“What to do? What to do? Which ones should we go after, Dad?”
“That’s a tough one, Son. So many dinners. So little time….
I guess we watch for a cripple, or a loner, like always.”
Category Archives: bald eagle
Christmas Dinner on the Beach
Merry Christmas, everyone.
May we all be kind to each other.
The eagles are setting an example here.
Two eagles who dined on the beach
Were watched by a crow out of reach,
Said one to the other,
Save some for our brother,
Ensuring a morsel for each.
King of the Beach
Today’s and tomorrow’s photos/limericks are both about eagles, but each of the eagles has different views about sharing.
An eagle devouring a clam
Told all nearby seagulls to scram,
“I’ll share it,” he said,
“If you bring me some bread,
And possibly throw in some jam.”
You and Me and Rain on the Roof
A young eagle on one of his first outings.
Hmm! Great view from up here.
Kind of windy though.
Yikes! That gust nearly unseated me.
I wonder if I should find a better place. A bit exposed here….
Help! Eeeeek! Eeeeek! Mom!
My feathers are getting all ruffled up.
Starting to rain too.
Here comes the rain. Tiny drops are gathering on my feathers. And then there’s that wind. I think I should find another place to hang out. Lots of trees out there with branches for a better grip.
Eagle
An eagle who flew from the ground,
Got perched and then looked all around,
He screamed, “Look at me!
I’m way up in this tree.
But how will I ever get down?”
Vanity on High
I think I like your hair like that. It’s a bit like a Rod Stewart “do.” You know. Kind of punker-like.
For heaven’s sake! It’s just the way the rain made a mess of it … but … what do you think about the back of it? Is it all right?
Young Eagle
My feathers sure are looking drab,
Not striking like my dad’s,
He says it’s so no one will grab
And hurt us younger lads.
That’s right, son, when you grow you’ll see,
Your feathers will be fine,
You’ll turn out handsome, just like me,
The girls will stand in line.
A Taste of the Good Life
Our old trailer has seen better days, but I can’t think of many that were better than this one.
The lake was peaceful, fresh, and beautiful.
An eagle patiently waited for a trout to be caught. Maybe there would be a little “something” left for him.
But first lick went to Emma. This trout fishing was new to her and she seemed to like it.
The next trout had Ruby interested. It was her turn.
Water lilies at the edges added tranquility to the scene.
Time to go ashore and stretch our legs.
Ruby and Emma found all kinds of wonderful smells there.
But right nearby, where even I could smell the animals that had been there, was the evidence of elk that had visited not long before.
A lot of peaceful moments, but never a dull one.
Beach Picnic
Sure are a lot of seagulls down there. Family day at the beach? Or is it because the sun finally came out?
Hmm…. They seem to be all talking at once, and with their mouths full too. Ill-mannered scavengers.
Ahh … I see. It’s poor man’s caviar time. The herring have spawned near the beach.
I might try a lick or two when those pesky seagulls move along.
*Herring roe and seagull photos by Paul Knettig.
It’s a Cruel World Out There
The geese are moving in from places farther north where they have enjoyed warmer weather until now. They sense that the season is cooling off and have come to visit the fields of southern BC to fatten up on leftover grain, bits of corn, and anything else that looks good. Once they have met up with their friends in ever greater numbers, and they have rested and feasted and done little test flights during this staging time, many of them will fly farther south where the winter is not as harsh. A few smaller flocks will settle in to spend the winter here on Vancouver Island, in the hope that the coldest weather will be bearable and not last too long.
The eagle watches and waits. He will take advantage of any stragglers or injured birds to supplement his diet. Once the spawned out fish carcasses are cleaned up by scavengers like seagulls, crows, and eagles, it will be time for a new food source. For the eagles it will often be crippled waterfowl of many kinds.
This bald eagle has a good view of a cornfield that often attracts ducks and geese. If any of them are not able to keep up with the flock, they will make an easy target for a predatory bird.
Little songbirds like these chipping sparrows will be targeted by hawks who sit silently in the nearby trees, waiting for an opportunity to swoop down and scoop up a little snack.
This broad-winged hawk would be happy with a songbird or even a careless squirrel. Patience and alertness are what it’s all about.
The merlin doesn’t mind picking up a songbird either. He’ll happily take down a flicker that might be almost the same size as him.
The red-shafted northern flicker had better be alert. It’s a dangerous world out there.
The general rule for non-predatory birds, especially in the autumn, is “heads up or be eaten.” It’s the raptors who are the meat eaters, while the gentler plant- and insect-eaters need to fear them.
And I haven’t even mentioned the owls yet. Rabbits and mice beware!
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