Dear Tweeters and Richard,

I enjoyed reading about the eagle-otter confrontation. I witnessed such a face-off about eight or nine years ago in Skagit County, at the Samish Island Public Beach.

A river otter stood atop a large, flat rock about thirty yards offshore. It was gnawing on a halibut that must have weighed considerably more than its killer. The otter's table manners were not up to Miss Manners standards. In fact, I could hear the smacking, chewing, and tearing from quite a distance.

Along came an adult Bald Eagle. The bird settled down onto the rock, then gingerly centimetered toward the otter. The mammal just looked over its shoulder at the bird, much as to say, "Go ahead. Make my day." If any river otter could do a Clint Eastwood impression, then it was this one.

The eagle just backed off, then flew away. He didn't feel lucky, I guess.

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman, WA

garybletsch at yahoo.com





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