Bald Eagle drama

The predicted bad weather seemed to be delayed by an afternoon. Well, it hailed for a few minutes in the afternoon but later it stopped and gave me the chance to enjoy outside before being couped indoors for a week or so. Argh!

Still pretty gray and cloudy.

I did not see much wildlife until I passed the golf course and saw this juvenile Bald Eagle. It may be a fourth year bird according to this article (PDF).

And this young bird has a prey - I think a bird, but it was hard to see what kind) under its talons!

Yum!


It will grow to become a handsome bird, no question about it!

Suddenly a group of Snow Geese took off nearby and that startled the eagle off and it flew away.

More Snow Geese - traveling in small groups.

Many many crows that reminded of sesame seeds from far away.

Saw this young heron facing away from me when I spotted it. But when I stopped to take its pictures, it turned around and stared into the water. I noticed that was blood in its lower bill. I wonder if that's from its prey or itself.

Bloody bill.


Some pretty (unknown) flowers in Terra Nova Sharing Farm.

A mosquitoe finding shelter underneath the petals.

The sky finally cleared and you could see the mountaintops. In the full size image, you can even see each individual trees!

Terra Nova Slough.

Near the walkway, I spotted this exoskeleton of something. It was about 1.5-cm in length and whoever was inside had morphed and was gone.

Resting Northern Shovelers on Fraser River.


Male Red-winged Blackbird.

While photographing the slough, I saw a Bald Eagle far away being chased off by crows but then circling back onto the tree. Well, when I was heading home, the eagle was still there. It is probably another 4th year bird, although it looked different from the one I saw before (darker right face on the first individual than this second one).

Perched and resting.

Then all the sudden, many crows flew from the beach and headed the eagle's way.


And they were quite close to the eagle too!

It's a stalemate, I think. The crows have number, but eagle has size. And since eagle isn't going anywhere, the crows can only harass it individually. On the other hand, if the eagle fly away, I am certain all the crows will gang up on it in the air.


So the easiest way is just sit tight and ride it out.

I watched the stalemate for a good 20 minutes or so, and then my camera battery started to run low and so I started to head home.

But not before taking a few pictures of the Mallards feeding near the trail.

Pretty Mrs. Mallard.

365 days ago (2009-03-08) ...
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