I saw two adult bald eagles this afternoon at the north edge of St.
Louisville on Route 13, Licking Co.   We have had them along the North Fork
of the Licking River during winter for the past few years, but I don't
recall ever seeing them along that stretch of road this early in the fall.
My students reported seeing eagles eating deer carcasses all during this
past winter, in various locations.  As late as March 30 at least one adult
bald eagle was in the area, in a tree overlooking a gravel pit, about a mile
from the location where I saw the two this afternoon.



However, this is "my" territory - the area covered by my seven OBBA II
blocks.  I have spent over 125 surveying those blocks this spring and
summer, not to mention the time I travel back and forth to work in Utica and
on other errands.  I know every road and stream.  I have checked every large
nest visible from the roads or any private property to which I have access.
I believed that the eagles that were seen last winter had moved on.  Could I
have been wrong?



Which is more likely:  early arrivals from the north, southern birds blown
in by Ike, or eagles which had just been out of sight, but might be local
nesters?  (These two were clearly adults:  pure white tails and heads, dark
bodies, etc.  One was perched in a tree; the other was flying, apparently up
from the river, intending to join the perched bird.)  I do know of two nests
in Licking Co., but neither is close to St. Louisville.



Please share any wisdom.



Thanks,

Margaret Bowman

Licking Co,


______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]