VIDEO: Bald Eagle Swims and Soars at Great Lakes National Cemetery
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 7, 2020)
Holly Township, MI – Great Lakes National Cemetery is a place of reverence and patriotism, with American flags waving tall and the rows of headstones each marked with a red-bowed wreath.
And on the chilly winter morning of Jan. 7, there was also a majestic bald eagle taking a morning swim in the lake that graces the east side of the cemetery. The eagle did a breast stroke through the water, rested, and then soared off towards the nearby woods.  And by pure luck, here’s the video:

Bald Eagles are not as rare a sight as they once were, and Northern Oakland County is plush with shallow lakes, fields, and woods which make great habits for eagles this time of year.
Wildlife Education Specialist with Oakland County Jonathan Schechter has been blogging about eagles the past few years, particularly with regular sightings at Stoney Creek Metro Park. Although he is not an expert, he does often get calls and messages about interesting wildlife due to his position.
“I have been getting about two eagle reports a week  in the past few weeks from people in Oakland County, credible ones,” Schechter said after being asked for his latest take on eagles in the area.  “Several folks have mentioned a Bald Eagle on the thin ice (before it melted) on Bald Eagle Lake in Brandon Township, and flurry of reports came in of an eagle in Waterford.
“In the third week of December I was near Seven Lakes State Park and had a clear view of an eagle soaring fairly low immediately east of the park while I was driving north towards Grand Blanc.  And as I am sure you aware Stony Creek Metropark has had an active eagle nest there for seven years.   The woman who has been watching it almost daily shared a photo of both eagles ‘ hanging out’ a their nest a few days ago.
“None of the above is rare or unusual any more. It would have been about 10 years ago but eagle population has expanded and since winter does not exist this winter, at least not yet  in Oakland County, any eagles that were heading south from more northern locations would be likely to loiter here and fish in our shallow lakes and also go for ducks and other waterfowl  At this very moment there are dozens  of eagles in Monroe County not far from the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant. The slightly warmer water from the cooling towers draws fish in to the shallows and the eagles come in to feast.”
Whether it’s here to stay, or just grabbing a bite as it flies through, the bald eagle in Great Lakes National Cemetery was an enchanting site to see, and we’re glad to share it with our readers.
Great Lakes National Cemetery is located at 4200 Belford Road Holly, MI 48442.  For more info visit them online here.