Eagles at QV this morning

[kdunp...@gmail.com]

There were 5 eagles at various times this morning, 4 (1 mature and 3 immature) on the upper side near the river outlet and then 4 immature down by the legion area.

Of note, 1 of the immature eagles is missing a digit on his right foot, looks to be a heavy stump where one of the front digits should be. Has anyone else photographed this eagle before and noticed this?

[Martin Berrigan]

On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 9:45:49 AM UTC-2:30, kdunp...@gmail.com wrote:
> There were 5 eagles at various times this morning, 4 (1 mature and 3 immature) on the upper side near the river outlet and then 4 immature down by the legion area.
>
> Of note, 1 of the immature eagles is missing a digit on his right foot, looks to be a heavy stump where one of the front digits should be. Has anyone else photographed this eagle before and noticed this?

No,I have not heard of such but I gather you were the Lady at the bridge this am at 7:47 Rennies outflow where the juvenile was within ten feet of us ,it appear's I have the exact same photo,so it's his right leg and the bird is missing his left inner digit,from my photo the stump is fully intact with healthy skin ,good eyes.The bird appeared to be looking at the water as if he'd do a quick jump down to get a fish,he was just above enough to look hard at the water,had no problem landing on the lawn and in flight this bird has all feather's intact.Gerard

[kdunp...@gmail.com]

On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 10:52:56 AM UTC-2:30, Martin Berrigan wrote:
> On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 9:45:49 AM UTC-2:30, kdunp...@gmail.com wrote:
> > There were 5 eagles at various times this morning, 4 (1 mature and 3 immature) on the upper side near the river outlet and then 4 immature down by the legion area.
> >
> > Of note, 1 of the immature eagles is missing a digit on his right foot, looks to be a heavy stump where one of the front digits should be. Has anyone else photographed this eagle before and noticed this?

> No,I have not heard of such but I gather you were the Lady at the bridge this am at 7:47 Rennies outflow where the juvenile was within ten feet of us ,it appear's I have the exact same photo,so it's his right leg and the bird is missing his left inner digit, from my photo the stump is fully intact with healthy skin ,good eyes.The bird appeared to be looking at the water as if he'd do a quick jump down to get a fish,he was just above enough to look hard at the water,had no problem landing on the lawn and in flight this bird has all feather's intact.Gerard



Gerard:
I was one of two women with a camera this morning. I got there around just before 7:30 but didn't go as far as being on the bridge. There were two mature(ish) eagles sitting together on the ice when I arrived, the missing toe eagle was off by himself. He lifted off and then dipped himself into the water a few times, I expect trying to catch something maybe. It's those shots that clearly show the missing digit. Have a few pictures will upload e-bird later.

I agree, the missing digit doesn't appear to impede this eagle at all, it looks well healed, although bit of a bulky stump. This eagle flew from the outflow to the ice and back a few times, he was particularly interested in a stick he found the ice and carried that back in his claws to the rocks area. He did keep looking into the water.

[kdunp...@gmail.com]

https://ebird.org/checklist/S131702709

[Martin Berrigan]

At 5:30 this evening I watched a Mature eagle take out a Herring gull from a distance,I went to the Virginia outflow and then a second adult eagle came in and took that prey,the other eagle moved just 150 feet and went on another gull that was dead,then a third mature eagle showed up.Also at Rennies outflow there is a Iceland gull juvenile that looks like he was grabbed by a eagle his left wing was not hanging but you could see he was punctured and losing some blood,thats a lot of gulls to be attacked and killed in one day on the ice,can only mean that the females are getting ready to lay egg's and they are filling up on the ice or the males are out providing for they're partners who have already layed egg's.A hawk also attacked the Willow tree today at 4:30 pm a sharpie,he was quick and only a Creeper and the Yellow-throated were at the Willow tree at the time,but as soon as the hawk moved in I never saw the Yellow-throated or the Creeper again and the hawk left empty clawed,but a good wake up for this warbler who need's it,too relaxed at the food site.I was happy that I was 120 feet away,it should be the hawk and the bird with nothing obstructing either of these birds and that favour's the warbler more to concentrate on his environment,and the sharpie that is always lurking in the shadow's.Gerard

[Martin Berrigan]

After reviewing the photos it was a mature Greater Black-backed gull that was attacked and killed,the other gull was a Herring adult,since it was late in the evening one can expect all the juvies to be in for the scraps in the early morn'n hour's