re: Bald eagle numbers rise as hundreds nest in Louisiana

That map for Golden Eagles is mostly right but a few show up every winter on the Georgia barrier islands. I saw one on Sapelo a few year back (and I know the difference from an immature Bald). A UGA biologist on the island confirmed it. A few also show up in the Smokies in Tennessee; and vagrants can show up in the weirdest places. They do wander out of their expected range more than most species.

That said, when a Golden Eagle is reported outside of the usual range more often than not it is an immature Bald Eagle and the person reporting it wasn't familiar enough. They can look very similar.