This morning when driving to work I saw a hawk hunting a Canada Goose. It's a wonder I didn't go off the road watching them! There is a field I go by that Geese often sit in. This morning I saw one of the geese flying extremely fast and very close to the ground. It has been years since I have seen a goose flying this fast and it shocked me a bit. Turns out that there was a massive hawk trying to get him. You can imagine the size of the hawk to take on a big Canada like this. I didn't see the hawk at first, despite how close and big he was. Perhaps his dark colour hid him a bit and I know I was a bit bemused by the speed of the goose. The hawk made one pass at the goose about 80 yards or so before they reached the road and another one just over me where I was on the road, both near misses, with the goose frantically dodging. I don't think they were more than 10 yards up when they went by me on the hawk's second pass. They went behind the trees at the other side of the road then and angled up river where I couldn't see them anymore. Disappointing I know, but I'm still not sure of the outcome. By the time I got off the road near enough to the river I couldn't see them anymore. The last time I did see them the issue was still very much in doubt. The goose looked like it might be holding its own in speed but it wasn't gaining at all. Incredible! Sometimes mother nature can really put on a show!

While on a sheep hunt this year, I saw a golden eagle trying to pick up a 6 month old dall sheep lamb. It would have gotten it for sure if momma ewe hadn't got into the battle. Very interesting.

On a trip to the cabin this summer my oldest boy and I saw a bald eagle with a large rabbit about 15 feet away on the side of the road. Quite a show.

Eric

These are both terrific sightings. I would never have thought an eagle could lift a 6 month sheep. I believe he tried though. The stories remind me of other things I have seen...good memories. Years ago (40 or so :-)) while logging on a place called Thurlow Island I saw an eagle hook on to a large spring salmon, but he couldn't lift it out of the water...what a battle! I eventually had to get my binoculars to watch. They eventually reached another island about 3 or 4 miles away (a guess, of course, but a long ways). I took the boat out and went to see what happened. The eagle had finally managed to get the salmon onto the beach and was eating some when I came up. The fish was a good sized spring salmon. The story about the rabbit reminded me of a time I was hunting deer and elk in the Kootenay. There had been early snow then a big, prolonged thaw. The rabbits had all changed to white. Talk about targets!!! Everything was eating rabbit. I saw eagles and coyotes get them that time. I wouldn't want to be a rabbit even if I could breed at a thousand miles and hour!!! lol Fred

The Golden Eagle is a huge bird. Much larger than our bald eagles. In the attack on the lamb, it actually got the lamb's hind quarters off the ground. It was quite a ways away, I was watching through my 8x binoculars, but it definitley got the hindquarters off the ground at one point. That was about the time momma ewe got into the fray. Last I seen was the sheep all running up a craggy drain the eagle was still diving on the lamb.

I've seen the bald eagles get young harbor seals up here. When the young come out of the water onto an iceberge, the eagles dive on them. They usually don't pick them up, just kill them there on the ice.

Yep I remember the golden eagle as bigger and tougher than the bald eagle, though I can't remember the last time I saw one. Have also seen Osprey's push bald eagles around and take fish off them. We get a lot of bald eagles following the salmon runs here and they nest in some places. Thing that tickles me about them is how big the babies look. They dwarf the parents for some reason, probably the feathers. Even getting the hindquarters of a sheep off the ground is an impressive feat for any bird isn't it. Would have been something to get a photo of that. Fred

Great stories. You guys are very fortunate to live in a wilderness area. Here in the city the only sheep we see are in the petting zoo. The (Zoo) eagles are locked in a large cage. However, I have seen dogs chase squirrels in a yard. Cherish your surroundings. Sounds like a hunters paradise.

I Was Out Walking The Bosses Chihuahuas And A Huge Redtail Hawk Started Circling Overhead. I Thouhgt I Saw Him Drooling.

There wasn't another chihuahua wearing camo and hidden in the ditch nearby was there? It is a carefully kept secret, by just about everyone who knows, but chihuahua's hunt hawks. They especially like to hunt the Redtail. I don't know why they have settled on the Redtail. it's probably some kind of atavistic thing. It is true that Redtail's salivate, but seeing it is extremely rare! A great sighting! The mother only allows the most privileged outdoorsman to see the hawk's saliva. If you had it on film, it would be acceptable for the Smithsonian, especially the two chihuahua's. Of course, mother nature is letting you in for suffering on this one. You will be disbelieved at every camp fire you sit at if you try to tell people about this. Trust me! I know whereof I speak here. You might also wonder about who was walking who. But that is another story. Fred

Gee Whiz J. R.! My wife, and best companion, has informed me that my idea that Chihuahua's would hunt hawks is boring and not funny. To tell you how far gone I was, it took me awhile to realize that she was serious. At any rate, I thought I better write and reassure you that I liked your post and, moving from the belief others would understand, tried to be humourous. First sign of a bad joke of course, is when you have to explain it to people. Sorry if I offended. Sincerely, Fred.

