in someone's barn. Hmmmm, maybe I could have had fresh rib-eye steaks. I will have to rethink that curve next time. :)

One of Mimi's lady friend's mothers had a turkey come right through the passenger side of the windshield and end up on the seat. Really messy. RCW, those turkey buzzards sure are ugly, but they sure are nice to watch when they're circling up in the sky. I came on a couple of 'em at the Roadkill Restaurant a few years ago. They're a little slow on the take-off, but what a wingspan. They're like watching an aerial ballet. Buzzard or vulture? It's 6 one way and a 1/2 dozen the other.

Correct name Turkey VULTURE! (Cathartes aura) Has been known also tho for generations as Turkey Buzzard. 26-32 inches with a 6ft. wingspan! Only in the past 25 years or so it has increased its range all across Michigan. Nests in or under old rotten logs, rock piles, cliffs, old abandoned barns, lofts, (probably old mine shaft buildings etc.!) Migrates to warmer climes in the fall and returns to Michigan in March/April.
Wild Turkeys and Bald Eagles have returned to all over Michigan again in recent years! A great wildlife success story!

Nice images RCW & Neil Harri!

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