Bald Eagle Soars Out of Extinction

Peering through binoculars into the distance, we found the eagle's nest. It was in the middle of a blue heron rookery, one of dozens of massive twig nests perched high in the branches of a grove of swamp-washed trees. Built of sturdier stuff than the heron nests, it had a heavier, more constructed look to it. And it was bigger, like a large, shallow dish made of thick branches.

We could see a bird perched on the side of the nest but it seemed too small to be an eagle and it's head was brown, not the snowy white of the adult bald eagle. For one brief magical moment it spread and flapped its wings -- its wingspan was massive! Then it slowly folded its wings and settled back down into the nest again. We had seen a baby bald eagle. Apparently the snowy cap doesn't grow in until the bird matures in its second year. For us it was an amazing moment during our visit to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in northeastern Ohio.

The status of America's bald eagle has been steadily improving. When the US Fish and Wildlife Service began monitoring eagles in 1974, there were 791 pairs nationwide. Today there are 9,789 recorded pairs, a real comeback for a species in danger of extinction. This beautiful stamp issued by Liberia as part of a Wildlife Atlas of the World series shows the majestic bald eagle in all its glory. Click the post title to order from County Stamp Center.

Visit the County Stamp Center website to view the complete Wildlife Atlas of the World Series. You'll be delighted by these beautifully drawn pictures of the world's most majestic beasts in their native habitats. Visit County Stamp Center for all your philatelic needs.