It has been an incredibly busy fall season already. Third rifle season descends on Disappointment Valley (and every other bit of public land in Colorado) today. Apologies to good, ethical hunters, but it is THE WORST week of my year. So partly to set the tone for a hopefully OK week (and a safe one), and partly because I mostly forgot these images (!), let’s start it with some golden eagles.
The above image was taken more than a week ago (on my mom’s birthday, actually!), as you can see by the phase of the moon (wow, has it been BRIGHT!). But see that little speck right of center? That’s an eagle, and THAT is what I spotted that made me stop and scramble to get my camera out of its pack.
Two of the three eagles I saw were flying (cavorting?!) together above Spring Creek Basin’s western rimrocks. I like to think they came flying overhead to see what the crazy two-legged was doing, and I was glad to see them so close in all their majesty.
I love eagles. 🙂
Be safe out there.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
Gorgeous photos, TJ! Those are some beautiful goldens. A mated pair perhaps? You are sure rapid-fire with that magic camera of yours! And I hope those hunters behave themselves. Batton down the hatches and stay safe out there, TJ!
That’s what I thought about them being a mated pair. Maybe the other one was a juvenile? I know the younger birds have more white on the undersides of their wings, but I’m not at all good at aging/identifying them.
It is NUTS out here already. 😦 Forty vehicles past my house at 11:30 a.m. … since 4:30 a.m.
😖 FORTY vehicles. Arrrrrgh. Thank goodness it only lasts for two weeks!
Up to 85+ by the end of the day (a friend is visiting, and we were doing some projects, so I didn’t count for a few hours). Up the road, down the road, from dark to dark. 😦 One day down, eight to go. …
Beautiful pictures of the eagles! We see a few every so often here in MI!
That’s awesome! I believe they have a huge, wide territory across the continent? Hm. Well, maybe not! This is what Google says: “Golden eagles live predominantly in the western United States, inhabiting areas like the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and desert regions from Alaska to northern Mexico. An eastern population exists, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains, with some eagles also found in the Midwest.” So you’re lucky to see them! 🙂
Such a cool photo!
There’s more than one. 🙂 Thanks!
Thanks for the uplifting (literally) and inspiring images of the pair of eagles, TJ? I wonder, do they mate for life?
Great question, and I had to dive deeper into Google’s database(s) to find out! 🙂
General Range:
They are most common in western states, including Alaska.
Breeding Areas:
They breed in most of Alaska and western states, extending into the western portions of states like the Dakotas, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
Year-round Residence:
Many western pairs are year-round residents, though some migrate into the state during the winter.
Habitat:
They prefer open country, mountains, foothills, and canyonlands but also use grasslands, deserts, and oak woodlands.
And there’s this:
Yes, golden eagles typically mate for life, though a surviving mate will accept a new partner if the other dies. The pairs form strong bonds and often reuse the same nest for many years, sometimes building alternative nests within their territory to use in different years.
They (of course) are fantastic “beasts”! 🙂
❤️ here too. Not the eagles, the other stuff. I was struck today by the mixed message of the bright orange vest and the camo pants…
It’s a hard week all around … 😦