Eagles

[ovrszd]

About 30 years ago I was driving on a highway in the area of the first couple nests along Lake Erie. An eagle came from the side and dove down to cross perpendicular to my truck just above my hood, and cocked it's head to look look me in the eye as it passed in front of my windshield. I was going about 60mph. I glanced back toward the trees where it came from, figuring there was surely another eagle up there holding this eagle's beer while it tried that stunt! :laughing: But seriously, that was one of the first eagles I saw, and I will never forget that yellow eye staring at me as it zipped by.

Great story. Yes, if you have had an Eagle look you in the eye at close range you won't forget it. Reminds me of the old cartoon drawing of the Eagle zooming in for the kill on the mouse. He's staring death in the eyes and flipping him off.

 

[ovrszd]

I also wanted to raise this issue. I read somewhere that birds have the ability to "zoom" one eye and see normal vision thru the other. Anyone heard of that?

Would explain how a Blue Bird can sit on a perch in our yard and suddenly drop off and glide 50ft horizontal distance and pick an insect out of the yard grass. And do it with accuracy. Can't be flying with both eyes "zoomed" that much. Would be like trying to walk while looking thru binoculars......

 

[Citydude]

I also wanted to raise this issue. I read somewhere that birds have the ability to "zoom" one eye and see normal vision thru the other. Anyone heard of that?

Would explain how a Blue Bird can sit on a perch in our yard and suddenly drop off and glide 50ft horizontal distance and pick an insect out of the yard grass. And do it with accuracy. Can't be flying with both eyes "zoomed" that much. Would be like trying to walk while looking thru binoculars......

Never heard of birds with zoom. I do wear contacts with the left contact correcting far distance, the right contact correcting near distance.

Maybe birds can adjust each eye independently?

 

[dodge man]

I don’t know that they have zoom vision. Don’t ask me why but I did read quit a bit a couple years ago about how birds vision works. They see different than people and will look with just one eye where people want to use both eyes. They can see colors different also, for example almost like polarized vision so they can underwater better.

 

[Ford850]

I also wanted to raise this issue. I read somewhere that birds have the ability to "zoom" one eye and see normal vision thru the other. Anyone heard of that?

Would explain how a Blue Bird can sit on a perch in our yard and suddenly drop off and glide 50ft horizontal distance and pick an insect out of the yard grass. And do it with accuracy. Can't be flying with both eyes "zoomed" that much. Would be like trying to walk while looking thru binoculars......

I've wondered the same thing while watching Bluebirds. A quick search found some good reading on the topic, and you are right... Some birds can adjust their vision very quickly like a zoom lens. Eagles, Hawks, and Bluebirds were named specifically.

 

[Hay Dude]

Heres a few of Bald Eagles while I was haying. They do kind of look right at you. Sorry about picture quality, I-phone was zoomed and tractor cab glass is dirty. :laughing:

 

[MoKelly]

Heres a few of Bald Eagles while I was haying. They do kind of look right at you. Sorry about picture quality, I-phone was zoomed and tractor cab glass is dirty. :laughing:

Those are cool pictures.

I’ve seen eagles at our place every once and a while while mowing - but I just stare and by the time I get the phone out to take a picture they are gone.

Like many here, I tell my wife and she says “no pictures? It doesn’t exist”!

MoKelly

 

[ovrszd]

I've wondered the same thing while watching Bluebirds. A quick search found some good reading on the topic, and you are right... Some birds can adjust their vision very quickly like a zoom lens. Eagles, Hawks, and Bluebirds were named specifically.

It's only logical that they can do that. There's no way normal vision could possibly see an insect at the distance they can. Same with Purple Martins. We have a colony of them each year. I love to watch them gather insects to feed their young. They feed "on the fly". Leave the nest and lazily fly over the CRP field coming back to the nest less than a minute later with their mouth overflowing with insects. Never see them catch one. So they have the ability to "zoom" in on the flying insect at considerable distance.

Side note, I watched a pair of Bluebirds guarding their nest box the other day. A Sparrow was hanging around it. They ran him off.

 

[ovrszd]

Heres a few of Bald Eagles while I was haying. They do kind of look right at you. Sorry about picture quality, I-phone was zoomed and tractor cab glass is dirty. :laughing:

Were they feeding on the killed varmits?

Red Tailed Hawks will do that here. They love it when I brush cut the CRP.

 

[ovrszd]

Those are cool pictures.

I’ve seen eagles at our place every once and a while while mowing - but I just stare and by the time I get the phone out to take a picture they are gone.

Like many here, I tell my wife and she says “no pictures? It doesn’t exist”!

MoKelly

I used to be very bad about that. Finally mentally taught myself to react with the phone camera. Even set my Samsung phone so a quick double click and the camera comes on. I've literally got hundreds and hundreds of wildlife pics.