The day started out gray and cold - bone chilling cold. I had some errands to run in Thief River Falls around noon, so I took my Prius out for a spin. My Prius has heated seats. Back when I bought the car a couple of years ago, I didn't think I'd have reason to appreciate a hot seat. On a day like today, I'm glad I did. Brrr.
As I headed east on Minnesota State Hwy 1, I started scanning the utility poles. I haven't seen a Snowy Owl in a couple of weeks so I was hoping to spot one.
Just before the curve at the road near the Viking turn off, I spotted something very big sitting on top one of the utility poles. It was easily twice the size of a Rough-legged Hawk. Its posture said: eagle. But it did not have a white head. Maybe a young bird, I thought. Maybe something else.
Do I pick up my camera - or my binoculars?
As I went for my camera, tapped my turn signal and pulled off the highway - the bird leaned forward and started to push off its perch on the pole. Fortunately for me, it flew north - right in front of my car. I rolled down my window, focused and clicked.
The wings were a mottled black and white, but it just didn't look like a Bald Eagle. It wasn't until I got back home and downloaded the photos that I realized what it was: a Golden Eagle!
A Golden Eagle. Just another day on the beach here on Glacial Lake Agassiz...
Way cool!
