Subject: Bald Eagles Chowing-Down
Date: Mar 2 21:29:37 1997
From: "Jon. Anderson and Marty Chaney" - festuca at olywa.net


Hi Tweets,

Just this morning, over coffee at my father-in-law's place in =
Burien/Seahurst, my attention was gained by a large 'murmuration' of =
crows near a big Doug fir along Maplewild Avenue. About 30 crows were =
mobbing a second-year Bald Eagle that was perched in the tree.

I got my binocs on the bird and watched her (? - large bird/large beak) =
feeding on a Horned Grebe. The eagle was taking its time and paid =
little attention to the crows, who kept up their din for about another =
half-hour until the eagle finished its repast and left.

Also, on Saturday afternoon, I pulled off Hwy 530 about 1-1/2 miles SE =
of Silvana, up in Snohomish Co., to watch a third-year Bald Eagle =
chasing around in a dairy pasture... hopping around in that ungainly =
manner our national symbol has when on the ground. After watching for a =
few minutes, I saw that the bird was catching field mice/voles =
(Microtus). It caught at least 2 within 5 minutes - along with a couple =
of pounces that apparently missed their marks. I hadn't seen that =
behavior since I was down in the Klamath Falls country in Oregon several =
years back.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festcua at olywa.net