Made a new friend today (bald eagle)

[trophybook]

Noticed this guy sitting in my pasture, so I started walking up to him to get a better picture. Well I never thought I'd get this close . Unfortunately I am no selfie master or you would see this magnificent bird perched on my hand (I had welding gloves on) it weighed my guess 20lbs. Hands down 1 of the coolest experiences Ive ever had. The grip he had on my hand with his talons was intense, I only held him for a few seconds as I didn't want my face ripped off . We took some pictures and parted ways. He almost seemed tame which is crazy talk. He had no leg bands.

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[RandyBoBandy]

SWEET

[smith88]

He must have hit the sauce a little too hard bringing in the New Year.

[2 Tollers]

Nice pictures and very cool experience.

Odd behaviour for an eagle to sit like that and allow you to get that close. When it flew off did it maintain altitude, fly straight and out of sight?

A few years back there were a few in east central Alberta that eaten some carrion contaminated with I believe lead and had trouble flying.

[CNP]

Quite the experience! Does that look like a healthy bald eagle? Why is it positioned with it's wings spread on the ground and it's legs folded underneath? Seems unusual to me...

[trophybook]

Looked healthy to me wings were all good no broken feathers, flew away fine after our encounter

[teledogs]

Cool experience!!! Hope it was ok! Thanks for sharing.

[Savage Bacon]

Well I'd say that's a once in a lifetime experience.

[35 whelen]

I've caught 2 bald eagles that were sick in Manitoba during my guiding days on the Winnipeg River. I definitely say there's something wrong with this one if it let you get up to it and pick it up, did it fly away or stay on the ground..

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[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by trophybook

Looked healthy to me wings were all good no broken feathers, flew away fine after our encounter

Released from a rehab center maybe ? Usually they're pretty shy.

Grizz

[Greatwest]

Cool experience to have. Nice of you to share it with the rest of us here on AO. Looks to me like a young bald eagle doesn’t appear to be that big from the pictures.

[ram crazy]

It looks like a young bird.

[NCC]

Their heads don’t get white plumage until they’re about 5 years old.

[35 whelen]

Maybe he had a full belly

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[trophybook]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Maybe he had a full belly

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That is likely as theres a few dead deer in the ditch a half mile up the road.

[Dewey Cox]

It's a sign.

Of what, I don't know...
Better talk to a medicine man.

[Soulcousin]

Originally Posted by trophybook

That is likely as theres a few dead deer in the ditch a half mile up the road.

I've seen hawks do the same thing- wings spread out, mouth agape, low to the ground- after an epic round of gopher shooting. We went back in to town to grab a late lunch, and when we came back to the field it was covered in hawks. Lots circling in the air, about a dozen on the fence posts, and about the same amount on the ground looking like that eagle lol.

[270person]

Originally Posted by 2 Tollers

Nice pictures and very cool experience.

Odd behaviour for an eagle to sit like that and allow you to get that close. When it flew off did it maintain altitude, fly straight and out of sight?

A few years back there were a few in east central Alberta that eaten some carrion contaminated with I believe lead and had trouble flying.

Probably a government eagle. On mandatory break OR just felt like lollygaggin.

[Strix]

That bird is definitely not well. I am sure it is an ill-eagle.

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

It's a sign.

Of what, I don't know...
Better talk to a medicine man.

At first I was thinking, sick bird.

But then if it flew away fine after.... spirit bird.

Talk to someone who knows about FN stuff.

[2 Tollers]

Just so you remember the talons that were on your welding glove here is a picture of one I took in Alaska. Big hooks.



Great experience for you and the full belly may have been the issue as I have seen birds on the coast so full of fish that they can barely fly away. When they did fly they did not go far.

My wife has a video of one that was iced up and the fellow had to remove ice from the tail feathers. We have also seen them with wet feathers and drying out in the sun before they could fly.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by ram crazy

It looks like a young bird.

Bald eagles look a lot like a golden eagle until it’s 4th or more likely it’s 5th year. After which it’s head and tail turns white. This is a mature and full grown bird.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Bald eagles look a lot like a golden eagle until it’s 4th or more likely it’s 5th year. After which it’s head and tail turns white. This is a mature and full grown bird.

Most likely a female as well as they are quite a bit larger than the males.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

Great pictures! thanks for sharing!
While I was fishing the Fraser River many years ago I watched an eagle eat a salmon on the bank, what a magnificent bird!