Like Cliff, I also enjoyed the sight of bald eagles lunching recently.

At Tuesday night's celebration party for Proposition 1 - Parks for All, I
learned that the bald eagles were rebuilding their nest across from Salty's
restaurant on Harbor Avenue in West Seattle. This is on property purchased
by the Open Space Program. On Saturday, I rewarded myself for the successful
passage of Prop 1 by looking at some of my favorite wildlife spots in
Seattle. At the new eagles nest, there was one eagle on the nest. As I drove
north on Harbor Avenue, I saw the male eagle atop a piling eating a salmon. A
young great blue heron sat on another piling about 20 feet away.

Soon, gulls began to make a racket, and the female eagle arrived. She then
usurped the male's position and ate some of the salmon while the male sat on
a nearby piling. Eventually she flew away. Crows then moved in and one flew
off with a remaining bit of the fish. The male eagle quickly pursued the
crow, who dropped the fish, and the eagle caught the fish in his talons in
mid-air and flew off towards the nest.

Quite a sight, all played out with Elliott Bay and the Seattle skyline as a
backdrop. I took photographs, but this one was time I really wished for a
fabulous zoom lens. This was absolutely the quintessential Seattle moment,
bald eagles, salmon, great blue heron, skyline.....

Next I went to Fauntleroy Creek, but only a few salmon returning. The creek
needs more rainfall...

Then I went to Longfellow Creek at Yancy Street, and saw an American Dipper,
and quite a few salmon making their way upstream.

A great day!

Didi Catherine Anstett