Finding not one of our national bird, but three in the same tree was so unexpected! At first I thought the birds I saw diving at each other in the sky were vultures (I was driving and about a mile away from them when I first spotted the two in the sky). I slowed my vehicle and they both landed in a tree next to each other, when I noticed a third eagle higher up in the tree!
Also known as Haliaeetus leucocephalus, bald eagles suffered huge populations losses due to the use of the pesticide toxic DDT some decades ago (which made egg shells fragile leading to egg deformities, death, increased risk of predation, etc.) , they are finally on the rise. Despite this, they are still quite uncommon, even in northern Michigan, so to find three in the same place was astounding! 
Eventually one of the eagles flew off into the nearby woods, so I thought I’d take a closer peak. He was sitting on a very low branch right at the edge of the woods, perhaps scanning for prey, and I managed to take some closer shots of him from a safe and respectful distance with my long range lens!
I absolutely love the wildlife in Michigan. There are so many awe inspiring, beautiful creatures to see! We can do our part to encourage biodiversity and insure the survival of our native species by recycling (which removes dangerous/toxic objects from the environment and helps decrease the demand for new materials), staying away from wild animals so they feel secure and won’t leave their territories, and decreasing pesticide usage. Try weeding your sidewalks, gardens, etc. by hand for a good, eco-friendly workout!
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed these stunning creatures as much as I did!
Jessica Malinowski says
What a once in a lifetime experience!