Texas
I was fishing on my pier yesterday and much to my surprise a Bald Eagle landed in a tree about 75ft from where I was! The eagle was just the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. It stayed there for a good 10 minute’s of let out a scream that was unbelievable and then flew off. I live in Huffman, Texas on Lake Houston.
Robert Rutty
I saw a bald eagle in Kerrville texas at about 1:00
pm on the Guadalupe river directly behind the
Starbucks. It was circling really low to the ground
like it had seen something that got away from it while
it was hunting. The best part is though that I got
pictures! You can see some of them on my flickr site
starting with this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spellfish/2303172794/
Bob Booth III
3-1-2008 A friend and I were taking a boat ride up the San Jacinto river from
Baytown to the Banana Bend area. On the way back I spotted a large blackish bird
perched on a very tall dead tree with a white head, my friend said he thought it
was a little small to be a bald eagle, with the bonoculars we could tell it had
some stripping by its eyes. When we got home and looked it up we realized it WAS
a Bald Eagle and it had not reached full maturity yet.
Dabney Davis
2/23/08 around 2:00pm Going North on TX Hwy 60 between Bay City and Whorton my wife and I spotted a Bald Eagle flying out of a drainage ditch along the side of the road. He was only about ten feet away from us so we got a real got view of him and there was no mistaking him for another bird of prey. This is the first sighting I've had in Texas. I read the posting of the sighting at Kendelton and its not that far from where we were so it may have been the same bird.
The Fultz Family
Location: Texas- Palo Pinto County
Fortunate to have 3 total sightings so far.
January 19th, a pair located on dead timber located in Lake Palo Pinto at the causeway over the lake north side of FM 3137.
February 16, another pair again in dead trees on Hwy 16 near Possum Kingdom Lake, just across the road from the Fish Hatchery, also caught by a photographer and published by the Lake Country Sun
February 22, one flew over our house which is on a cliff overlooking the north shore of Lake Palo Pinto, he was low, no more than 20 feet above the treetops. This cliff has a lot of thermal updrafts so very good for soaring. Unmistakably a Bald Eagle, defined bright white head and fan tail. He could have been scouting out some of the wild cats that reside on our cliff.
We have never seen so many in this area, what a privilege it has been.
- Jon Salis- Palo Pinto County-Texas
02/14/2008 - Cedar Park, TX. I was on my way to work into NW Austin from Georgetown. I was traveling west on Brushy Creek between Parmer Ln and Vista Ridge. I noticed a "very" large bird sitting on top of a utility pole...I thought it was fake until it moved it's head. I actually said to myself "why would someone put a fake eagle up on a pole out here?" It was my first time to ever see a Bald Eagle in the wild. I never expected to see one around this area. It was an amazing sight. It was very large...it must have been close to 3 feet tall from my estimate. I wanted to stop for a photo, but I just knew it would fly away and decided to let it be. I'm guessing it was female due to it's size. A simply amazing bird.
Martin Zamarripa
On February 9, 2008, my husband , daughter and I were taking a drive around Possum Kingdom Lake, Texas. We were on the East side of the Lake close to the dam and the state fish hatchery when my husband spotted a Bald Eagle. He was about 150 yards off the road and up on a hill. We watched him and took pictures of him for about 30 minutes before we had to leave.
Alicia Smith
Boyd, Texas
Feb 1, 2, 2008 I saw a Bald Eagle in Cypress, Texas (northwest Houston) perched on a pine tree branch in my backyard.
Sam Harmon
The Woodlands, Texas on February 1st, 2008 at about 5 pm I saw a definite bald eagle flying near Lake Woodlands.
Isaac Van Sligtenhorst
On 1/23/08, at around 1pm I was traveling down highway 59 south just about 3 miles north of kendleton, texas, 45 miles south of Houston. It was then when I saw in the median of the freeway, about 15 feet off the highway, a bald eagle looking right at me. He lifted off the ground with what looked like a rabbit, or an animal of that size, in its talons and landed about 30 yards down the median.
About two months earlier I thought I saw one flying in the same area. However, it was in the distance and so I was not too sure; now I know. In 30 years of traveling this highway I have never heard of anyone else seeing a bald eagle; it was very exciting!
Peter White
Houston, Texas
A little after noon today Jan 20 2008:
It is a Beautiful clear and crisp winter day.
