[nnasnet] Bald Eagle drowning his prey
- From: Margaret Gerdts <maggieurbanna@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: NNAS Hotline <nnasnet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:07:36 -0500
Following is an account from a friend visiting Florida....(they have a cottage
in Urbanna:
We were standing outside our car on the roadway in Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge observing a huge mass of wild ducks swimming in the shallow
waters of the marsh or ponds, when all of a sudden there was a huge flapping of
wing and honking and water billowing up as in a huge fountain. It happened a
few times and we grabbed our binocs just as we saw what was causing all the
fuss, a majestic Bald Eagle appeared from above and was swooping down on them.
On his third or fourth pass he suddenly just sat down in the water at the end
of the rows and rows of ducks. We could not figure it out, had never seen
anything like that, when the eagle took to the air dragging an almost drowned
duck in his talons, with his very wet head hanging down. Then the duck gave
signs that there was still some life left in him, as he flapped his wings
feebly a couple of times. With that the eagle dropped down into the water again
and held him under until the job was done. Then off he went into the air
carrying lunch for either his nesting mate or to feed his young. NEVER have
either one of us witnessed anything like that, nor were we aware that an eagle
would or could do that. Poor duck! It was really an awesome thing to watch up
close and personal, so much so that we were excited to have witnessed Mother
Nature at work rather than being upset at seeing a duck being drowned by its
predator. We-e-e-l-I was a LITTLE upset for the hapless duck. Dad said it
does't ever pay to be the last in line, which he was!
Other related posts:
- » [nnasnet] Bald Eagle drowning his prey - Margaret Gerdts
