Friday, January 3, 2014

50 Bald Eagles at Peche Island?

Bald Eagle Aerial Dogfight!

These Eagles were fighting over fish, four at one point, right in the middle of the Detroit River between Windsor and Peche Island.



Just a quick posting. Yesterday I stopped by Lakeview Marina in East Windsor where Lake St Clair enters the Detroit River. Peche Island is a small natural park which is surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of mergansers, ducks, swans, herons, geese, and Eagles!

I counted 46 Bald Eagles at Peche Island on Thursday Jan 2nd. I went back today, and there were much less, perhaps 20. Below I have photos of a group of 20 on each side of the river, plus several more that were flying at the West end of Peche Island (these photos are from the east end of Peche Island, and the ice-jam on the mainland side of the river). I had two more as I drove home about 700m west of this vantage point.

20 Eagles along the mainland

20 more perched at Peche Island (more to the left and right)



Several Eagles in flight at any given point... 46 Eagles is a conservative count!

Considering the record numbers of Bald Eagles seen at HMBO this year, could this be a record for most populous group of Eagles in Ontario since the DDT ban?

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

7 comments:

  1. Wow, those captures of the midair action are incredible! I can image that must have been quite an exciting event to witness in person! Nice to see such large number of this species! I wish you all the best and much great birding in the New Year!

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  2. Some of those Long-tailed Ducks at Sarnia should head down to the Detroit River for those Bald Eagles!

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  3. Hi Dwayne,

    The largest number of Bald Eagles I am aware of from one location in Ontario was the 240+ seen at the Thunder Bay landfill on December 17, 2012 by Brian Radcliffe. I'm not sure if this is record high for Ontario.

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  4. Hi Dwayne ,

    I stopped by there on Jan. 1 and had approx. 50 Bald Eagles as well , at least 15 Great Blue Herons , and 12 species of ducks .

    May have had better numbers if weather was more user friendly !!!!!

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  5. Little late to the party but wow! I would have loved to see that. Thank you for sharing.

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  6. Hey Those Eagles are still around and the mergansers and Geese at Peche Island I live across and watch them all day long :)

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  7. Hello Nice Page I wish I could take Great Photos and had someone to go watching with!! I overlook Peche Island and watch Birds all Day I love them The Eagles and Swans and mergansers and Geese are still here :) and the pick of the Birds Fighting in air Wow is that real it is odd the one that isn't the Bald eagle but very nice Photos Thank you!!

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