Peter was writing papers and I wanted to get outside and log some sightings, so I called our friends who live in a tiny home out in Ramona and are new to birding. We went back to the Ramona Grasslands Preserve and were looking for anything, but especially the Golden Eagle that nests in the area.
We were so excited when we saw this big brown bird and I wrote home about it.
For a week we celebrated our sighting. But, there was still some doubt if Dad wasn’t sure. I went back to the area of the preserve that required permits. I’d been waiting to use mine since April. This Area 97 borders the public Ramona Grasslands and is only open 3 months a year when the Eagles aren’t nesting and only 50 people can go in per day.
A Ranger checked me in and let me know that three Golden Eagles had just flown over. They were now behind the clouds where he pointed. Hope!
I hiked out toward the nesting sites and passed some horseback riders. One cowboy pointed to the sky and told me those were Eagles. I saw the birds and took a few photos, but wasn’t going to be tricked by hawks – again. I kept going. A group of hikers complimented my camera and told me there was a big bird up on the rock ridge around the corner. “Can’t tell what it is without binoculars.”
Thank you 400mm – there was the Golden Eagle!
I called Dad to let him know that this time I was looking at the right thing.
The best part was being able to share my photos with some hikers who could see the bird in the distance and were thrilled to have the details confirmed by the camera.
As I headed out I saw the smallest species out there:
Biggest and littlest. Mission accomplished. What do y’all think about the first bird? Do Erica and Arthur also get a Golden Eagle for their list? Or is that the dark variation Red-Tailed Hawk? “Sibleys 106.” 😉
-Blair
The Big Year 2021 