The eagles never left. I see one or two every now and then around Western Lake.
nice pic, by the way.
OK, so I have been thinking a lot about the question of whether our eagles migrate, and I am convinced that the pair that I saw last fall/winter DID migrate in the spring/summer to a different location. I am also convinced that these eagles are the same eagles that I am seeing now.
While some eagles may hang out all spring and summer, I think these 2 migrate.
I am not kidding you when I say I look to the eagle tree every time I cross Western Lake, whether driving or biking or running. And I make that crossing several times a day. ( I am obsessed with the eagles.) I did not see the eagles for many months, and now, in just the last 4 days, I have seen them 3 times. I saw both of them this afternoon, late. I took a couple of photos but it was getting dark and the photos were not that good. Here it is though:
When I got home, I did a little research about bald eagles. (By the way, they are monogamous and they mate for life, which is cool.) What I learned is that while some Florida eagles do not migrate, some do. Here is a Q&A I found on a most informative website:
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Q. We live in Florida where the eagles don't migrate,so how far north are eagles where they don't migrate?[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A. Some eagles way up even in Alaska don't need to "migrate" or move because they can stay near the open ocean all winter and still get food. Believe it or not, some of your Florida eagles do migrate north following their breeding season; they have been recorded here in New york and even in eastern Canada. Why do they do this? Not sure, perhaps to escape the intense heat of summer. It is common for Florida fledglings to move north, but most of your adults do not.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I also found this interesting information about eagle migration:[/FONT][/FONT]
"Adult bald eagles begin fall migration when the northern lakes and rivers freeze over. Depending on location, they usually migrate to the coast or large rivers near dams, where the water remains open. Wind currents play a large roll in determining their flight pattern.
Some eagles are migratory while others are not. Many eagles in Florida do not migrate, but remain year-round. Most bald eagles migrate south in the fall to areas with sufficient food, and return north in the spring to nest."
So.... I believe that the eagles that I have seen are a migrating pair. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :roll:
I am excited to learn more about eagles, and look forward to posting special "eagle" information on sowal. I will say that the answer to the question "[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Are bald eagles strong enough to carry off babies and small children?" is "No." Eagles can only carry a few pounds, at the most.
I know we will all rest a little easier knowing the answer to that question. 
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