The photos I shared the other day are of a immature Bald Eagle. While some of you guessed Golden Eagle (and I wasn’t too sure at first myself!) let me tell you why I think it’s a young Bald.
First, and easiest… Goldens have feathers clear down to their toes. Balds are fish eaters (or they like to be) and their feathers stop higher up on their legs.
Balds don’t get their white heads until they are about 4 years old… and it seems like the white travels all over their bodies until it finally stops at the extremes of head and tail. Until then they can be “golden” but they aren’t Goldens!
I know this is blurry… but you can notice some things here. His ratty tail doesn’t have a dark band on the tips of his feathers. If he was a Golden, he would.
He also has white arm pits. Wing pits. Whatevers. Goldens have dark wingpits.
Ta-da! My unofficial ornithologic opinion. Yeah. Impressive, huh?
Not me.
Him!
Find me here!
Perfect deduction! I’m sold on the feet/legs which was what impressed me so much. Carol, thank you for taking the time to figure it out. Love your pictures. I have been following you for years and years. Pre-grand children, marriages, and through your sweet dogs. Please continue to share your wonderful part of the country.
Wow… you have been quite the loyal follower! Pre-grand children and marriages! I’m thrilled to have readers like you, thank you.
mostly I am impressed with…in order of impression…
1. that you got the great pix period
2. wing pits. It has never occurred to me that a bird or any other type of winged critter could have wing pits. It is an amazing concept! I grew up in the wonderful of the REAL Tarzan movies and there were winged bad things, not sure if they were all birds or not.
Wing pits sound so much better than arm pits, don’t they??? I’d prefer to have wing pits. REAL Tarzan? Like Johnny W.?? I’m not going to try to spell it because it’s late… you know who I mean!