Bald Eagle sighting in Miami

[Mike Fossler]

I drive from Weston to Miami during the work week down I-75 to the Turnpike as far south as Bird Road. Yesterday I saw an adult Bald Eagle cross overhead at the Turnpike/836 junction, (just south of the Dolphin Mall.) It crossed well in front of me heading west and I got a clear view of it, especially the brilliant white tail as it passed. I knew the area west of here was relatively undeveloped, so I looked at an aerial map when I got to work and noticed that the distance, "as the crow flies" (or in this case, "as the eagle flies") was close enough to believe it to be one of the Pines eagles. Of course, there is plenty of wooded Everglades west of here for plenty of eagles to exist, but maybe......

I grew up in Miami and in the early 80's there was a bald eagle which lived in a small wooded area on the land owned by Babtist Hospital on Kendall Drive. My father was a longtime employee there and devout woodsmen (airboats, swamp buggies, etc.) and he was in charge of maintaining the Hospital and grounds. He used to see the eagle almost daily and showed it to me several times when I came by to visit him at work. It would not be a far stretch to believe the eagle I saw yesterday or the eagles we see in Pembroke Pines to be direct relatives of this "old timer."

[Trisha]

One of the visitors to our nest told me that there is an active nest in Dade that he watches. He thinks it is the relocation of the burned nest pair (where the babies were sadly lost). That development where the nest was located was near the location of your sighting, I think.

He said you can't get close to the new nest at all and was just astounded to see from how close we can observe our eagles. He described the location as way back in a tall Australian Pine on one of the lakes that are from a quarry, along the turnpike to the south, like you describe. He said sometimes you get a better view as the eagles fly to the nest or especially when they dive for fish. I regret that I didn't get more specific details on the exact location!

[Elaine]

March 17th 2012 there was a bald eagle flying above me at Baptisy hospital. I am still shocked and decided once I got back to Tampa to look up any occurances. I am positive it was a mature bald eagle. Other small crows were chasing it and I promise I know the difference between an Osprey and a Bald Eagle.
There is a nesting pair not far from my work in Tampa I visit several times a week.
 

[Mike Fossler]

Many years ago (25 or so) there was a bald eagle which frequented Baptist Hospital and supposedly nested in the adjacent wooded area. I am not sure the wooded area still exists but perhaps some of the offspring continue to visit the area?

[yerald]

wow I saw one today in my area I took quickly my camera i had awesome pictures, I hope they were more in miami they are just awesome .