Eagles

There’s an eagle’s nest alongside of Highway 61 not far from Grand Marais. You can’t miss seeing it in the winter because it is so large. I haven’t seen the eagles in it but then again I haven’t stopped to look either and I doubt I could see it from down below even if I did stop. We often see eagles eating dead deer that have been hit by vehicles on Highway 61. They look so big when they are on the shoulder of the road.  I thought the questions found on the Eagle Cam website were good so I thought I would share them.

A few recent questions:

Q. What do eagles eat this time of year and where do they get their food?

A. Fish are an important source of food for eagles, which is why they tend to congregate around open bodies of water this time of year (in chilly Minnesota this often means flowing water along large rivers). However, eagles are fairly opportunistic as well. Bald Eagles will readily scavenge road kill or other dead animals. They also take small mammals like squirrels and rabbits, as well as waterfowl.

Q. Do eagles like some trees better than others?

A. Bald Eagles choose the tops of large, tall trees for nest building, and they return year after year, adding to their massive stick nests. While they nest in many types of trees, they tend to prefer ones that protrude above the nearby canopy, providing good visibility and easy access. These nests can reach 10 feet across and weigh a ton! That’s about the size of a classic VW Beetle! Bald Eagles often have several nests within their territory, alternating among them over their reproductive years.

And lastly…

Q. Did you put those pine cones in the nest?

A. No. The eagles brought the pine cones into the nest recently, as well as several ‘loads’ of additional grass.

Winter Eagle Tip: There are many great places to view Bald Eagles and other birds during the winter. Here are just a few of the many areas worth exploring! http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/eagles/winter.html