I saw one circling over Medford Square from my kayak last June, I've seen them several times from my kayak throughout the summer, and a friend of mine has been spotting and photographing eagles scoping out the area since last spring. Then there was the Great Red Tail Freakout over the Lawrence Woods in August when all the hawks were screaming bloody murder at a soaring Eagle. (how to tell: eagles are much larger, and they have fringes or "fingers" on their wings)
Seems the habitat was good, as said friend posted a pic of a young adult eagle this morning.
I saw a very large bird last week in Brookline. I thought that maybe it was a turkey, but I believe it was too high up for that. I'm not an orinthologist, but it seemed far larger than a hawk. Could it have been an eagle?
But it might have been a Turkey Vulture. They are big birds that have been showing up in large numbers around here in recent years. (They have a couple at the Trailside Museum in the Blue Hills.)
Red-tailed hawks have differently-shaped wings than eagles, but pretty much all varieties of hawk except falcons (including red-tails) have "fingers" at the ends of their wings. (As per the chart that you just posted!)
In the field, the "fingers" on the Eagles are much larger relative to the wing size and more visible than on the hawks. (I'm also very used to looking at hawks ...)
...we thought it was a treat to see a great blue heron when buying our Christmas tree at Allandale Farms last weekend (it was walking across an iced-over pond).
I thought maybe I was mistaken - because the bird I saw cruising right along Mystic Valley Parkway was so huge. It looked much bigger than any of the hawks I'd seen, but I figured it was because it was much closer.
The idea of an eagle did cross my mind, but seemed unlikely. Anyway, glad to see them in the neighborhood! It was huge!
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Been around for some time
I saw one circling over Medford Square from my kayak last June, I've seen them several times from my kayak throughout the summer, and a friend of mine has been spotting and photographing eagles scoping out the area since last spring. Then there was the Great Red Tail Freakout over the Lawrence Woods in August when all the hawks were screaming bloody murder at a soaring Eagle. (how to tell: eagles are much larger, and they have fringes or "fingers" on their wings)
Seems the habitat was good, as said friend posted a pic of a young adult eagle this morning.
Possibly in Brookline?
I saw a very large bird last week in Brookline. I thought that maybe it was a turkey, but I believe it was too high up for that. I'm not an orinthologist, but it seemed far larger than a hawk. Could it have been an eagle?
Paging Les Nessman
"With God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly..."
(Sorry, Lecil. Nothing personal. I just can't resist an opportunity to quote my favorite fictional newsman.)
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Not a turkey
But it might have been a Turkey Vulture. They are big birds that have been showing up in large numbers around here in recent years. (They have a couple at the Trailside Museum in the Blue Hills.)
Handy ID chart
There are others out there with all the different kinds of hawks, osprey, eagles, etc.
Thanks, Swirly!
My bird looked a lot like the top two, wing-wise.
"Fingers" on wings
Red-tailed hawks have differently-shaped wings than eagles, but pretty much all varieties of hawk except falcons (including red-tails) have "fingers" at the ends of their wings. (As per the chart that you just posted!)
True enough
In the field, the "fingers" on the Eagles are much larger relative to the wing size and more visible than on the hawks. (I'm also very used to looking at hawks ...)
Lots of eagles showing up lately
There was the one in the road in Natick.
And, there is one hanging around a lake here in Hopkinton, though no idea where the nest is.
Pretty cool, I just love watching raptors, whether it's just watching them soar, or lucky enough to see them feeding.
Hyde Park?
Last summer I got a glimpse of a large white-headed raptor over the Neponset next to Truman Parkway. Either a bald eagle or an osprey?
Not a raptor, but...
...we thought it was a treat to see a great blue heron when buying our Christmas tree at Allandale Farms last weekend (it was walking across an iced-over pond).
Spotted!
I thought maybe I was mistaken - because the bird I saw cruising right along Mystic Valley Parkway was so huge. It looked much bigger than any of the hawks I'd seen, but I figured it was because it was much closer.
The idea of an eagle did cross my mind, but seemed unlikely. Anyway, glad to see them in the neighborhood! It was huge!