I was letting my youngest daughter drive me to her boyfriend's house.
Enjoying the fact that she can drive fairly well and the weather was very nice!
I was looking out in the pastures for the occasional deer and there feeding on a something was a Bald Eagle, I couldn't believe it. I have walked and drove in these woods for over 15 yrs and never seen or heard one.
Well in a panic I convinced my daughter to stop the vehicle. After backing up and pulling forward several times we found the right lane to see the Eagle. Beautiful was all I could think! We called the house and within minutes the rest of the family was there.
We watched in awe for ten minutes or so and the eagle very aware of our noisy
Interruption of his afternoon snack took flight and we left.
I saw him again after dropping off my daughter on the return drive,
soaring just above the treetops in the same pasture,
At least 6' wingspan, Beautiful!
Steve Crenshaw
Coldsprings, Tx
On Monday Jan 14 around 4pm I saw a Bald Eagle flying west-northwest over the Lake Worth bridge while driving along Loop 820 on the north west side of Forth Worth, Texas. It was about 100' or so above the bridge so I got a great side angle view.
Brant Maines
I saw three bald eagles grouped on the ground east of Monaville, Texas, south of FM. 529 West, off of Fm. 362. Not sure if they were scavenging. Pretty exciting!
01/16/08 @ 5:00pm.
Susan Bain, Waller TX
A Bald eagle landed in a tree in my backyard on December 30, 2007 around
10:00 am. I live in Brazos Country, about 7 miles east of Sealy, Texas,
south of I-10 and about 1/2 mile from the Brazos River. What an amazing and
beautiful site.
Alfred Tomasek
On the way home from work yesterday, around 2PM, I was crossing the big bridge on FM 1097 when I saw a PAIR of bald eagles flying together and swooping the water just south of the bridge about 50-75 yards. I was unsure they were eagles until they turned slightly and I could see their white heads and tails. I had no idea there were eagles on the lake until last winter when I saw one fly over FM 1097 near the east bridge at an altitude of about 50 feet just in front of my car...what a thrill!
Laurie Bowman
Willis, TX
My husband and myself just spent 15 wonderful minutes of our evening walk watching a Bald Eagle who landed in a field off of Broadway, in La Porte, Texas. I have lived here in this area for 46 years and never have I seen an Eagle around here.
A wonderful experience! A local policeman saw the bird as well and I believe he took pictures.
Jeanette Parsons
On 26 Dec '07, I saw a younger Bald Eagle swoop thru the intersection in
front of my neighborhood in Kingwood (north of Houston) at 11:30am. It
disappeared behind some brush and trees, and came back through the
intersection with what looked like a snake hanging from it's talons as
he gained altitude and retreated back through the intersection. It was
a clear, blue sky day and he was literally 30 ft in front of me in the
intersection at High Valley and Stately Oaks. I could not believe what
I was seeing as I hadn't see a Bald Eagle since my last visit to Alaska
several years ago. Clearly visible were his white head and tail, and
the brown & black hues of his feathers in the clear sunlight. I later
spotted him riding the thermals several hundred feet above High Valley
just soaring the day away.
B E Dunn
I saw a low-flying, mature bald eagle at around 4:30 PM on Christmas Eve. We
were driving east-bound on I-10 around the Channelview area, on the east
side of Houston. It was a great treat to see the bird's bold colors against
a deep blue sky. As a side-note, my family (we were on our way to Christmas
Eve services) was highly critical of my driving, as I craned my neck to see
the bird while traveling on I-10 at a high speed.
Jim Recer
Katy, Texas
Was walking my dog in my urban Dallas, TX neighborhood a few minutes ago and saw a young bald eagle (head not yet all white) land on a tree limb about 15 yards from me. A small squirrel tried to chase it out of its tree and came within 2 feet of the eagle and the eagle did not move or seem to care. After about 3 minutes the eagle took off after a small bird. Phenomenal!
Matt Gates
MY FRIEND AND I SAW A BALD EAGLE FROM THE BACK DECK OF OUR CHURCH IN BATOWN TEXAS. IT FLEW DOWN OUT OF A TREE BETWEEN THE WOODS AND OUR CHURCH ON 12/16/07, IT WAS A AMESOME SIGHT AND THE CLOSEST I HAVE EVER SEEN ONE BEFORE. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I LOOKED UP THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY IT WAS THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES. HOW COOL IS THAT.
