Witnessed astonishing battle between Bald eagles and eiders here in Totman Cove yesterday.
Immature Bald eagle, first year, Did pummeling dives onto an eider hen on the rocks. Seas were very rough, 1-2 feet and hard wind blowing. The eagle crash landed in into the ocean. It flopped and tried to lift off several times. It was washed over by waves. I thought for sure I would have to watch it drown out on the ocean. Then it ifted off enough that I could see that it had an eider hen under the water! An eider is a big bird for the eagle, pluss the eagle was now water logged and fighting fatigue and rough waves. It did not look promising. Then, the eagle proceeded to row with its wings toward shore, swimming if you will. It rowed/swam about 300 feet, then clambered to the rocks WITH the eider still in its talons! The eagle tore the eider to shreds while a flock of eiders looked on from the water, calling alarm calls. Herring gulls started bombing the eagle for scraps, an Osprey showed up and bombed the eagle a few times, then (But WAIT! There's MORE!). In the end, adult Bald eagle showed up, arced in and took over the whole show chasing the young eagle off its hard won prize. What a drama!
numbers of sea birds building rapidly
Common loons 8
Red Throated loons 4
Horned Grebes 12
White Winged scoters 16
Surf Scoters 8
Red Breasted mergansers 38
Common eiders flocks of 12 way down from previous years, wonder why? Eagles?
Buffleheads 32
Common Goldeneys 15
Long Tailed ducks 21
Herring Gulls 16
Wild turkeys X don't know how many, gobbling in the woods at crack of dawn getting dogs all worked up
Bald eagles 3
Robin R Robinson
Breathlessly Birding in The Bird
Immature Bald eagle, first year, Did pummeling dives onto an eider hen on the rocks. Seas were very rough, 1-2 feet and hard wind blowing. The eagle crash landed in into the ocean. It flopped and tried to lift off several times. It was washed over by waves. I thought for sure I would have to watch it drown out on the ocean. Then it ifted off enough that I could see that it had an eider hen under the water! An eider is a big bird for the eagle, pluss the eagle was now water logged and fighting fatigue and rough waves. It did not look promising. Then, the eagle proceeded to row with its wings toward shore, swimming if you will. It rowed/swam about 300 feet, then clambered to the rocks WITH the eider still in its talons! The eagle tore the eider to shreds while a flock of eiders looked on from the water, calling alarm calls. Herring gulls started bombing the eagle for scraps, an Osprey showed up and bombed the eagle a few times, then (But WAIT! There's MORE!). In the end, adult Bald eagle showed up, arced in and took over the whole show chasing the young eagle off its hard won prize. What a drama!
numbers of sea birds building rapidly
Common loons 8
Red Throated loons 4
Horned Grebes 12
White Winged scoters 16
Surf Scoters 8
Red Breasted mergansers 38
Common eiders flocks of 12 way down from previous years, wonder why? Eagles?
Buffleheads 32
Common Goldeneys 15
Long Tailed ducks 21
Herring Gulls 16
Wild turkeys X don't know how many, gobbling in the woods at crack of dawn getting dogs all worked up
Bald eagles 3
Robin R Robinson
Breathlessly Birding in The Bird
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