Gee Whiz J. R.! My wife, and best companion, has informed me that my idea that Chihuahua's would hunt hawks is boring and not funny. To tell you how far gone I was, it took me awhile to realize that she was serious. At any rate, I thought I better write and reassure you that I liked your post and, moving from the belief others would understand, tried to be humourous. First sign of a bad joke of course, is when you have to explain it to people. Sorry if I offended. Sincerely, Fred.
FIRST OFF I LAUGHED SO HARD I CRIED, SECOND MY WIFE THOUHGT IT WAS VERY FUNNY AND THIRD I DONT GET OFFENDED VERY EASILY. I REALLY LIKED THE STORY AND EVEN PRINTED IT SO I COULD SHOW THE BOSS!

Thanks for writing back JR. I guess I get a little too sensitive about these things sometimes and it was nice to know that you enjoyed what I wrote. As a matter of fact, it occurs to me that I better describe Chihuahua hunting strategies sometime! My friend's 14 year old son had a Chihuahua and this is where I learned about them and got to observe the hunting first hand. My friend asked his son what kind of dog he wanted and the boy said...you guessed it...Chihuahua. There were some strange looks, but his dad got him one and he was very happy with it. I'm not sure that I or my friend completely understand this, being more partial to labs and some kinds of fighting terriers, but we are sure the love affair is genuine. There just has to be something there. Ask your boss what s(he) thinks. Fred

Hey, Fred and All -

Have to let you know what my wife, small grandson and I witnessed this morning -

The birds that my wife feeds in the back yard were going nuts with frantic chattering. That normally means a hawk or other predator is in the area. We looked out the back and sure enough, there were FOUR Harris hawks perched on the fence and watching the birds that had taken shelter in the oleander hedge that borders the fence. That fence isn't more than 30' off the back patio.

The Gambel's quail finally made a break for it, flying off in typical quail fashion - exploding out of the hedge and each taking a different direction. The hawks didn't even have a chance to unfurl their wings! The dove and smaller birds remained tucked into the dense hedge and the hawks couldn't get at them. Don't know if you're aware, but the Harris hawk is the only type that coordinate together for the hunt and will share the kill with one another.

Anyway, after about 15 minutes the hawks finally gave up and flew away, in a loose formation. Shortly thereafter, birds started pouring out of the hedge and scurrying off to wherever.

We're close enough to Mexico that raptors and other wintering birds stay in the area.

Hey Kdub, Hey all... have to look up Harris Hawks. You know, it must be the season for this kind of thing. My wife came in the other day very excited. She saw a huge flock of what looked like starlings doing their thing...they gather and swarm for a week or so before taking off to fly past Kdub's latitude. It is really awesome to see the aerial display sometimes. Hundreds of birds flying en masse and turning and wheeling at the same time... At any rate, she saw a raptor flying toward a really big flock and it opened into a perfect circle to let it through. Then about 15 starlings peeled off and chased the hawk until it couldn't be seen anymore while the flock continued with its acrobatics. She was still enraptured by the perfection of the circle they made when she got home. Fred

It would be cool to see a golden try to get a lamb in real life. I seen on tv where the eagle didn't actually pick up the lamb but knocked it off a ledge and then finished off the injured lamb. I did have a large raptor not sure what kind (had a white and black head) fly directly over me with about a 10 inch fish in its talons elk hunting this fall. Wish I could have seen him catch it.

here in SLC Ut. you can watch the falcons whack pigeons above downtown pretty reqularly. most people don't even notice.

hi all, this last winter, my uncle and i were stealhead fishing when we watched an exited 10 year old boy catch his first fish, his father bonked it and through it up on the bank. it was about 12 lbs. Shortly thereafter we saw the boys face melt when a bald eagle came from the trees and stole his fish. It was quite a show, but we felt for the young boy.

Right on Slinger! It is hard not to feel sorry for the boy, but imho that is mother nature's great gift. Some things she teaches you take only one episode...and she doesn't care about your politics either...lol... I have a friend who used to run outward bound kinds of programs for juvenile delinquents. He felt good about them running up against this kind of non-negotiable law. like I say, a great teacher...but a harsh one all the same... Cheers! Fred

Death catches elusive loon
NANCY LAKE: The bird was stuck in ice and killed by an eagle.
By PETER PORCO
Anchorage Daily News
http://adn.com/alaska/story/4392727p-4402792c.html
(Published: November 18, 2003)

Death has caught up with the flightless Nancy Lake loon.

An eagle killed the bird early Sunday afternoon as it was gripped fast by the ice, said Jim Friderici, who witnessed the attack from his family's weekend home.

