Rare eagle spotted in Massachusetts, thousands of miles away from home in Asia-Post an 'Eagle' coin

1630Boston

A rare Steller’s sea eagle was spotted along the Taunton River. It's the first documented sighting of the species, which is native to Asia, in Massachusetts. David Ennis and MassWildlife
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December 20, 2021

A rare sea eagle native to Asia was spotted in Massachusetts — thousands of miles away from home — according to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife on Monday.

The bird — known as a Steller’s sea eagle — was reportedly seen last week near the Taunton River. MassWildlife wrote that these birds can weigh up to 20 pounds and can have a wingspan up to eight feet.

The bird is native to China, Japan, Korea, and eastern Russia, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

The division reported they believe this is the same Steller’s sea eagle spotted in Alaska and Canada. According to an article in Smithsonian Magazine from November, the same bird is believed to have traveled to Nova Scotia, Texas, Quebec, and New Brunswick.

The bird was first seen in North America on Alaska’s Denali Highway in August 2020.

The eagle is most identifiable for its yellow beak and white patterned feathers on its wings, as seen in the photo MassWildlife posted.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, the bird is certainly lost, which is not uncommon for birds. Vagrancy — when birds lose their path — happens when birds either make a navigation error or get lost due to a storm.

“It’s like an avian soap opera,” an avian vagrancy expert Alexander Lees told the New York Times. “We’re all rooting for it. Will it make it home? Or is it doomed to never see another species of its own in its lifetime?”

1630Boston

Please post your favorite 'Eagle' coin
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Namvet69

This guy needs a girlfriend. And some sushi. Peace Roy

vulcanize

Wonder if it came through proper immigration process.
Dedicating my profile picture to it which is from the commemmorative box of the1986 Ellis Island Silver dollar proof set

keets

hey, I happened to see a Bald Eagle just the other day, not unusual since they nest not far away along Lake Erie. we just don't see them very often.

thebeav

That's sad......Holy cow, up to an 8 foot wingspan. Think pterodactyl......

Mr_Spud

vulcanize

Perhaps he needs to join the gang

Source:

https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/1230253863879487489/photo/1

1630Boston

@vulcanize said:
Perhaps he needs to join the gang

I remember the Decorah Eagle Cam
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https://youtu.be/UmclL6funN8

ricko

Eagles are a favorite of mine... In feathers or silver or gold. Cheers, RickO

Cranium_Basher73

bramn8r

gumby1234

JBK

Amazing. He has really gotten around. I wonder if he crossed the Bering Straight from Russia.

Stella

This is pretty neat. As a bird enthusiast, I always find these stories interesting.

Here are various numismatic birds to keep us on topic:

Pnies20

Geez give the guy a girlfriend… don’t be a 🐔 block

Nysoto

Engraved by Robert Scot in 1798:

jwitten

Probably a Chinese spy drone 😂

Hydrant

No pictures, but.....A couple of days ago 3 Bald Eagles and 1 Golden Eagle were in my back yard in the morning. They followed me around all day while I was on the tractor. They love eating freshly turned up bugs, snakes, etc. Beautiful creatures.... And big....and smart. If you know how to call them in with just the right whistle.......you have fine feathered friends forever.

Hydrant

To add.....those birds are beautiful...... but scary. Those beaks and claws are dangerous. And BIG!........and those eyes?......they don't miss a thing. WHOA!

Meltdown

DCW

vulcanize

@Hydrant said:
To add.....those birds are beautiful...... but scary. Those beaks and claws are dangerous. And BIG!........and those eyes?......they don't miss a thing. WHOA!

Almost a decade ago there was this clip that was doing the rounds of an eagle trying to snatch a kid on the internet and everyone thought it was real. Apparently it was an animation video made by some kids.

https://youtu.be/CE0Q904gtMI

Sure looked legit back then and scared many folks.

markelman1125

Let’s home he flys home safe

WAYNEAS

@gumby1234 said:

Love the article @1630Boston and the the picture posted by @gumby1234.
Wayne

Nysoto

JBK

I don't have the picture but it was recently in the news... of a prairie dog standing on its hind legs scaring off an eagle.

WAYNEAS

@JBK said:
I don't have the picture but it was recently in the news... of a prairie dog standing on its hind legs scaring off an eagle.

...and how did that work out for the prairie dog? lol
Wayne

1630Boston

1630Boston

...and how did that work out for the prairie dog? lol
Wayne
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Not Well
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Hydrant

@vulcanize said:

@Hydrant said:
To add.....those birds are beautiful...... but scary. Those beaks and claws are dangerous. And BIG!........and those eyes?......they don't miss a thing. WHOA!

