Brice:

I've seen a BALD EAGLE kill another bird twice in the last few years. The
first time was at Cranberry Lake in Deception Pass State Park. I never saw
the eagle until it was almost on top of what I think was a GLAUCOUS-WINGED
GULL on the water. The force of the strike must have killed it instantly, as
there was no struggle from the gull. However, it was so large that the eagle
had a very tough time getting airborne with its prey, flapping with it for
several minutes along the lake's surface before finally alighting on a
Douglas Fir branch. The picture of it there, white head, yellow beak and red
blood was fantastic. Unfortunately, my camera was home in a closet.

The other kill was near Madrona Beach on Lake Washington in central Seattle.
I was walking along the shore and noticed that all the gulls and ducks on
the water suddenly took flight, as did the COOTS, skittering along the
surface before flying. One of them, seemingly unconscious of the danger
noticed by the others, paid for it with its life, as another mature BALD
EAGLE nailed it.

Sincerely,

David Chelimer

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>From: Brice Matson <matson at myhome.net>
>To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: Re: eagle attacks pheasant, now raptors falling out of character
>Date: Sat, Jan 22, 2000, 4:10 PM
>

> Re: Raptors hunting other birds
>
> I've lived about 2 miles from an Osprey/Eagle nest for most of my life
> and have been watching the eagles hunting near it. I have seen them
> try to catch ducks on the lake below the tree. However, I have never
> actually seen an eagle successfully hunt another bird.
>
> I have seen them hunting other places as well and fighting with gulls
> over food (the gulls usually win). Has anyone ever seen an eagle
> actually kill a duck or other larger bird? I have heard a lot of
> stories about the attacks but they all end the same way with the
> 'victim' escaping.
>
> BTW, one of what I would call the counter-environmentalists (rednecks
> would be a shorter term but might include myself so ...) cut down this
> locally famous Nesting Tree near my house. The person had heard that
> the tree qualified the area as 'habitat' and therefore any logging in
> the area would be illegal. He was wrong and stupid because the
> plateau above the tree had been clear-cut off for about a year before
> he cut down the tree. He was stupid for other reasons too but anyway.
>
> Brice Matson
> Cinebar, Lewis County, WA
> mailto:matson at myhome.net
>
>