Hi Joe (and all),

Very cool! Before I get to your eagles, here is a sure-fire method for
reporting potential/probable rarities, that will to get you good
feedback and can minimize probing questions from those in search of
more details.

Provide a physical description of the bird, followed by discussion of
why that leads you to conclude it was species X and not the more
common species Y or Z.

For example, if I report a duck hanging out with a flock of
Blue-winged Teal that was the same size and shape but had an overall
bright rusty color and a red eye, I don't even need to say "Cinnamon
Teal" -- people are already thinking of that option based on my
description. Still, I'd like to rule out a funky domestic duck or
maybe Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal hybrid, but it's always best to start
off with a good physical description of size, shape, color, key field
marks, etc. and of course some complementary information regarding how
well you could see/hear those detail (big difference between "20 feet
with binoculars" and "400 yards in bad light during a snowstorm"!).

This works for posting rarities to listservs, on eBird, and for state
records committees, which usually have more detailed report forms that
get at basically the same information, and then some (for example,
take a look at the OOS page for submitting rarity reports online:
http://www.ohiobirds.org/site/committee/rarebird-submission.php).  A
fast way to get really good at noting key physical features? Try using
nothing more than the first few pages of a field guide (those pages
that cover feather groups, etc.) to write up or sketch some common
birds -- it works great!

Getting back to the eagles, I'd be interested in hearing any
additional details you can provide regarding field marks, and how you
arrived at the ID of Golden vs. Bald. Those details would be much more
valuable than trying to support or refute the ID based on seasonal
patterns of occurrence. :-)

Good birding,
Paul Hurtado
Columbus, OH


On Mon, Mar 18, 2013 at 3:42 PM, Joe Faulkner <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Fellow birders,
>
>       This weekend, while looking for early migrants, Vicki Derr and I
> spotted what we believe was TWO Golden Eagles drifting northward over our
> 60 acre "yard".
> 99 out of 100 times when you see a large bird floating above you, it turns
> out to be a Turkey Vulture.  However, it is well known that all the TV's in
> Ohio were in Hinkley this past weekend, eating dead pancakes.  Besides,
> after thirty plus years of birding we can both tell an eagle from a Turkey
> vulture.
>
>      That being said, the question quickly became "which eagle is that,
> Golden or Bald?"  We had about five minutes of very good looks at these
> birds, and both of us are fairly certain that they were not immature bald
> eagles, but really two Golden Eagles. Actually, we are very certain.
>  Happened to have the opportunity to talk to Jim Fry about this, and he
> noted that they were being seen in Migration at this time, so it could be
> possible.  Let me repeat. They were not turkey vultures.  They were far,
> far too big to be any hawk.  I have seen Golden Eagle once before over this
> farm, two years ago, so it's not unprecedented, just rare.  After all,
> that's what rare birds are, rare.  I've been wrong before.  Just ask me
> about my latest relationship.  But, I don't think I'm wrong here.
>
>      Would love to hear other opinions about this.  Just be nice.
>
> joe faulkner
> somerset, ohio
> perry county
>
>
> Clouse lake report
>
>      This morning Clouse lake had
>
> 1 Red Breasted merganser male
> 12 Green winged teals
> 2 Gadwalls
> 4 Mallards
> 8 Lesser Scaup
> 10 Ring necked ducks
> 8 American wigeons
> 1 coot
> 10 Canadian Geese
> 1 Great blue heron
>
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