So many Turkeys!

[midpack 1,035]

In the last few weeks we keep having what looks like different flocks of Turkeys grazing through the yard. Group sizes 7 to 20. 

We've been enjoying all the wildlife at our new home in Maine. We've had deer, Bald and Golden Eagles, Herons, and even what looked like an Egret. 

[ebinmaine 73,472]

22 minutes ago, midpack said:

Bald and Golden Eagles

 

 

Bald eagles are very common around here but golden, very rare. I'm wondering if what you're seeing is the immature bald? They don't get there trademark head and tail feathers until the Third season.

[midpack 1,035]

I did see a young Bald Eagle a couple years ago flying with its mom fishing. This one looked different. I got a good look at the tail feathers and the pattern looked like the pics I saw online.

It could have been a Red Shoulder hawk, my Merlin app identified the call near here.

The Bald Eagle was chasing it away and they were almost the same size

[Ed Kennell 42,440]

 

My guess is Golden, the ones I see look larger and heavier than an immature Bald.

[ebinmaine 73,472]

Still definitely could have been a golden. They're around. Just not very often. More likely would be the red shouldered hawk. Those are common in Maine. We have them nesting on our side to heal here. A larger red-shouldered Hawk would be about the same size as a smaller eagle.

[Achto 29,519]

Glad to hear that you are enjoying your new home

 

You may have inadvertently captured a pic of a baby sasquatch.  

 

 

[midpack 1,035]

I wouldn't be surprised! Lol

[peter lena 9,337]

@midpack   love eagles , and the areas they inhabit , reflects  perfect set ups , just watching them  is very special , their  eyesight is incredible . my best personal  experience , fly fishing , in utah ,pontoon  boat , kick fins , silent  hunting , was zeroing in on a trout  ,  about to cast , and right over my  head , an eagle , with  claws  extended , hit the fish  I was about to cast  too !  did not hear it or sense it in any way  , caught  and released a number of fish  that day ,  BUT ,the one I didn't  catch ,  was the best , pete  

[Ed Kennell 42,440]

                                                     Fish On

                                    

[SylvanLakeWH 28,890]

16 minutes ago, Achto said:

Glad to hear that you are enjoying your new home

 

You may have inadvertently captured a pic of a baby sasquatch.  

 

 

Nah... that's @ebinmaine out takin' pictures of the BBT doing work... 

[Ed Kennell 42,440]

Nah, I think Pete sneaked in there with his Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod to catch a couple bluegills for his lunch.

Edited September 4 by Ed Kennell

[squonk 44,038]

Head of bird looks shaped like an Eagle more than a Hawk

[Ed Kennell 42,440]

29 minutes ago, squonk said:

Head of bird looks shaped like an Eagle more than a Hawk

Yep, not a hawk.    That's a Golden Eagle.

[ebinmaine 73,472]

I wish I could see that better on my tiny phone...

[ebinmaine 73,472]

Guys if that can be positively identified as a golden eagle and not an immature bald eagle, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife would DEFINITELY want to know about it.

Doing a little poking around on the interwebs I am finding that some people say less than 1% of the eagles in Maine are golden and that there hasn't been a confirmed siding here in quite a good many years until March of 24.

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 28,890]

While pixelated, zooming in appears to me the head is white... three lower right tail feathers inside look white... I'm guessing 3-4 year old Baldy...

 

Body definitely eagle.

 

[WHX?? 52,127]

Not that I agree with anything Sylvia says but  ... 2 yo baldy. 

[Ed Kennell 42,440]

I really enjoy having the wildlife, rabbit, fox, skunk, raccoon, deer, eagles, heron, coyote, bear and songbirds, so close to the house.  

 

But after a strong thunderstorm this afternoon, I made my rounds checking for damage and when I leaned over the wood stove to check for water around the flue pipe I just felt I was being watched.   I looked down and saw this guy about a foot from my leg. An Eastern rat (black) snake.   He was around 4' long. You can see the bulk of his body across the back of the stove and a good foot was down the back side.

 

 

 

Not sure why he moved in as the field mice don't come in till October.    Well I like mouse eaters, but I knew he needed to be relocated before Mrs. K saw him.

I'm not ready to move to the city.      I snatched him behind the head and he coiled up around my arm and held on for the trip to the barn where there are some chipmunks to feast on.

 

 

[peter lena 9,337]

@Ed Kennell  prefer  graphite  rods , the durability  and  matching  reach  especially on a roll cast , from a  kick boat  , lets you just sit off a shore line shadow spot , and roll in a hopper fly , the shade gives the fish cover , security , anything  small on top , always  draws them out .  pete

[ebinmaine 73,472]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

  I snatched him behind the head and he coiled up around my arm and held on for the trip to the barn where there are some chipmunks to feast on.

 

Thanks for doing that Ed. 

Way too many people have a ridiculous unfounded fear of snakes and it's a terrible shame.  

[lynnmor 7,913]

I had two huge black snakes living in an old stone fence well away from my buildings.  We got along just fine with them running interference with the rodent team.  One day while mowing I almost ran over the carcass of one of the snakes killed by a worthless tenant that killed anything that moved.  Bad enough that he killed it but to stretch it out in the grass for me to run over tells me that he needs to move.  After a run of such people I have had it with being a landlord after dealing with the useless.

 

Now I have a problem with 4 cats belonging to neighbors, they visit daily and kill the birds that I am feeding and I have no evidence that mice are harmed.  I told them of the problem so now there is still one that I need to rehome and likely the others will be back.

[clueless 3,289]

Good thing your not in Florida, that little pond would have a gator in it by now and they tend to run of the rest of the wildlife.

[Wayne0 1,295]

I gotta' say, there more turkeys here than I have ever seen! The population is booming! Going to be good hunting.