Send us Tips

Bald Eagles at Green Lake

What do you think? (27 Comments) January 10, 2010 at 9:40PM

We spotted the following yesterday on twitter:

saw a bird that looks like Bald Eagle at Greenlake early in the morning, but it couldn’t possibly be one…

We frequently see tweets expressing astonishment and doubt that a bald eagle could be living in our very urban park.

However, we also see many other notes from park-goers who have confirmed that yes, a bald eagle is present at Green Lake. In fact, there are at least two.

Check out this gorgeous shot from photographer Tony Asgari, who generously shared his photographic evidence with us. Yes, there are bald eagles living at Green Lake!

<em>Bald Eagles at Greenlake</em> | Copyright Tony Asgari

Bald Eagles at Greenlake | Copyright Tony Asgari

Thank you, Tony!

Update, Sunday January 10, 11 p.m.:

Thank you, Anne Kelly, for providing some additional information about these eagles in the comments to this post:

The eagles actually live at the zoo, I found this out several years ago, they imprinted on humans while being raised in captivity. I know this to be true because one of my past teachers (I run a local preschool, in the neighborhood) is married to someone who works at the zoo. She informed me of this bird dynamic…They let the birds fly free every day but the eagles always return to their “home” the Woodland Park Zoo!

Update, Tuesday January 12, 3 p.m.:

A reader identitfying himself as “Zoo Guy” has provided a little more information:

There are wild eagles nesting in Greenlake and there are the eagles that live at the zoo. The eagles at the zoo remain in their enclosure and cannot be released. The wonderful part of the story is that the eagles ARE wild eagles. The wonderful part is that they have come back from the decimation from DDT use (now banned). Yes they are wild and there are others in Discovery Park the Duwamish and elsewhere in town. The zoo flys raptors at the raptor yard, but currently not eagles. Cheers, Zoo Guy

Author:
Topics: ,
 
What do you think? (27 Comments)
  • Anne Kelly

    The eagles actually live at the zoo, I found this out several years ago, they imprinted on humans while being raised in captivity. I know this to be true because one of my past teachers (I run a local preschool, in the neighborhood) is married to someone who works at the zoo. She informed me of this bird dynamic…They let the birds fly free every day but the eagles always return to their “home” the Woodland Park Zoo!

  • Keith Logan

    What a spectacular photo! Beautiful!

  • http://twitter.com/lakecitylive Lake City

    wow, I had know idea there were bald eagles at Green Lake. I just saw one the other day along Lake City Way in Lake Forest Park

  • cvn66

    There are actually several sites around Seattle where you can regularly see Bald Eagles in addition to Green Lake/Woodland Park Zoo. They are – Discovery Park/Shilshole, 520 near the Arboritum (there are at least 2 that routinely sit on the light posts on 520 – one adult and one juvinille), Bitter Lake and West Seattle/Harbor Island. It is one of the things that I love about Seattle. We have a very healthy raptor population here (Red tail Hawks, Perigrine Falcons, Eagles and Coopers Hawks), all you need to do is look up once in a while.

    Anne Kelly – I would love to know where you got your information from. The Eagles in the zoo collection are not released. The wild ones who “live” at the zoo (and they are wild, not imprinted as you say) have a nesting site in the elk yard. They don't return there every night and there are years where the site is not used and there are no wild Eagles living at the zoo (but there are plenty who visit – you can usually find them when the crows go nuts). I volunteer at the zoo and have worked with the keepers in the Raptor exhibit there on watching the nest when it looks like the birds are sitting on eggs. The only intervention the zoo has made with these birds is to reinforce the nest so it does not fall out of the tree.

  • JJ

    In the coupe of years we've lived here, as a casual observer I've seen at least three different bald eagles at the lake: two adults (a couple of spots were at the same time, to be sure there were two) and a single immature bird. They were around frequently enough over this past summer that our houseguests got great looks and our toddler started spotting them (“airplane birds”). I last saw a mature eagle two weeks ago flying over Aurora near Woodland Park. Pretty great.

  • http://twitter.com/MitchSpute Mitch Spute

    I've seen the eagles many times over the years fishing or just hanging out, a person at the Woodland Park Zoo said that they do live there and come and go as they please. Once while walking the loop I saw a man w/a very nice camera shooting pics of the lake, little to his knowledge an eagle was perched atop a tree right next to him. I just pointed up, he was flabbergasted, another memorable moment was when 2 eagles were buzzing a rowing team while fishing.
    There are also 2 otters that live in the lake that I have seen on two occasions, both times around sunset, always just north of the small crafts center by a sign that says not to feed the water fowl.

  • http://twitter.com/aaronisthirsty Aaron

    @Mitch, are you sure they weren't just large rats?

  • http://www.zillow.com/local-info/WA-Seattle/Green-Lake-home-value/r_250780/ David G

    This morning I saw one of them swoop down & lift a duck straight off the lake. It was awesome to watch it happen. Thanks for this picture; it really helps to corroborate my story.

  • http://twitter.com/MitchSpute Mitch Spute

    Your story is very believable, I once saw a falcon at Green lake that had killed a pigeon. We feel like we live in the city, yet so much awesome nature surrounds us.

  • http://www.jewellerytips.com/ Jewellery Tips

    Your story is so informative .Thanks for this picture its really helps to corroborate my story.The wonderful part of the story is that the eagles are wild eagles…

  • gdmoffitt

    Was doing a photo shoot around Green Lake yesterday, one of my favorite walks, a beautiful day. One eagle was on the eastern shore perched atop a tree, undoubtedly looking for another tasty duck..

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/demoffitt/4413587531/

    Good to see them there. I seem to remember a few years ago seeing one on the northern shore, being harassed by some other birds (seagulls?)

  • mygreenlake

    Wow! Wow, wow, wow. That is an absolutely stunning shot! Thanks for sharing this, gdmoffitt!

  • gdmoffitt

    Glad you like it, they are beautiful, aren't they?

  • http://www.webaddlink.com/ addlink addurl

    Your website is beautiful and useful. How do I access your site often. Come visit my website at addlink addurl and Linking to websites