Terry Bunch
On Saturday, 12/8/07, I was putting up Christmas lights on my house in the
Memorial area of west Houston, a few blocks north of Buffalo Bayou, when I
saw a vulture cruising above the tree tops. It looked more like a hawk, but
it was too big. As it got overhead I saw that it was a Bald Eagle. What a
thrill! It veered off towards my back yard and I took off to try and follow
it, just a little concerned that it might go after my smallest dog, but it
was gone and I am sure my dog was safe. Bald Eagles in Houston, Texas - how
cool is that! I was moved and I can see why the bird is our national symbol.
Murphy Graham
Montgomery County, Texas is just North of Houston. We live on a 13 acre lake within a subdivision and have been watching a pair of Bald Eagle. Living on the lake year round are Mallard ducks, Black-bellied Whistling ducks, Great Blue Heron and Great Heron. With in the lake there are bass, catfish, turtles and frogs. We have watched the eagles prey on fish and a whistling duck. They sit for hours at a time within the trees. The eagles are magnificent and we or honored they have choose our area to visit for a second year.
Kim Price
This past Saturday, Nov, 10, 2007 my boyfriend and I were walking along a trail on Lake Conroe and spotted a bald eagle in a tree. We got two photos of the eagle, one perched in the tree and one shortly after taking flight. We were not real close but the photos definitely show the white head and tail of this beautiful bird.
Kim Carr
My Husband, dog and I were coming back from a productive morning at Brazos Bend State Park when we saw an Eagle perched on top of a telephone pole having a nice breakfast. I have never seen an eagle and I was born and raised in the Houston area. It was quite a treat for both of us. If anyone is interested, I did a small write up on my experience on my blog and posted the pictures that I was able to take. The write-up can be found at http://rtipton.wordpress.com/2007/10/14/awesome-eagle/.
Rhonda Tipton
Today, 9/30/2007, about 12:30pm my wife asked, "What is that on the golf course?". There, standing in the middle of the fairway of the La Quinta golf course in Missouri City was a bald eagle! It was having a fish for lunch. After about 5 minutes the fish was completely devoured. The eagle wiped its beak on the grass and took took flight, headed down the fairway.
When it reached treetop level it turned and was gone.
--Steve Krenek
Livingston, Texas. My home is about 10 miles from the Lake Livingston Damsite.
This morning about 10 AM, I was in my backyard playing "fetch" with my dog and
I heard this 'scream' (which I've heard only one other time in my life and that was
in Houston, Co. Texas) and knew an eagle was overhead.
Not just one eagle but two! And they were playing in the air. Soaring up & down,
circling, and going down as if to catch something. I just sat down and put my hands
over my eyes to shade them from the hot August sun, and waited for them to appear
again. Sure enough they did...and there were three of them! What a show they put on!
It was such a thrill to watch them. I went to my search engine & your site came up.
I don't know if these birds were mating, or if they were young eagles practicing their skills. I read about the sightings in Texas and decided to record mine. I have always heard
there were eagles around Lake Livingston, but never seen any until today. I don't live
on the lake, but close enough, I guess. (Maybe they decided to come to town. Ha Ha.)
Sherry Day Foster
To Russel Thorp in Missouri City, you're not losing your mind. I had the pleasure of seeing an adult Bald Eagle in the vicinity of the corner of 521 and Beltway 8 this evening, July 8, 2007. I couldn't believe my eyes as well, and spent a few dollars getting on and off the Beltway, driving loops back and forth in the area hoping to see it again. Was relieved to find this website and know that I wasn't losing my mind myself. I plan on spending some time in the area again, real soon, hoping to catch another glimpse...
John McBrine
A pair of Bald Eagles have been hanging out for the last 2 weeks where
I work off the ship channel.
Kelly Waltmon
February 25, 2007 Greens Bayou eagle:
OK guys, I've been watching him too!!! Greens Bayou at Normandy. Tall
dead tree on the southeast side of the bridge. Yesterday morning, I saw
him there around 9:00 a.m. I passed that way again around 10:30 a.m. and
saw him again. I ran home to get my camera.... returned.... hunted for
about an hour but didn't see him again. He is beautiful and yes, very
large! I feel like it's the same eagle I've been seeing in the area for
about 2 months. If anyone gets a picture, PLEASE SHARE!!!!! I live close
to Greens Bayou and teach in Humble.
