I could hear the gulls' angry cries long before I reached the shore and saw the eagle they were harassing. Eventually he tired of the in-air chase and landed on this small island. Gulls perched on telephone poles and trees along the walkway continued to broadcast their danger signals as long as he rested there. The Canada Geese didn't appear to be worried by his presence but as soon as he took off the gulls were after him again.
What a majestic bird, the bald eagle. I would never have expected it to be harassed by seagulls.
ReplyDeleteTurning the tables (from my Facebook page):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2583500588610&l=740ac5df1f
Grainy because it was at the extreme zoom end of my point-and-shoot.
@Mike - Yikes! It's easy to see why the gulls were so p****d off.
ReplyDeleteFascinating dynamics between different birds. Generally, hearing gulls all in a dither and flying in a criss-cross pattern is a defense mechanism meaning a Bald Eagle is nearby, making it difficult to single one out.
ReplyDeleteSuccess of apex predators such as eagles, Killer Whales and wolves is a sign of a healthy food-chain existing below them.