Almost a decade ago there was this clip that was doing the rounds of an eagle trying to snatch a kid on the internet and everyone thought it was real. Apparently it was an animation video made by some kids.

https://youtu.be/CE0Q904gtMI

Sure looked legit back then and scared many folks.

I live in a nature preserve that was originally set up for Bald Eagles. I have seen them do some very, very remarkable and vicious things. They can drop down out of nowhere and pick up your house pet and then ascend back up into the air without ever flapping their wings. One morning I went into my home office and a Bald Eagle was perched on my desk. PANIC CITY! I closed the door, went outside and was able to get a window open. Eventually it left. Hey, those birds are frightening..... the look in their eyes! .......Another time I spotted off in the distance what I thought to be a child of 4/5 years old sitting on a rock outcrop. Maybe 1/4 mile away. Lost child I figured. WRONG! Walked over to check it out. The closer I got it still looked like a little kid....then...it calmly spread it's wings, at least 7' wingspan, and started floating towards...ME! I just froze and it floated off. Scary! No joke......I'd rather get eye balled by a mountain lion (I had that happen many times) than get the look from one of those birds.......their talons are vicious.... and big!

Hydrant

This might be getting boring, but I just remembered the most amazing of all my Bald Eagle encounters...... There was a noise in my chimney. It went on periodically for days. I have one of those electric fireplaces installed so I couldn't look up the chimney to see what it was. So I took out the unit, opened the flue a bit and there was a LARGE Bald Eagle! The flue was jammed and wouldn't open enough to let the bird out. So.......I put on all my heavy leather arc welding gear, got a grinder, and went to work cutting out the flue.It took quite some time and the sparks were flying! That bird just calmly sat there looking down at me and never moved. After I cut out a big enough opening, I sat down in the room and waited........ Then ....that bird dropped down and flew out the door that I had open. A few minutes later, the bird flew back into the house and perched on the dining table. It just sat there looking at me. Then it slowly nodded it's head up and down several times.......and then flew away......That bird was thanking me for the rescue......THEY ARE SMART......and GRATEFUL creatures.

1630Boston

Great story @Hydrant
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bolivarshagnasty

JBK

@WAYNEAS said:

@JBK said:
I don't have the picture but it was recently in the news... of a prairie dog standing on its hind legs scaring off an eagle.

...and how did that work out for the prairie dog? lol
Wayne

OK. Now you made me look it up, especially after the other post when the critter that wasn't so lucky.

This one is from last year in CO and he survived.

asheland

Eagle? Can do.
Here’s a few:








a

Hydrant

@1630Boston said:
Great story @Hydrant
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Hey, Boston! I posted it with you in mind. I know you are a Dairy man. Me too when I was a kid. I thought you would like it. MERRY CHRISTMAS BROTHER!!!!! God Bless all you forum members. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. And a Happy New Year! Love your friends..... Love your neighbors... Love the stranger.....Love your FAMILY! That's all we have.....Nothing else matters...You Shall Reap What You Sow......MERRY CHRISTMAS!

gumby1234

@asheland that looks like an 82S toned eagle

bolivarshagnasty

Swampboy

Wow!
That's a long way.
Steller was the naturalist on explorer Vitus Bering's expedition to Alaska in the 18th century.
He first studied the 'blue jay' in the Pacific Northwest which bears his name, the Steller's Jay.
I observed one of those talkative birds earlier this week on a Cornell Project Feederwatch observing day.

2ltdjorn

thats pretty cool. would love to see that thing at the bird feeder!

1630Boston

@Hydrant said:

@1630Boston said:
Great story @Hydrant

Hey, Boston! I posted it with you in mind. I know you are a Dairy man. Me too when I was a kid. I thought you would like it. MERRY CHRISTMAS BROTHER!!!!! God Bless all you forum members. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. And a Happy New Year! Love your friends..... Love your neighbors... Love the stranger.....Love your FAMILY! That's all we have.....Nothing else matters...You Shall Reap What You Sow......MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Ditto

1630Boston

asheland

@gumby1234 said:
@asheland that looks like an 82S toned eagle

Yep! That’s it.

Swampboy

@JBK said:
Amazing. He has really gotten around. I wonder if he crossed the Bering Straight from Russia.

Interesting thought.
With the retreat of Artic Ice maybe a new flyway up in the tundra has developed.

drddm

Dave

Twobitcollector

Eldorado9

rarecoinanalyst

I love America but I have to be honest... this is my all time favorite eagle.