Could this be the same one?

I stopped by one of the Bald Eagle nests this weekend to see if there was any eagle activity.  I wasn't disappointed by what I found.  There was at least 4 juvenile/subadult eagles in the area fishing in the river and fighting with each other.   Included in the group was the above first year.   First-years Bald Eagle often get confused with Golden Eagles because of their almost all brown look.  The heavy bill of the Bald Eagle helps to identify them.  See my Which is Which? post for more and the Which is Which?-answers here.

Could this be the same eagle that I watched last season and fledged from the nearby nest?  It is tough to say(without a band) for sure but fledged Bald Eagles, even after the adults leave, often stay in the area for a time during the summer/fall.  Before reaching adulthood, young eagles are usually very nomadic.  Do you blame them?  They have this new skill of flying and they use it to travel a lot before settling down in adulthood.  I guess they have that in common with humans in their late teens and early twenties. 

Read more here and about the drama at this nest during the last breeding season.  Happy fall and birding!  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.  

  

Which is Which?- The Answers

Sharp-shinned Hawk or Cooper's Hawk?

How do you think you did?  Telling these two birds apart can be very tricky and gets more tricky with the immatures.  

1.) Answer-Adult Cooper's Hawk

This is a quick shot I got in my backyard.  At first, I thought it was a Sharp-shinned because it was pretty small bird.  Then when I looked at it closer, I saw the black cap, less color on the breast, and more rounded feathers of the Cooper's Hawk.  

2.) Answer- Juvenile Cooper's Hawk

photo credit: Manjith Kainickara/Wikimedia Commons

The larger head, larger legs, larger body and thin streaking on the breast all help to identify this one as a juvenile Cooper's Hawk.  

3.) Answer- Adult Sharp-shinned Hawk

photo credit: Michael/Wikimedia Commons

The more colorful chest and the "hooded" head help to identify this one an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk.

4.) Answer- Juvenile Cooper's Hawk

photo credit: H. Gilbert Miller/Wikimedia Commons

The "capped" head, larger head, rounded tail feathers and larger legs help to ID this one as a Cooper's Hawk.  The yellow eyes make it not quite an adult though it appears to have all of  the adult plumage.

5.) Answer- Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk

photo credit: Cuatrok/Wikimedia Commons

The smaller body, smaller head, and skinner "Sharp-Shinned" look where they get their name help ID this one as a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk.

How did you do?  Stay tuned for more "Which is Which?" posts.  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

Which is Which?

Sharp-shinned Hawk or Cooper's Hawk

It's that time again to sharpening up your bird identifying skills.  The Accipiter family of hawks can be tricky group to ID especially, between the Sharp-shinned and Cooper's.  These woodland hawks are very skillful at chasing birds on the wing through tight spaces in the woods.  I'm going to be make it even more trickier by adding some immatures.  Can you tell them apart?

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How do you think you did?  Post your answers in the comments or on the Facebook page.  Stay tuned for the answers and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  I will credit the photos on the answers post.  

Which Is Which?

Golden Eagle or Bald Eagle? Can you Tell?

Another tough ID for birders is the Golden Eagle or Immature Bald Eagle.  The size, color, and some overlapping range can make this difficult one.  I was lucky enough to monitor two Bald Eagle nests in Colorado for three years.  This experience helped me to spot some key differences that make identifying these large birds of prey apart. Lets test your ID skills.

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Did you know all of them?  Share your answers in the comments or comment on the Facebook page here.  I will acknowledge the photos in the answer post so not to give away anything.  Stay tuned for the answer post.