It sounds to me like you may have seen what Clark and Wheeler describe as
"white belly I" in their guide (page 82, plate 20). This does not mess with
their being an adult however. Could you have been mistaken about this?

Michael Conner
Bellingham, WA



>Hi Tweets:
>
>While birding the Samish Flats on Thursday, I saw two Bald Eagles perched
at
>the top of a fir tree near the town of Edison. What was unusual and
striking
>was that one of the adult eagles had white feathers that extended from the
>tail up its back. The wide white back was very visible when the eagle
>preened, but I couldn't tell if the white extended all the way to the white
>head. Also, the bird didn't fly or turn to face me so I couldn't see its
>breast. There was nothing unusual about the color of the wings. It was a
>beautiful eye-catching Bald Eagle. It was a 4-falcon day, missing the
>Gyrfalcon. Two American Kestrels, 2-3 Peregrines, 1 Prairie, 1 Merlin.
>
>Joyce Meyer
>Woodinville, WA
>MEYER2J at aol.com