I just found this forum, and am so happy. The past several years I have become more interested in watching the beautiful wild birds. I live in northwest NJ, 8 miles from the Delaware River.

I have seen 3 or 4 bald eagles in the last 2 winters. A few were moving slowly, or "posing" in a tree. The ID was unquestionable.

My most recent sighting was a very large bird with a white tail flying over my driveway. And this bird was flying like a crow (wings bent and flapping). The amazing part is how low the bird was (maybe 60 feet), and flying really fast (had to be at least 50 MPH).

I have only seen pics of BE perching or soaring. Are they "drag racers" also?

BTW, we have a small pond 50 yards from the house. There are a pair of common mergansers resting-up there. Just amazing.

I have to get a camera.

Well, Bald eagles are great, aren't they? And they do winter in your part of NJ.

I recommend you join a local Audubon. Get a good pair of binoculars, too : ).

I saw one about 4 years ago Christmas time. Now the last 2 years I have seen at least three, maybe four.

I was driving through Milford PA last December, and one BE almost hit the car. He perched in a tree across the street. I stopped the car and got out. He looked at me for at least 4 or 5 minutes, then he flew off.

The others I have seen near small water features locally.

elly, who would know if BEs, if they wanted to, can fly like "they just robbed a bank" ? Just wonderin'

thanks

the bird that I saw on that occasion certainly looked like a BE, (definite white tail) but he was flapping his wings the same as a crow does to fly. But that bird was probably flying at 50mph (I'm just comparing to car speed.)

The point is, I have seen BEs before. They fly like they "own the place". I was just wondering, what do they fly like if they are in a hurry?

I saw two locally, last winter. One was on the Paulinskill (near Paulina dam), and the other I saw while I was walking up my driveway!!

Maybe I'm not good with descriptions, but the latter BE sighting (over my yard), he was not majestically soaring, like all the National Geographic pics show BEs. That bird was in a big hurry, working up a sweat (if birds could sweat).