Bald Eagles on Seagrove Beach

[Kurt]

These SoWal locals on Seagrove Beach are both American Bald Eagles. The top bird has juvenile camouflage and is probably about 3 years old. Male and female adults look identical but females are about 1/3 larger than males. It's likely this is a father and daughter.

They were feeding on a pelican carcass. Any smaller prey they probably would have taken back to the nest. Eagles eat a lot of dead animals. As fierce as they are, it's hard for them to pass up a free meal, just like many other birds of prey. Although you can be sure here in SoWal they eat a lot of fresh fish as well.

When I first came upon the scene, the young eagle was feeding, then the adult swooped in and took over as the offspring flew around and then landed and watched from a distance. Then as I moved closer the adult flew off and the youngster got her turn again.

 

[30A Skunkape]

AMAZING!!!

 

[Will B]

I wonder if it tasted like chicken?!

 

[Ty Webb]

I shared these photos with a link to Moon Creek site with friends in Louisiana and Colorado. Hopefully you will get some business from this.

Question: I was speaking about birds, eagles in particular, with a life long Walton County resident. He said with the increase in Bald Eagles, they drive away the ospreys. I stopped and thought that a I have seen less ospreys in the last couple of years. What are your observations on ospreys? Less, same?

These SoWal locals on Seagrove Beach are both American Bald Eagles. The top bird has juvenile camouflage and is probably about 3 years old. Male and female adults look identical but females are about 1/3 larger than males. It's likely this is a father and daughter.

They were feeding on a pelican carcass. Any smaller prey they probably would have taken back to the nest. Eagles eat a lot of dead animals. As fierce as they are, it's hard for them to pass up a free meal, just like many other birds of prey. Although you can be sure here in SoWal they eat a lot of fresh fish as well.

When I first came upon the scene, the young eagle was feeding, then the adult swooped in and took over as the offspring flew around and then landed and watched from a distance. Then as I moved closer the adult flew off and the youngster got her turn again.



View attachment 82547

 

[Kurt]

I shared these photos with a link to Moon Creek site with friends in Louisiana and Colorado. Hopefully you will get some business from this.

Question: I was speaking about birds, eagles in particular, with a life long Walton County resident. He said with the increase in Bald Eagles, they drive away the ospreys. I stopped and thought that a I have seen less ospreys in the last couple of years. What are your observations on ospreys? Less, same?

Thanks for sharing, I hope to hear from your friends.

I have special feelings for ospreys and have admired them for many years. They love fresh seafood as much as we do. We have a lot of them and they really thrive here. I haven't noticed a drop off in numbers. But I don't doubt eagles can push them out of an area. Thankfully we have a lot of habitat and I doubt ospreys suffer much. They are very adaptable as evidenced by the nests they will build nearly anywhere in and around cities. I've seen many nests on top of light towers around ball fields.

Coincidentally, yesterday along the gulf I saw two hunting on the beach. Both were as big as I'd ever seen and at first glance I thought they were eagles. I saw them dive several times but not close to me. They were wary and didn't come that close.