Subject: [Tweeters] Otter and Eagle at Alki -- Seattle
Date: Mar 31 18:23:46 2012
From: Gary Smith - gsmith at smithandstark.com


Tweeters, following up Ashley Jensen's report yesterday from Alki Point,
which included some otter observations, I thought I'd pass on today's
"wildlife moment" over here.



This afternoon I noticed a river otter had half-emerged at the water's edge
gripping a flounder the size of a dinner plate. Although I didn't expect
the consumption process to be as entertaining as watching a bird take a
flatfish, I thought that considering how small an otter's mouth is, it would
still be interesting to watch the otter's technique of subduing and
consuming the flounder. I hurried my wife and daughter onto the two closest
pairs of binoculars and settled myself alongside to watch with the naked
eye.



With their eyes glued to the binos they couldn't see what was about to
unfold, but I next noticed a mature bald eagle swinging in low, from the
otter's left rear quarter. (You can imagine the gasping and yelling in my
living room when the eagle suddenly appeared in their bino view, lowered its
talons, and made a grab.) I couldn't hear what the otter said, but at the
last split-second, it did react and flinch. The eagle just missed, pulled
up, and flew on, not to return.



The otter submerged for a time, finally raising just its eyes and nose for a
furtive look around. It dove again, then resurfaced with the flounder in
its teeth and swam toward the Lighthouse, where we believe they have a den
in the boulders.



Gary T. Smith

Alki Point, Seattle