Bald eagle observations

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Gladys Black's articles about her bird observations thrilled Iowa newspaper readers for many years.  Her expertise was based on hour upon hour of careful observation, as shown in this March 1982 article about Bald Eagles.

photo by Ty Smedes (taken very near the proposed Gladys Black eagle refuge)

For 14 spring migrations, 13 autumns and as many winters, it has been pure joy to observe the bald eagles on Red Rock Refuge, the lake and the tail waters below the dam.

Until our "instant" lake filled in three days in mid-March, 1969, I rarely ever saw a bald eagle in the Des Moines River valley, although I've known it well for 70 years, visiting my grandfather's cabin at Bennington Bridge often as a child and young adult.

Occasionally prior to 1969, one of the Burlington-Northern Railroad engineers would send word to me that he had seen a bald eagle upriver at Ford, a now defunct station.

My latest close encounter with this majestic bird occurred March1, a lovely, sunshiny day with temperatures in the middle 50s. After a happy hour observing thousands of ducks and Canada geese and the partial albino Canada in the refuge, I drove to the far east observation point in south Elk Rock State Park.

Thrilling Experience

As I walked slowly to the edge of the high bluff, a beautiful adult bald eagle, white head and tail glistening in the sunlight, flew up and lit in a nearby tree. I froze in my tracks and the bird never did see me as it leisurely ate a small fish, then flew east. To see an eagle close up is a never-to-be-forgotten thrill.

Once before in a similar incident, Ann Johnson of Indianola and I had walked to the edge of Painted Rocks Bluff and as we looked down, an adult bald eagle flew out of a tree and to the west. It was Ann's very first bald eagle in a setting of grandeur.

Bald eagles have to soar, a daily joyful exercise. Usually we see only one or two soaring at one time, but last fall Gene and Maxine Creave and I enjoyed watching 10 soaring high above Elk Rock Bluff on the south side of the lake. It was indeed fun and games for the eagles. Two immatures chased each other occasionally.

There was a terrific north wind blowing that day, striking the face of the bluff and creating a powerful updraft, perfect for eagle soaring.

Next day was quiet, no wind, and my new guests from Osceola and I saw only one eagle soaring. I'm afraid they thought I had exaggerated the soaring eagles of the previous day.

Eagles also are capable of long hours of sitting perfectly still in a favorite perch tree. During that first spring of 1969 as I watched ducks, geese, gulls and hawks, one eagle sat in the same tree just over three hours.

The immatures are quite playful. Once I watched one drop down to the wheat field and strike something with its talons. I thought it might be a mouse, but he struck it again and again. Finally, through the scope I could see it was a small beverage can.

One fall, a thin sheet of ice covered the eagles' favorite pothole in the wheat field. I watched for a long time as they walked surefooted across the ice, occasionally striking at the ice with one foot. Finally, it dawned on me that they were seeing small fish through the ice and were frustrated in their fishing efforts.

Several times I have watched eagles in mock aerial combat. When the pursuer is directly above, the lower one turns over on his back and strikes upward with the wicked talons, but never makes contact. It's just a game.

But it is not a game when one pursues an osprey carrying a fish. The eagle flies under the osprey, flips over and snags the fish out of the talons of the screaming osprey.

Eagles take great splashing baths, fully 15 minutes of water flying six to eight feet in the air. Then comes an hour of preening and body shaking with wings outspread.

Bully in the crowd

There's a bully in every crowd. Once I watched seven immatures perched on snags and stumps along a creek bed in the wheat field. One perched on a two-foot snag and peering intently down into the water was rudely knocked off his perch and into the water. I expected a fight, but there was no retaliation. Instead, the bird took a bath.

Mid-March is usually eagle showcase time at the lake. On March 18 and 20, 1980, with the lake still half frozen over, my sister and I took a Georgia guest to see the eagle show, 17 the first day and 18 the second.

Some were soaring high overhead, some were perched in trees along the shore, some were just standing on the ice, and occasionally, one would fly low over the open water, drop down and snag a fish.

Two did a "rooster" fight for us, jumping three feet in the air and slashing out with the razor-sharp talons, but never making contact.
Just fun and games.

Back to Gladys Black homepage
History of Gladys Black
What Gladys Black did for birds
Gladys Black's Eagle Refuge
Photo Essay on Eagles at Gladys Black's Eagle Refuge
Bald Eagle Days at Lake Red Rock


For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.