Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Eagles and big fish stories.

This is not a question, just a couple of neat things that I observed this weekend.

I was sitting up under the shade trees, looking down at our lake because several ducks had landed on it. Suddenly all the ducks and a couple of geese took off from the lake and flew away. We were wondering what had scared them off when a hugh eagle flew down over the lake, circled a couple of times and then dipped his claws into the water for a fish. (too far away to see if he got one but he landed in a tree behind the lake so I think it was to feed.) AND THE POINT IS...
Did you know that ducks would flee from eagles? I didnt. If you have eagles nesting around your place, that might account for an inabiliy to attract ducks. Or maybe ducks do hang around eagles but in this case they could tell that the eagle was hunting some vittles.

Story number two.
A neighbor was telling (bragging) about his grandson catching an 8+ pound bass out of his pond. The kid had went to Big Lots discount store and bought a lure for 99 cents. He tied it onto a zebco reel and caught an 8 pounder. What made this interesting is 1) the pond is probably 20 yards by 40 yards square, and 2) has never been stocked or 3) managed for bass. Just by sheer happenstance, it got some bass into it and evidently some brim of some kind to sustain the bass. And the kid ruined a zebco rod, stripping the gears on an 8 pound bass, then went back with another reel and caught a 5 pounder. Interesting that some lakes just happen to get the right proportions of fish and some have to be managed.

Nick, I saw the same type of thing with turkeys a couple of years ago. Some young turkeys came out into a wheat patch but were acting nervous. Some refused to come out. Then we heard an eagle scream(?) and saw it coming. The turkeys just squatted down in fear and didn't try to make it the 6 feet back into the trees. We saw the eagle coming. It flew over and didn't mess with the turkeys. Maybe it saw us. No idea. Wish I'd had a video camera.

Where are ya'll seeing eagles? We have a place in Saint Jo, Tx not very far from Bowie and we've seen Ospreys but never eagles. Hope they are continuing to spread over our area.

Thanks

Buzz, I have only seen one eagle at Bowie, but the incident above happened SW of Abilene. However, I have seen a Bald Eagle 20 years ago at Lake Granbury. Also saw a Golden Eagle last Fall on the Brazos below Lake Whitney. They are pretty exciting for me to see.

Our lake is about 15 miles south of Paris Texas. Some eagles winter at Pat Mayse Lake, with is about 15 miles north of Paris. Some also winter at Lake Tawakoni.

Sure would like for eagles to start being seen a lot more often in Texas. Seen a lot of them but never in Texas. I would not even mind losing some fish to them. Now Cormorans.... Maybe we could train the eagles to feast on Cormorans.

Gibbons Creek Res. has an island that is posted because of nesting eagles.

Between Angleton and West Columbia had a couple of nest just off of Hiway 35. The state was thinking of widening the hiway so they had some guys watching the nest's for weeks. He let me watch through the spotting scope. Pretty cool.....

Buzz,
Bald eagles are seen this time of year at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge at Lake Texoma, on the south side of the lake, northwest of Sherman.

Thanks Bob. I'd heard of that and we actually had an osprey stay with us for a week before moving on but have never seen eagle out here. They must have a thing about flying east of 35. Hopefully some day if they continue to increase in population we will give them a stopping over place. Maybe they could scare off some cormorants!

You guys in Texas aren't the only ones with eagles. I was on a 1200 acre tract in December 2002, in southwest Louisiana, with A Ducks Unlimited biologist and an NRCS biologist photographing the ducks and geese on a shallow water prairie and a bald eagle flew up about 150 yards in front of us. They follow the large flocks of geese and catch any cripples or weak birds. We also had 2 Cara Caras, I think thats how to spell it, the Mexican Eagle. You may have more than you think right where you are, you just have to put in many hours with binoculars to properly identify them.