Yesterday, I was out to Fort Flagler, late afternoon. I usually look for
eagles there. Out by the "light house" - down to the beach where people
fish for salmon.I saw one eagle flying, then another was seemed to be
chasing it. The went out of sight. Then came back in sight with a 3rd eagle
with them. After a while they flew away.

I went to the campground area - looking towards Port Townsend, and there was
the usual eagle in the one tall tree that they like to sit in. A little
later, here comes 3 eagles again.

I have not seen that many eagle flying all around that much out there
before.

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Jeff Gibson
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2016 11:11 AM
To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters] Attention Eagle Shoppers!



Hey, shopping for a Bald Eagle? You might try the Safeway in Port Townsend,
they got 'em - at least they did this morning.



I was sitting in my little truck in the Safeway parking lot there, drinking
a cup of coffee and eating some Gummy Bear's (I have what some dietitians
call a "gummy bear problem" - I am trying to cut back though). So, it was
6am and still a little dark out and as I sat there, minding my own business
, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted some large birds circling down
to the nearby street intersection, accompanied by a lot of bird sound.
"Glaucous - winged Gulls" was my first thought, given the environment, but
turning my head I realized it was three Bald Eagles, two adults and one
immature.



One adult bird landed on a nearby lawn ,in front of some apartment
buildings, and the immature bird hunkered down in the middle of the street
about 25 ft away, as the second adult bird flapped in low circles just
above. I did have questions as to what the relationship was between the
younger bird and the adults - things that were addressed more in recent
posts from Martin and Sammy - more astute eagle observers than me. Looked
like a kid getting chewed out to me.



The adult on the lawn was facing the younger bird and was calling loudly
with wings spread out and down, tail fanned out widely. The young bird
assumed sort of a sulking posture - half turned away from the screeching
adult. After about a minute of this, all three eagles flew up and passed
closely by my truck, flying very low through the parking lot, and I mean low
- the adult that flew off the lawn was cruising by the Safeway' front door
at about grocery cart height. Imagine the surprise of unsuspecting
customers. It was exciting to me - an Eagle seen at such close range is a
real big bird.



So there I was ,checking off Bald Eagle on my Parking Lot List, right there
along with Glaucous-winged gulls, Brewers Blackbirds, House Sparrows, &
White- crowned Sparrows. Actually I don't keep a Parking Lot List, but maybe
I should start.



It's quite possible that these Eagles are the same ones that nest by my
parents house , atop the hill behind the store. The nest up there is hidden
in a grove of tall firs, but the nearby "Eagle Tree" as my dad calls it, is
a tall single tree with a long exposed perching branch which makes the
Eagles easily seen from the kitchen table. The Eagles remain a touchstone
for my gradually fading parents. I can hardly wait to tell them that I saw
their Eagles shopping at Safeway.



Jeff Gibson

roosting in

Port Townsend WA