We have multiple eagle sightings every day from our yard at this time of
year (S. end of Mercer Island). Sometimes we will even get six eagles
overhead at once, but this encounter was a bit different.

My parents and I were just hanging out in the backyard enjoying the
afternoon, when Mom spotted something through the bushes, on the ground,
making its way along the gravel path that runs parallel to our back fence.
She got a good enough look to tell that it was a bald eagle, and figure out
which direction it was going - towards the front yard. I crept over to the
back door, scampered through the house to the front door, and watched the
other end of the gravel path through the window, hoping the eagle would
emerge.

It did, and I got a very clear look at its head from about ten feet away -
it was ragged and bloody, beak wide open (panting?), and its eye was
clearly infected. It did not linger, and took off somewhat clumsily,
flying the length of the driveway below gutter height. It disappeared
behind our neighbor's large rhody, and did not appear to be gaining any
altitude. I gave it a second or two and then carefully followed, but could
find no sign of it in our cul-de-sac, even though I never saw it clear the
surrounding bushes and trees.

We plan to email the neighborhood to let folks know what's going on (many
small dogs and curious kids around here), but is there anyone else we
should notify? This is one sick bird.

This is my first time emailing the list, so I'm not sure what the protocol
is for getting replies...my email is kent (dot) molly (at) gmail (dot)
com. Many thanks for any info!

-Molly
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20150614/02cc6e86/attachment.htm