Close encounter with a Verreaux's Eagle
Peter Silbernagl
Dear all,
I just have to share this.
We were at the Vêrgenoeg Farm Stay (the name says it – 33.24343 S, 21.46152 E ) in the Karoo this week. The chalet is perched on the edge of a foothill of the Witteberg mountains and is quite a way above the valley below.
We did not think it as an ideal habitat for Verreaux’s Eagles, as the terrain does not lend itself to hiding places for dassies (rock hyrax). How wrong we were.
Late afternoon, just as were discussing what to prepare for supper, a Verreaux’s came soaring past the chalet, just skirting the verandah and then gliding past the windows, not more than 3m away. You could literally see the eyebrows and the huge, slightly open bill. The sheer size of the wings exceeded our preconceived perceptions. Just huge.
An absolutely awesome moment being so close to one of our alpha avian predators.
It then slowly glided on over the bushes, just touching a leaf here and there as it skirted the cliffs.
As I said, I just had to share this. As birds are also somewhat animals of habit, I suspect it will use this “beat” again from time to time.
Thanks for bearing with this indulgence.
Peter
Adam Welz
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