Terri Stanton
I thought I was losing my mind... I just moved from San Antonio, Texas to Missouri City, Texas (just Southwest of Houston) and had no idea that there were American Bald Eagles in Texas until yesterday! My wife and I were driving down Glenn Lakes blvd, just about 1/4 mile from my house toward Highway 6 when a huge bird flew over and in front of our car. It was traveling along a waterway (drainage for the Brazos River) that the road crossed. We were driving about 25 miles and hour and I saw it in plenty of time to brake and watch it fly over and toward the south (we were traveling west). That was about 5:45 p.m. on February 19th, 2007. I must say that it was once of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in the wild. I have seen them in zoos but to actually see one in the wild was breathtaking.
Russell E. Thorp
January 2007,
I live on Greens Bayou in Houston, TX, less than a quarter mile off of I-10. On the other side of the bayou is a wooded area with several tall pine trees. During the past few weeks, I have seen big baldy swooping down from his tall remote tree and then return to his favorite branch several times. The first time I saw him, he passed over my house just above the tree tops with what appeared to be either a branch or a snake hanging from his claws. He is definitely no baby. It is difficult to judge from a distance, but he appears to be 6-8 feet from wing tip to wing tip. He is absolutely the largest bird I have ever seen in the wild. I hope he stays around for awhile. He is a beautiful sight to behold. It’s amazing that he lives in such a polluted city as Houston.
Jake Gatewood
At approximately 5:00 pm, on January 25th 2007, I was driving east on IH-10 around the area of Greens Bayou on the east side of Houston, Texas. I noticed a large bird flying low and north over the freeway. As I got closer, I recognized it to be a bald eagle. It passed in front of me at a close range, and it was easy to recognize. I thought I had seen something very uncommon; so, I began to look on the Internet for any postings related to eagle sightings in the Houston area. I was surprised to see that others have also seen these magnificant birds in our region (another on Greens Bayou, but further north). I am still a little in shock over seeing such a magnificant sight.
Brian Hayes - Baytown, TX
I work at Johnson Space Center (NASA) in Houston Texas and I have a beautiful view of the main mall area of the Koi stocked ponds. We see a lot of hawks along with the bountiful deer here. Today I saw a bald eagle scoop up a fish and fly off towards Clear Lake on January 10, 2007. It was breathtaking.
Denise Choppa
My husband and I were on a bird watching drive around the Katy Prairie in Houston, TX. We were driving West on FM 529 between Barker Cypress and Katy-Hockley Roads. The female Bald Eagle was sitting in a shallow marsh just 50 feet off the road. I have always watched for them perched in trees or on poles and never dreamed to see one on the ground. Just as my husband was backing up our car to watch her, she grabbed what we think was a goose or duck and carried it about 50 feet before dropping it. There was a feather "debris field" of about 30 feet. She then began to dine on her catch and the male Bald Eagle flew over head. As I tried to approach for a picture she abandoned her prey and landed about 100 yards deeper into the field. I can not get over how tall she looked even at that distance. I have attached what I know are poor pictures. This was a very exciting day for us as we have been bird watchers for several years now and this is our first sighting.
Kathy Dowling
December 22, 2006
While playing golf at River Ridge Gold Club a mature bald eagle landed in a large pecan tree next to the tee box. Our presence did not seem to bother him; my foursome teed off and he continued to sit in the tree. River Ridge is on the Brazos River, just east of Sealy, Texas. We were all quite amazed at sighting such a bird.
Jack Yarbrough
December 1, 2006 While driving down highway 59 south perhaps a mile south of Diboll Texas I spotted a lone Bald Eagle as it flew into a near by tree. Not believing what I saw I turned my car around only to see the eagle fly down to the roadway again. I turned around again this time to see the eagle fly up in front of my car with a road kill clutched in it's talons.
Steve Mosley
On November 22, 2006, I saw two large birds ascend from the posts on which the electric lines are attached near our home. I rushed to the window and noted that they had landed on a nearby post, which presented a clearer view. I believe they were bald eagles who sometime search for fish on nearby Lake Lavon, which has shrunk due to this year's drought. I watched as they flew toward the lake, which I am sure was their final direction. I have seen the magnificent birds before along the roadway, but never on my own property.
