In the 70's and 80's, while beginning surveys on Bald Eagles in Olympic N.P., I can remember assuming--like most everyone--that they mainly fed on fish and carrion. But as we began monitoring their nests more closely along the outer coast it quickly became apparent that other birds (gulls, alcids, etc.) were clearly a food staple, both from what we found below and within nests, and from our own observations. E.g., I can still remember the first time I watched an eagle suddenly stoop and pluck a scoter from the surf near Toleak Pt., as the duck reemerged on the surface after a dive--and then carry it up to its nest atop a nearby tree. Still pretty exciting to recall after all these years.

Bruce Moorhead
Port Angeles, WA
----- Original Message -----
From: Alice Swan
To: Tweeters
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2004 3:56 PM
Subject: Re: Action on Port Angeles waterfront



I have walked around under a bald eagle nestsite at Obstruction Pass Park on Orcas Island that was littered with gull feathers and little else (of course there's no need to pluck fish and a fish diet probably leaves little evidence). But there were so many feathers under this nest that it seemed pretty likely the chick was being fed a diet rich in gulls. It's interesting to hear an account of gull-catching.
The topic of mobbing is very interesting. When I took part in winter migrant raptor counts in the Central Valley in CA, I was amazed at the extent of it. It was true all winter, but especially as springtime approached, that one scarcely needed binoculars to count raptors since every flying bird had a trailing plume of crows and blackbirds; every perched bird had a halo of circling, diving crows and blackbirds. Here on Orcas I know where the local Great Horned Owls are by the mobbing yells of robins ("babyeater! babyeater!"). They seem to keep it up all day, and the owl sleeps thru it. How can they afford to spend their foraging/babyfeeding time on mobbing--especially when it seems useless or ineffective?
Does anyone know about this?

----- Original Message -----
From: Ray Gelotte
To: tweeters
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 8:28 PM
Subject: Action on Port Angeles waterfront


A mature Bald Eagle was being harassed by a half dozen crows and a gull at the old Rayonnier Mill site this afternoon. This was more than the usual mobbing of an intruder. It was aggressive harassment to the point where the eagle had to take evasive action. The attackers dove repeatedly at the eagle almost making contact. Finally the eagle decided enough is enough. When the next attacker made its pass - it was the gull this time - the eagle flipped up sideways and grabbed the gull with its talons and took off with the bird and landed in the mill area and disappeared from sight. Then it rose again with the gull still in its grip and landed a little further on and behind some shrubbery where it could not be seen. I expect that's where the eagle had its supper. What a sight!

Ray Gelotte
Port Angeles, WA
raygel at olypen.com