On Mon., Feb. 12, I saw my first Golden Eagle, outside of those I have seen at football games at Jordan-Hare Stadium at Auburn. It was not in some remote part of Alaska, but on Point A Lake, right here in good Ole Lower Alabama. I have been back in Alabama for 10 years now and have seen lots of other beautiful birds, including osprey or fish eagles, on or near the lake. I have seen beavers and an occasional alligator, but that day’s sighting was a first for me.

As I pulled into my driveway after returning from a doctor’s appointment, I saw what I thought was an unusually large buzzard gracefully circling the lake. I couldn’t recall having ever seen a lone buzzard ever circling in such fashion, and besides, it just looked different.

I thought I could see talons hanging down, so I walked out to the lake’s edge to see if I might get a better view. As I reached the edge, the bird began a very rapid descent to the water, maybe 100 yards in front of me. He skimmed the surface no more than three or four feet before thrusting his feet in the water and catching a fish. I could only watch in amazement as it flew to a nearby tree to eat its catch and I said to myself “We don’t have free ranging Golden Eagles in L.A.,” but we do – I saw one.

As I walked back to my house my neighbor, Ronnie Capps, was taking his garbage out for pickup. I said, “Ron, you are not going to believe what I just saw,” and I told him the story. Ron said, “Well, you know what, my daughter C. J. told Lynn and I yesterday that she saw an unusually large bird circling the lake. C. J., you were right.”

My wife now wants to know if eagles eat cats, and I told her we could not be so lucky.

I would be curious to know if other folks on Point A or Gantt Lakes have seen an eagle, and I do so hope it (they) are not just passing through.

Kylan Lewis