So me and 3 of my friends were fishing the other day when i saw a massive bird. I dont know if it was an eagle, i really dont know birds. It was actually kinda scary, he was eyeing our bait! At least thats what i think he was doing.

See, this particular fishing spot was way out on the rocks (like huge boulders). You got me, my buddy about 2 rocks over, and my other friends further down. We bought some frozen shrimp for bait and my buddy had the bag with him. When we needed shrimp, wed call for it and hed throw, or you get up and hop from boulder to boulder over to where he was and get like a handfull, so its kind of a pain to get it.

Anyway im sitting there fishing, got my rod propped up in the boulders and im just kinda relaxing and looking around. Its an awesome fishing spot cause its kinda away from everybody, even though it is a popular spot. Jacksonville is growing so fast its hard to find nature in it (especially at the beach where i live).

Anyway I see this bird fairly low (think tree top hight) and just kinda gliding. He went from kinda far to really close, incredibly fast, and subtle. Then he landed by some palmettos and trees right next to my truck in the shade. This is about 30yards away. I called to my friends, and told them to look by the cars for when he flys again. So of course, im sure the bird heard me and wanted to make me look like a moron so he sat there for like 10min and couldnt be seen.

So were sitting there fishing and then all of a sudden i hear something close by. I look up and see this bird directly above us about 25' up. I could hear him beating his wings! It was awesome, ill probably never hear that for the rest of my life in the wild like that.

At first i was in awe, then i was kinda nervous. As i look down i put two and two together. Ive got about 6 fairly large shrimps 5' away from me and hes gliding over me and my friends, who probably have just as many shrimps. I then lean over to the rock where they were and then just grab them and hold on to them, its a beautifull bird, but unless that sob wants to grab a castnet, he aint getting my bait!

I guess he was just kinda checking us out, he never went for anything he just kept flying back by where the cars were, i guess there was something dead over there, although i didnt see or smell anything. Anyway, i thought it was cool.

 

Airbus A380?

 

if it was black and white, it was most likely an osprey.

 

it was brown

 

Ya...... What colour was it and what kind of beak ?

Hooked Beak ?

Or
Long Beak ?

 

brown with a hooked beak

 

I was going to say Osprey too. I would have thrown some shrimp his way. Nothing against fishing, but I would have had more fun chucking shrimp to the bird.

 

Brown Pelican? Large and nosy if there is food nearby.

 

not with a hooked beak. if it had talons(big claws), it may still have been an osprey, but a juvenile one. and it seems to me that is more the case, because a bird of prey will normally shy away from humans unless it is immature, or extremely hungry, or both.

 

It could have been something that escaped from Jurassic Park...

Normally it is not a good idea to feed any wild animal. It teaches them not to fear humans, can make them dependent on humans for food, and can even kill them.

-But I have been known to feed the seagulls...

 

It could have been a California Condor, they have wingspans up to 9'.
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/B0G.html

 

Florida would be a long way from home for a giant buzzard, err Condor.

 

It was probably the rare Brown Hook-Billed Shrimp Eater.

 

See what WIKI has to offer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Florida_birds

 

Other possibilities: red tail hawk, osprey, bald eagle, snail kite. (from A Guide To Field Identification Birds Of North America, Golden Publishing).
Keep a field guide and a small pair of binoculars with you whenever you're out fishing, hunting, etc. I know bird watching sounds kinda nerdy but it's fun. Who knows, maybe you'll be the one that spots the rare, almost extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker.