• Michelle Wood: SWCD

The golden eagles of Pigeon River

• Bruce Glick: Gone Birding
• January 5, 2018
• 1552

On Friday, Dec. 29, I decided to get out of the house and ignore the zero weather that seems to be stuck over Northern Indiana these days. (It was minus 15 F here in Goshen on Jan. 2.)

For several years, two or more golden eagles have wintered east of Lagrange, but finding them on any given day is difficult. My starting point for the day was east of Shipshewana, where a Harris’s sparrow had been coming to a feeder for several days.

I was welcomed inside the warm house by the Yoders, who already had a page full of signatures from birders who had come to see the rarity. We had a nice talk while waiting for the Harris’s to join the white-crowned sparrows at the feeders. It didn’t disappoint us, posing briefly for a couple photos before flying back to the brush pile nearby.

I invited Orva Yoder to join me for the short drive to Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area to look for a golden eagle. Orva is a birder, but like many Indiana birders, he hadn’t seen one of these western raptors.

We drove east along County Road 400 North, the road that bisects the wildlife area. Just as we reached the short road to Nazby Dam, a soaring raptor caught our attention. A quick look confirmed that it was a golden eagle, a first-year bird by the look of the white patches in each wing.

As we watched, a second bird appeared, much higher. This too was a golden eagle. Wonderful! We watched both birds as they soared off to the northwest. I managed to take a few photos before they disappeared. About this time we also saw an adult bald eagle soaring over Nazby Dam.

Both of us were excited. The golden eagle was a life bird for Orva, and this was the best view I’ve ever had of two golden eagles. Having accomplished our goal for the morning, we headed back, but after about 2 miles, Orva saw a very distant raptor.

We stopped and watched as the bird flew in our direction: golden eagle. Before long it was joined by a second eagle. They were undoubtedly the same two golden eagles we had seen 20 minutes earlier. This certainly was an eagle day to remember. We also saw two rough-legged hawks along the way.

I dropped Orva off at his place and drove back to Goshen, where I checked for waterfowl at Fidler Pond. The small lake was frozen, except for two small spots of open water, filled with 200 mallards, 100 coots and other ducks including common goldeneye, lesser scaup, ring-necked, hooded merganser, common merganser, American black, ruddy and one female wood duck. I hadn’t seen a wood duck for many weeks. There also were five pied-billed grebes and 25 ring-billed gulls.

Next was a hike along the millrace near our home. Most of the expected woodland birds were found along this well-used trail. In a large area of pine trees, there was an active group of at least four red-breasted nuthatches. One has been visiting our feeders from time to time.

There was still time for a quick drive to Wakarusa to check the wastewater treatment plant ponds. As I expected, they were frozen, except for a small patch of open water occupied by mallards, geese and one female bufflehead. Back at home we had a small group of six pine siskins on the feeders. They have been around the neighborhood for a week or so.

When I added up the birds for the day, the total was 51, a good winter count. It was a delightful day.

Good birding!

Bruce Glick can be reached at birderbruce@yahoo.com or at 330-317-7798.