The story of the loon, the object of more than half a dozen expeditions by Nancy Lake locals and other people to capture it and take it to a rehabilitation center, ended exactly as some of its would-be rescuers had feared.

"I wanted him shot before that happened," said Pam Kline, who lives at the lake.

But Nancy Lake, about 35 air miles north of Anchorage, froze up quickly overnight Thursday, and Kline and other people who live there couldn't find the loon.

The loon had a lame leg, perhaps hurt by a piece of fishing net, and because of that, it could not get airborne. It could eat but could not make the winter migration to the coast.

Friderici, who lives in Eagle River and was spending the weekend at the lake, noticed it late Sunday morning as it sat in what had seemed to him the night before like open water.

"I think he walked out and found the open water and went in," Friderici said. He trained his telescope on it. When he told his wife he could spot the loon in the ice, she asked whether it was dead.

"No, he's moving, he's still alive," Friderici said to her. The loon was covered with frost.

"He couldn't get out," Friderici said Monday. "He was moving and flapping his wings."

The loon held off the harassing ravens and magpies. Soon Friderici was on the phone calling Kline and other people. No one could be found with an airboat, which could have safely crossed the ice.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, the eagle showed up, Friderici said. "The eagle was picking at him, and he was still moving, and then he wasn't moving anymore."

By the end of the day, the magpies had finished the carcass, Friderici said.

When Kline noticed the bird last month, she said, it did not seem afraid, and when it ventured close to her shoreline, she saw that the netting was tangled with reeds, grass and other vegetation. The bird had a band on each leg, she said.

A federal biologist, Tamara Mills of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, suspected that the bands may have been applied in the 1990s as part of a study of mercury levels.

The netting, or whatever it was, fell off at some point, but the leg had turned white and was not working, according to Mills.

The adult bird was otherwise strong and healthy and easily evaded the bird lovers who tried to capture it with dipnets and seine nets, in daytime and at night, sometimes using computerized loon calls. They hoped to take it to a bird rehabilitation center.

Despite the commotion, the bird never appeared stressed. Mills, the federal biologist who participated in several rescue attempts, said the loon would dive and come up with a fish near the boats "in a sort of in-your-face kind of thing."

The last time Kline, a retired bookkeeper, saw the bird was Wednesday. Once again, it seemed in good condition despite the dropping temperatures.

"He was swimming and cleaning himself and having a great time," she said. "To see him that healthy and to just know what was going to happen to him, it was just sad."

Friderici tried to find a positive lesson. "Maybe the eagle is happier," he said.

Kline found no such consolation. "That had to have been terrible," she said.

"I'm just glad I wasn't to where I could see it. It's going to be a long time to where I can watch the loons out there and be so happy about them."

:) Moosedog, what you probably saw was an Osprey.Their prey is primarily fish and they rarely miss due to the barbed talons. Several years ago we had a pair of Goldens nesting on a rock ledge near our mountain cabin. The nest is about 125' up a sheer cliff. The only close in prey for them consisted of Marmots and ground squirrels. So, the weary pair had to fly over to the Carson Valley in Nevada to hunt. This amounts to at least a 50 mile round trip as the eagle flys. They would return often with white tailed jackrabbits, which can weigh several ponds. We witnessed this performance for most of the summer before the eaglets were fledged. Ignorant rock climbers finally drove them to a new nesting site, though. We hope every year that we will return. It was a very interesting spectacle.

Two years back, I saw two large eagles attacking a mule deer. Watched this scene at very long distance with binoculars, it was about 1.5 miles away. They dive bombed the deer's head and neck area. One actually appeared to have hooked into the hide for support and was "riding" the deer with wings partially out stretched. Never saw anything like it.

Next day we were moving cattle to another pasture so I rode over for a closer look at the scene. Deer was dead and torn apart. Eyes were ghastly looking. Coyote tracks and eagle tracks all mixed together in the dirt. I'm guessing the eagles killed the deer and fed first. Coyotes found the carcass later on.
TR

Nothing as dramatic as the eagles attacking the deer (that would have been something to behold) - a peregrine falcon took a mourning dove down in the back yard yesterday, right in front of the sunroom windows. We watched it dissect and eat the bird, interested in the natural act of nature, yet disgusted with the feathery mess it made in the yard. Before long the #l pest bird in our area, grackles, came and began carting off most of the feathers, feet and wings! Guess they're nest building and hungry. Anyway, all we had left was a bit of light down blowing around.

I don't like it that those two eagles blinded that mule deer and killed it that way. Somehow, I like to think I'm a more efficient predator with my scope sighted carbine. But I believe that Almighty God knew what He was doing when He created eagles. Its not really my position to critisize the killing nature of God's creation.