Lillian Lewis, Allen, Texas
11-23-06
Was taking a Thanksgiving nature walk along Greens Bayou in North Houston just south of FM 525, when I startled a Bald Eagle who was obviously fishing in the bayou. He flew down along the path of the bayou out of site. He was the biggest bird I’ve ever seen in flight. What an exciting sighting!!!
Tommie R. Ainsworth Jr.
I was in my car driving to work around 8 o:clock Monday the 20th of November, between the cities of Greenville and Celeste Texas, (close to the area referred to as Kingston) an eagle flew over Highway 69 (just high enough to clear the tops of vehicles on the road) in front of my vehicle and continued flying to the west and landed in a field out of my line of sight. I have lived in the area about 15 years and have never seen an eagle in this immediate area before.
Deborah Kirk
My wife and I saw a pair of Eagles fly in and perch in the top of an oak tree on Lake Holbrook near Mineola, Tx. on 18 Nov. 2006. We sat in the car and watched them for about 5 minutes until an approaching vehicle apparently frightened them away. From our observation point, they were spectacular.
Dan Keels
11/16/06 7:28 am, As I was driving to work this morning, I spotted a pair of bald eagles in a field about a mile and a half from my home. I stop to take a picture and they both flew over to a couple of fence post. I live in Fannin County, Texas near the small town of Ravenna, near the Red River. Courtesy of T. Hughes
Sunday November 5, 2006, My wife and I were on the
shore of Lake Conroe at Bentwater Community
Development, adjacent to the Sam Houston National
Forest, about an hour drive north of Houston, Texas.
We were looking at property for a lake home when she
saw a mature bald eagle with a squirrel in its clutch
perched high in a near-by tree. Naturally we wondered
if it really was an eagle, but when it spread its
wings and swooped down across the lake there was
absolutely no doubt.....a sign from above, we bought
the property. Courtesy of Mark Merrill
At 5:07pm Sunday March 5, 2006, I sighted one bald eagle soaring over North
Shore Park on Lake Woodlands in The Woodands, Texas.
The eagle seemed small -- about the size of an adult buzzard. It may be the
offspring from the pair that nested at the south end of the lake last
spring. Courtesy of Bart Jones
I believe I saw one today soaring over Schertz, TX, just north east of San Antonio. Your web site describes them as the only bird in North America with a white head and white tail, and this large bird, soaring at about 200-300 feet high, fit that description. This bird seemed to have white wingtips, too. I saw nothing about that in the description. Perhaps what I was seeing was the blue sky through his wingtips (there were no clouds in the sky today). He seemed to be alone. I'd never seen one before. What a beautiful bird! Courtesy of Charles and Laura Shumaker
I definitely saw a Bald Eagle fly over Armand Bayou at the county park just NE of the Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena, Tx....My Binocs are excellent and I watched him for at least a minute before it dissapeared from my view....it was a wonderful experience for me....Pasadena is part of the Houston Metroplex and Armand Bayou is quite close to the Gulf of Mexico...David Sheffield
Montgomery, Tx 77356 on 3-26-06 Courtesy of Tara Art
While doing yard work (3/14/06), I was delighted to spot this visitor on the lake
and managed to get a couple of quick photos before a car flushed it.
I had seen one in flight over our subdivision in October of 2002, but
this is the first one I've seen on the ground here in Cypress, TX near
Huffmeister and Cypress-Rosehill Rd.
Quite a treat after having moved from Alaska 3 years ago! Courtesy of Barbara and Eric Pierson
Sighting, 3-4-6 Etoile, Texas on Holland Drive near stock pond. Sent chills down our necks. Courtesy of Jim Holland
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2006, I saw a bald eagle in my back yard, eating a wild duck. It was so exciting to see such a large and wonderful bird. I live in Magnolia, TX 77355, 20 miles northwest of Houston. It had picked all the feathers off the duck, than flew and carried the duck carcass into the nearby woods to eat. What a sight! Courtesy of Bill Thomas
Had to share a Bald Eagle sighting yesterday February 9th 2006. One flew right over my backyard. He was up about 200 or so feet but there was no mistaking the white head & tail feathers. I live in Cypress, Texas close to Tomball. Zip 77429. What an absolute thrill!
Courtesy of Hazel Billingsley |