On September 25th Rob Eby, Fred Finlayson, Jim Sloan and Doug Skoog embarked on a sunset cruise aboard Doug’s inflatable ‘Woof”. At the end of Needle Point they had a close up sighting of a Golden Eagle. Don Fillion [Baroness] has also reported seeing a golden on the lake.
While we are all familiar with the many bald eagles we see, the Golden Eagle is a special treat.
The Golden Eagle is the largest of the genus, buteo, a bird of prey. Their wingspan can reach up to 7 1/2 feet, and they are the soaring "specialist" among all buteos which includes bald eagles, hawks, and buzzards. They use their large wingspans to catch rising masses of warm air (thermals) and can glide longer and further than other birds. They are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks with a wingspan averaging over 2 m (7 ft) and up to 1 m (3 ft) in body length. Their sheer size and coloration distinguish them from immature Bald Eagles. This one was much larger than any Bald Eagle the boys could recall seeing.
They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour. They have even been known to attack full-grown Deer. Golden Eagle pairs maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles(155 square kilometers). They are monogamous and may remain with their mate for several years or possibly for life. A lesson a number of us missed.
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