Yes, I have feelings about the deer or else I wouldn't be human.
TR

Watching the "Wild Kindom" in person is something the PETA types should experience.

I'm fortunate enough to live near 3 bald eagle pairs. Every year I witness a spectacular kill. I've seen them take Seagulls out of the air... now that is an explosion of feathers! Diving onto Pheasants realeased by my neighbor... or taking fish out of Elger Bay after crashing feet first into the water, flapping along the surface before lifing off, fish locked in it's talons...

I also enjoy watching the coyotes work the fence line along the back of my property for mice.

Another predator we see and hear a lot of is the Great Horned Owl. I watched on alight in a tree in my back yard before pouncing on a snake in my neighbors driveway. Very cool. Watched him kill it and then fly into a cedar tree and consume his kill.

The most amazing is the Grey Whales scooping shimp from the sandy beaches close to shore. Close enough to see the barnicles on them and hearing them spout is a real rush. I look forward to this every Spring.

Critters eat critters. Too bad Peta types believe they know everything they need to know about nature after watching the Bambi movie...

Hey, Fred and All -

Have to let you know what my wife, small grandson and I witnessed this morning -

The birds that my wife feeds in the back yard were going nuts with frantic chattering. That normally means a hawk or other predator is in the area. We looked out the back and sure enough, there were FOUR Harris hawks perched on the fence and watching the birds that had taken shelter in the oleander hedge that borders the fence. That fence isn't more than 30' off the back patio.

The Gambel's quail finally made a break for it, flying off in typical quail fashion - exploding out of the hedge and each taking a different direction. The hawks didn't even have a chance to unfurl their wings! The dove and smaller birds remained tucked into the dense hedge and the hawks couldn't get at them. Don't know if you're aware, but the Harris hawk is the only type that coordinate together for the hunt and will share the kill with one another.

Anyway, after about 15 minutes the hawks finally gave up and flew away, in a loose formation. Shortly thereafter, birds started pouring out of the hedge and scurrying off to wherever.

We're close enough to Mexico that raptors and other wintering birds stay in the area.
KDUB,
Last Summer the Wife and I spent a week at a nice inn up in Vermont.They offered a program of "Emglish"or"Scottish"(I forget which)of Falconry.
I took the introduction course and then the Hunt.That afternoon was the highlight of my Summer2004.
Except for special occasions,all the hunts are now done with Harris hawks.Harris hawks natually adapt to team play with other hawks,other animals.like dogs,and humans.
I,and one other Guest,shared a guide.My bird was a female;noticably bigger then the male on my partner's arm.
When you have one of these HUNTERS on your arm,about 18 inches from your face,you have to be impressed by their ferocity.I was also impressed by their tremendus sense of balance and how lightly they landed on my arm.When she swooped downto alight on my arm,the first time,I braced myself for a whack when she landed.But she backpedolled at the last moment,and touched my arm like a falling feather.I swear to God that I bearly felt her land,and she was a pretty big bird.
I got no game,that afternoon;my partner got a chipmunk,and I enjoyed it as much as he did.
If you ever get a chance to visit a School of Falconry,it will be quality time spent there.
Frank

Every once in awhile I hear a story around hear about Owls scooping up small dogs while they are being walked in the early morining. I also heard a story (True/Fasle?)some time ago about a person in a rabbit fur hat getting attacked by Owls. I think that one was in Canada. I had to laugh about that one.

Interesting thread, and it brought back memories. About 15 years ago me and a friend were scouting some mule deer country and we were at about 9500 ft and looked up near some craggy bluffs and there was a golden eagle harassing 4 or 5 mule deer does/fawns. That eagle dwarfed those deer and it would just hover off their backs about 5 feet trying to run them off the bluff. It sure scattered those deer, but it never got one to take the plunge.

And, many, many years ago, in my teens, I watched a hawk dive-bomb a snow goose out of the air, and this was several hundred yards up so that goose had a long fall. I went to where the goose fell and the hawk flew off, unable to carry the load. It had a deep gash in it's side, and it fell as if the wing were broken.

As someone else said, nature has some amazing sights.

Wife's cousin was hunting in Wyoming with me one year and was crouched down in a pile of rocks on a mountain side. Was dark-thirty in the morning. A shape came out of nowhere and he felt a scrape on top of his head. A great horned owl had dived on his bright orange watch cap and veered off at the last possible second.

We kidded him about his rat-face being responsible. :D

I was digging clams on the caost of Maine a few years back and needed to walk up the shore to find some fresh digging There was a Osprey nest in a tree about 50 feet in the air. The Osprey did not want me near that nest and started diving at my head. Not real close, but enough to make me pick up my pace to get away The screaching they made was enough to make me take serious notice. I can *simpathise* with an animal getting harassed by a large bird like an eagle or such.

AL