Eagles in Alexandria

[Cjones]

For all you nature lovers...

There is a pair of eagles that are nesting in Alexandria just outside of Old Town. If you are on South Washington street (G.W. Parkway) heading towards Mt. Vernon, as soon as you leave Old Town you cross a small bridge and there is a dirt turnoff on your right that the park service has put a barricade around. The nest is in the tallest tree behind the barricade on the Belle Haven Country Club golf course.

The bird watchers have been setting up on the bike path side of the road and have named them Alex and Belle. Eggs have been laid. Some of the bird watchers have posted some very nice pics (links below).

I drive by where the eagles are nesting a few times a day and it is very cool to see them. They are impressive looking creatures!

Links:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=326105&paper=69&cat=104

http://www.pbase.com/paulasullivan/gw_parkway_bald_eagles

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74104660@N00/sets/72157613509156390/

[toonces]

It's good to see the Bald Eagles braving the suburbs. I fish for bass on the Potomac River regularly and there have been many of them on both shores of the river south of Pohick Bay for years. I think I first sighted one in Pohick Bay around 1990. They are really abundant south of Quantico.

I was talking with a birder last Thursday on the fishing pier at Jones Point Park and he was checking on the peregrine falcons that hang out at the Wilson Bridge. Apparently they are mostly seen on the north side of the bridge east of the draw spans where there is an abundant supply of pigeons there for them to hunt.

Thanks for the links to the article and pictures.

[allencb]

I see them frequently in Manassas, even had one fly over my house a couple summers ago.

Chris

[wren]

Thanks for the links! I drive by everyday and always look for the birds. I've perfected the ability to drive down the Parkway at 10 mph with my head craned to the side, peering out the sunroof. I'm surprised there aren't more wrecks.

:)

[jabberwocky]

Thats cool! Bald eagles are amazing birds. I shot this picture last year while salmon fishing in the queen charlotte islands. It was skimming down to grab a rockfish we had just thrown back.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2472/simg2718.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=simg2718.jpg)

[brcire]

For all you nature lovers...

There is a pair of eagles that are nesting in Alexandria just outside of Old Town. If you are on South Washington street (G.W. Parkway) heading towards Mt. Vernon, as soon as you leave Old Town you cross a small bridge and there is a dirt turnoff on your right that the park service has put a barricade around. The nest is in the tallest tree behind the barricade on the Belle Haven Country Club golf course.

Any chance these could be the progeny of George and Martha, the two Eagles who nested near the WW bridge during the construction of the new spans?

Two years ago I watched one dip below the trees, only to reappear seconds later with a squirrel in its talons and this was at Columbia Pike and Braddock road in a housing development!

[saxman]

There was a juvenile bald eagle that had made Black Hill its home about two years ago. I haven't spotted it recently. It definitely took me by surprise...I did not expect to see a bald eagle there.

[Squirrel_Girl]

It's a shame that the squirrels are dyin', but at least they're giving their lives to a good cause.

[riderx]

There was a juvenile bald eagle that had made Black Hill its home about two years ago. I haven't spotted it recently. It definitely took me by surprise...I did not expect to see a bald eagle there.There's a big eagle's nest in the backyard of a house on Clopper, near the intersection with Rt. 121. There was 1 or 2 juveniles in it last spring. You could frequently see them and the adults prior to the the leaves filling in the trees. Eagles return to the same nests season after season, so this probably still in use but I haven't been by it recently.

[wren]

Has anyone seen the eagles at Belle Haven lately? I live around the corner from the nest and I haven't seen them since last week. And there were crows on the nest yesterday.

UPDATE 3/18 - The photogs are reporting that the eagles have pretty much abandoned the nest, or at least they are not tending to it like they have any viable eggs. There is a chance that the female eagle might lay more this season, but not likely. I also learned that bald eagles generally return to the same nest over the years, so hopefully we will get some baby eagle chicks next year.

:(

[Trailcreep]

The eagles are doing well. I saw both of them today, flying back and forth from the nest, they seem to be more active at low tide. This is a good destination this weekend since most trails will be too wet to ride. If you have binoculars bring them..check this photographers link...eagles under gallery

http://otissowellphotography.com/