A Raptor-Filled Fortnight Or So

[julian]

A week and a half ago, I was doing a circuit around the Turner Reservoir (as opposed to just heading up one side of it and back), and while I was on the eastern side, this eagle burst out of the trees right near me, *swooped* past me, and disappeared somewhere into the trees. I normally wouldn't be quite so confident of my identifications, but those things are HUGE, people.

Also, more than kind of intimidating.

I thought it might be a golden eagle, but wasn't sure, since it disappeared so quickly. (Also, I've seen eagles at zoos and off in the distance while kayaking, but never this *close* before.)

So then I was at a completely different reservoir last weekend (the one near the border of RI and MA) and saw, off in the sky, an adult bald eagle. Who was *also* huge, but since s/he was further away, it was less intimidating and more mildly exhilarating. S/he angled off into the distance and disappeared behind a hill.





Next day, I was wandering around the pond a few blocks from my house, and I found a whole bunch of very quiet blue jays. I was a bit spacy, so I tossed some peanuts around and then thought, once they thoroughly ignored the peanuts, "...Why *are* they so quiet?" I eventually noticed the hawk right on a branch above the pond, and said to myself, "Ah."

They started divebombing hir, one at a time, still quiet. (I didn't get any pictures of this part because I was so busy watching them.) Eventually, after looking increasingly exasperated, the hawk flew off into someone's private property, where I couldn't tell if the blue jays kept it up or not.

Here s/he is with exasperated expression and fluffy coat and britches.



A few days later, I went back to Turner Reservoir (because I like it), and, as I was just started on my walk, heading down the western side, flushed what I think is the same eagle *again*. It flew off over the reservoir, which I had less of a good view of this time because of bushes by the edge.

I cursed my fate, and went off and took a thorough amble down the western shore, enjoyed the day, and eventually found a hawk in the nearby meadow-park. This hawk got divebombed by all of one blue jay, who soon gave it up as a bad job and went off to do something less dangerous.

Afterwards, the hawk contemplated the meaning of existence.



Once I got back to the lakeshore, a fisher guy said I'd just missed a hawk catching a fish. I said aw, told him about my hawk, and then finally noticed, way off in the distance, the sound of crows. More specifically, crows mobbing a hawk. (This is not a good picture, because they are so far away, but it was pretty impressive. I counted about 20 of them, all told.)



SO THEN, I was wandering back down the path to my car, and I said to myself, "That rock looks weird."

As I got closer, it became evident that the rock looked weird because it was inhabited by eagle, if briefly.



Then it left. Vroom.



Per various bird sites, that's probably a youngish bald eagle, in the one to three year range, and not a golden eagle like I thought. Alas. But eagle!

AND THEN, I was almost to my car when, a bit away, a hawk swooped down. And! Fell in the water. I paused, it paused, did not at *all* manage the "I meant to do that" look, sat around a moment, and then flew up to the fence.

Hawk, surprised.



It soon became clear it had caught a... rat? Vole? Something big and rodentlike, anyway.



I watched hir eat its meal from aways away, while the lady whose fence the hawk was perching on did some gardening right nearby.

Then the hawk eyed me dubiously, and left. As did I.

Comments

[leecetheartist]

Exceptional!

[steorra]

I like your pictures.

I also like your narration.

[julian]

Heh. Thank you. I enjoy doing it, so that works.

[marycatelli]

Oh, yes, those raptors can be BIG --

I once walked innocuously through the office when something went THUD against the glass. I got a glimpse of a large black bird and was so distracted that I got up from my desk and went to look to see what sort of raven it was. . . .

It was a black vulture. There were several on the lawn.

A co-worker stared at one near the door for a long time -- it was staring at the reflective glass -- and wondering if he should use another door. I recommended that route.

[leecetheartist]

Er, with all those vultures hanging around I hope you and the office were okay...

[marycatelli]

Oh, yeah, they cleared out after a few days without actually bothering anyone. But large raptors on the lawn aren't pleasant company.

[julian]

Mmmyeah, leave 'em to their (presumed) meal in peace.

[cmcmck]

Fabulous!

Your second looks a lot like our native sparrowhawk.

[julian]

Like, plumage, yeah. I think red-tailed are generally larger, though.

[shirebound]

I would be thrilled to see any of this! What a marvelous place to go.

[pauraque]

Great pictures! I've only seen a bald eagle in the wild once, and I was thoroughly impressed by how huge it was.

[julian]

GiNORmous. I say, making words up to indicate JUST HOW BIG. but anyway. Thank you.

[yourlibrarian]

Ooh what great pics, and to have nabbed one of a successful hunt too!

[julian]

Yah, s/he was basically unconcerned about my presence (plus I stayed a bit away), so there's a bunch of pictures of hawk + rat in various stages of bloodied.

[littlewolfteeth]

So many beautiful birds! Bald eagles are massive. I had one get up and take flight in a very lazy manner ahead of my car, not a care in the world. I tend to see them while driving and they have no fear.

[rain_gryphon]

Oh, very nice!