Bald Eagle courtship with “cartwheel” displays and Golden Eagle near Rushford
A pair of adult Bald Eagles performing "cartwheel" courtship display

Bald Eagle courtship with “cartwheel” displays and Golden Eagle near Rushford

This afternoon we watched a group of about 12 eagles flying together over the river. During this time we saw three “cartwheels” by eagle pairs and caught two on camera. It is a courtship ritual. A pair of eagles will lock talons and spin together toward the ground then let go. This is the first time we got pictures of the impressive display!

We also saw a male Bald Eagle catch a huge fish near Bay Point Park and carry the fish to his mate in their nest. It’s time for the female to lay eggs and the male will bring food to her. He really struggled to carry the fish up.

Finally, we visited an area near Rushford, Minnesota on Thursday looking for Golden Eagles. Some Golden Eagles migrate from Canada for the winter and spend time in southeastern Minnesota. We’ve visited the area a few times previously without seeing any Golden Eagles, but this time we were lucky to see one and capture it on camera! See this link for more information about Golden Eagles in the Midwest: https://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/golden-eagles/

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