Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Watch that Dog


Are you lookin' at me?

They're back. The yard is full of eagles. This photo was taken from the door of our bedroom. I don't really know if they would take a small dog with all that salmon running up the creek but I don't want to take a chance. What a way to go.
Imagine having huge six foot wingspan birds flying through your yard and resting in the large fir trees all around. Feathers and poo fall from the trees. Occasionally we get a salmon carcass for the dogs to discover. I was talking to the neighbor, who is an official feather collector for the Native Americans, that the eagles were getting to be a bit of a nuisance. We aren't talking one or two but more like 50. Well you would have thought I said I hate America. He couldn't believe I could feel that way so I back-pedaled as fast as I could, as two eagles flew past us blowing back our hair.
We did agree that people wouldn't believe it unless they saw what we see every day. Sunday while down on the beach, Hubby and I witnessed two eagles fighting in flight. As they tumbled over and over with talons locked we stared with our mouths open. One hit the water with a splash, stunned and wet. Stormy being an excellent bird dog jumped in and tried to retrieve it. Luckily her training is solid and Hubby was able to call her off the big duck with the razor sharp beak. We watched it for awhile wondering what to do when it started to swim. Using the breaststroke it made it to shore and pulled itself on a log. It seemed fine, just needing to dry its feathers. I have only seen an eagle swim one other time and that was when it locked onto a salmon and wouldn't let go. The salmon pulled it in and so it swam with its wings until it got that fish onshore.
I have been able to witness first hand the recovery of the Bald Eagle and I am here to tell you that they are alive and well in beautiful Minter Bay.



God Bless America

6 comments:

Kelly said...

Wow! That's all I can say... My hubby and I are jealous of you. We love the eagles and treasure every one we see. We are in Baltimore, MD and see some when we go to the Eastern Shore. Love the photos. It makes me want to sit with a nice drink and watch them all day.

Kelly said...

That is very exciting to see the come back. I do understand how you feel about 50 in your area. Do you ever worry about your goats too? I could imagine they could snatch one of those little darlings up easily.

Christine said...

Awesome! Well, for the birds anyway. Not so much for you. I understand what you mean about them becoming a problem, but still an awesome thing none the less.

Jewel said...

Wow, not your average backyard bird! It would be fun to watch them like you can, but I definetly understand not wanting to deal with 50 in your area.
Great Pictures!

Marigold said...

The goatfather didn't worry all that much about whether the Eagles would try to pick up the Cabrarator. That is until he saw the news story, complete with picture, of the deer carcass an Eagle dropped on a power line. The goatmother has always had her (pardon the expression) eagle eyes pinned to Cabra whenever she is out. Now the goatfather does too!

Teresa said...

They are beautiful, but I don't see them very often. The oddity of their presence here makes them spectacular. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to have that many of them inhabiting my yard.