Each time we lead a state park kayak trip along the Horsehead Cliffs we see
bald eagles, osprey, great blue herons and kingfishers. I believe but haven't
yet been able to make a sure identification, cliff swallows as well.
The sunset trips have had lots of great blue heron sightings. For instance,
yesterday evening we spotted at least eight.
The vultures have been very pleased with the fish kills of this summer. We saw
counted 37 of these scavengers this Sunday, August 5th. The paddle trip
distance along the cliffs is only one mile and quarter. The vultures were
perched in trees, on sandy outcroppings in amongst the cliffs, along the beachy
shore, and soaring on thermals.
In dozens of kayak trips have never yet seen a kingfisher hover and dive for
fish. We have watched two or three who flew in that area of the riverfront
since the trips began in late May. We spot a tunnel being used by the
kingfishers and wait patiently for one to fly up and go inside. Assumed these
were nest tunnels. Could not see whether the bird had a fish in its beak. These
tunnel visits have stopped. Never did see any baby kingfishers. By now they
would have fledged. There are still one or two kingfishers flying from tree
branch to tree branch along the cliffs, making rattle calls as they go. Where
are the juveniles since there should be almost a dozen or more between the two
nest tunnels that we were watching earlier? I have read that they can have
separate territories, one for breeding and one for fishing. Did the kingfisher
parents lead their fledglings to a summer territory on a nearby creek or pond?
Do kingfisher families stay together? Who are the one or two kingfishers that
we see now along the riverfront?
During morning kayak trips, we have observed bald eagles. There have been at
times almost a dozen that we spot during our trip on the Potomac River. Some
are the same birds going and coming undoubtably.
Going around the point at Big Meadows we usually see what we believe to be a
family group--two adults, two juveniles. They are usually seen in pairs,
sometimes two adults, sometimes an adult with a juvenile, sometimes two
juveniles. We think that they are nesting up there where the cliff is cut down
by a small stream that is flowing into the river.
On morning kayak trips, we often observe this scenario. An adult bald eagle
flies out over the water staying high in order to spot where fish are breaking.
At some point, the eagle begins its descent, coming closer and closer to the
water's surface. The legs drop down, angle forward and feet are outstretched
with talons opened. The wings are held high over its back and cupped for a
braked glide to allow the raptor to close in on its prey. Sometimes it appears
as if the eagle will stall as the fish is caught, but the mighty bird recovers
and flaps its wings strongly to gain elevation and speed. Many times,
apparently, there has been another silent watcher of this hunt. A juvenile,
perched in a tree high up on the cliff face. The adult with fish, flies back to
land. As it comes closer to the cliffs, the juvenile lifts off and the two of
them fly along the cliff face, adult in front, juvenile in back. The juvenile
usually calls a few times as if to say,
"I want some! Look, I'm here! Well done! Brilliant! Of course you can't eat all
of that fish! Sharing is caring!"
The two birds fly up over the tree tops and then drop down into the forest. I
am surmising that the two of them are heading to a favorite breakfast perch
that is out of sight from other hungry birds?
I believe that we are seeing an adult parent teaching its offspring to hunt. Am
I right about this? There seems to be direct relationship between the two
birds which indicates teaching and food sharing.
Or.............is this a form or piracy in which the juvenile skulks in the
shadows and then follows an unrelated adult bald eagle back to its favorite
eating perch. The two eagles do not seem to be calling back and forth as if one
were harassing the other. But eagles do wait for osprey to catch fish, harass
and force osprey to drop their catch. I have never seen a juvenile nor an adult
bald eagle force another eagle to drop their caught fish while flying. If this
is a form of 'eagle piracy', is it confined to following the successful hunter
back to its concealed place in the forest, perching close by and then stealing
the fish or pieces of it as the other eagle tries to eat?
In the fall of 2005, during a pontoon boat tour up on Little Seneca Lake in
Montgomery County, MD, Dr. Alessandra Sagasti and her Montgomery College
biology class and I observed a somewhat similar situation. We all had 7 X 35
binoculars plus an onboard spotting scope. This time the adult and juvenile
were flying together. The adult would swoop down to the water's surface,
dropping its legs for the catch. The juvenile was following close behind but
higher. They made several passes. Once the adult caught the fish, the two of
them flew off to a tall tree along the lake and perched side by side. We could
observe the adult tearing the fish apart but we did not observe the juvenile
being fed fish bits nor taking a chunk to shred for itself. The eagles
apparently felt that our presence at their morning meal was unwanted and soon
lifted off from their perch to fly together further into the forest, mangled
fish dangling and dripping guts and gore.
This past Sunday morning my husband and another kayaker who was very
interesting in the eagles, were in the back of the group. The park visitor
asked if eagles did ridge surfing. The wind was out of the north which is
perfect for this. My husband said that he thought that they probably did but
that he had never seen it. Lo and behold, they look up towards the cliffs and
an adult bald eagle is doing just that! Ask and ye shall receive. :-)
Fawn Palmer
Westmoreland County, VA
fawnpalmer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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