Subject: [Tweeters] Tracking Collared Canada Goose Vs Bald Eagle- Ilwaco
Date: Jan 23 18:17:58 2012
From: Andrew Mattingly - amattingly82 at gmail.com


Today while making the rounds at my usual lunch time birding spot, (Baker
Bay in Ilwaco, just east of the marina) I spotted a lone Canada Goose with
a white with black letters tracking collar on it's neck. I tried to get
close enough to get the info off it, but it spooked real easy as it was all
alone. I watched it fly a bit off into the bay and then resumed my land
based birding in the brush.

A couple minutes later, after losing track of the Goose, I noticed a Baldie
in the area flying over the bay, and as I tracked him with the bino's he
swooped low in a talons out attack posture at the goose! The goose put up
quite a fight, letting the Baldie get close 4-5 times before it finally
came down hard on top of the goose. I watched, stunned, as the eagle tried
in vain to lift the goose out of the water, even resorting to "paddling"
with his wings toward shore, though they were a good 200 yards out. I was
afraid the goose would be drowned and the eagle too water logged to take
off, but luckily the eagle finally gave up and took off, without the goose.
He then tried one more time to get the goose in a pass, but finally gave
up, flying towards the marina.

I watched the goose, who didn't have any visible marking from the fight,
but did not take off in flight as I would have expected-- she just slowly
made her way to shore. I tried to ignore it for a while as it got closer so
I could at least get a look at the tracking numbers, but I was never able
to get close enough. She made it about 50-100 yards from shore before she
spooked again, and went further out on the river, honking the whole way.

Weather permitting I'm going to return tomorrow to see if the goose is
still around the bay and try to see what the tracking number is, and see if
she's injured (I volunteer at the rehab center).

All in all quite the sight for a lunch hour!

Andrew Mattingly
Astoria/Ilwaco_______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
Tweeters AT u.washington.eduhttp://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters

*Subject: Tracking Collared Canada Goose Vs Bald Eagle- Ilwaco*
From: Andrew Mattingly <amattingly82 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:49:30 -0800

Today while making the rounds at my usual lunch time birding spot, (Baker
Bay in Ilwaco, just east of the marina) I spotted a lone Canada Goose with
a white with black letters tracking collar on it's neck. I tried to get
close enough to get the info off it, but it spooked real easy as it was all
alone. I watched it fly a bit off into the bay and then resumed my land
based birding in the brush.

A couple minutes later, after losing track of the Goose, I noticed a Baldie
in the area flying over the bay, and as I tracked him with the bino's he
swooped low in a talons out attack posture at the goose! The goose put up
quite a fight, letting the Baldie get close 4-5 times before it finally
came down hard on top of the goose. I watched, stunned, as the eagle tried
in vain to lift the goose out of the water, even resorting to "paddling"
with his wings toward shore, though they were a good 200 yards out. I was
afraid the goose would be drowned and the eagle too water logged to take
off, but luckily the eagle finally gave up and took off, without the goose.
He then tried one more time to get the goose in a pass, but finally gave
up, flying towards the marina.

I watched the goose, who didn't have any visible marking from the fight,
but did not take off in flight as I would have expected-- she just slowly
made her way to shore. I tried to ignore it for a while as it got closer so
I could at least get a look at the tracking numbers, but I was never able
to get close enough. She made it about 50-100 yards from shore before she
spooked again, and went further out on the river, honking the whole way.

Weather permitting I'm going to return tomorrow to see if the goose is
still around the bay and try to see what the tracking number is, and see if
she's injured (I volunteer at the rehab center).

All in all quite the sight for a lunch hour!

Andrew Mattingly
Astoria/Ilwaco
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