Tiny eagles eating fish
March 20, 2013 9:02 AM Subscribe
Neat! There's a botanic garden in my area, it's a pretty good size. We have a pair of roosting bald eagles there, and sometimes I see them outside of the park. It's really cool.
posted by FirstMateKate at 9:13 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by FirstMateKate at 9:13 AM on March 20, 2013
That's pretty cool.
The eagle on the nest currently is projecting a strong sense of "fuuuuuuuck this wind".
posted by brennen at 9:14 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
The eagle on the nest currently is projecting a strong sense of "fuuuuuuuck this wind".
posted by brennen at 9:14 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
As a former Quad Citian, I would like to add that seeing the eagles in person nesting along the river is absolutely mind-blowing. First of all, they're *huge* -- it's like seeing a Golden Retriever sitting in a tree right above your head. Second, their courtship dance involves locking talons high in the sky, and cartwheeling down together in a terrifying dive that breaks off a few seconds before they would hit the ground. I was lucky enough to see a pair perform it once, out over the Mississippi river, and it's just as awe-inspiring as it sounds.
posted by ariel_caliban at 9:32 AM on March 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by ariel_caliban at 9:32 AM on March 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
gingerbeer just informed me that she just saw two RTHAs (red-tailed hawks, for those who don't speak banding code) having sex on the cross on the steeple of the church across from her office, and she's seen them carrying sticks for nest-building. Yay raptors for making more raptors!
posted by rtha at 9:36 AM on March 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by rtha at 9:36 AM on March 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
It's even better when they're fledglings-- oh mighty eaglets, with their hilarious mismatched feathers and wobbly little hops! They manage to look as embarrassed as anything with killer claws and eyes can.
posted by jetlagaddict at 9:40 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by jetlagaddict at 9:40 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
WHAT is that loud buzzing noise???
posted by michellenoel at 9:41 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by michellenoel at 9:41 AM on March 20, 2013
If you find this compelling, you may be an Alcoaholic
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 9:57 AM on March 20, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 9:57 AM on March 20, 2013 [5 favorites]
FYI She's feeding them right now. Lots of fish, apparently!
posted by Malice at 9:58 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by Malice at 9:58 AM on March 20, 2013
Oh, guess I typed that too late. She decided they needed a nap. You can still see all the fish though.
posted by Malice at 9:59 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by Malice at 9:59 AM on March 20, 2013
WHAT is that loud buzzing noise???
High winds distorting the microphone.
posted by Drexen at 10:02 AM on March 20, 2013
High winds distorting the microphone.
posted by Drexen at 10:02 AM on March 20, 2013
Man, I never thought I'd be the sort of guy to say "Fuck yeah, Eagle cam!" every spring but... FUCK YEAH, EAGLE CAM!
I love Eagle Cam.
posted by bondcliff at 10:11 AM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love Eagle Cam.
posted by bondcliff at 10:11 AM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
eaglewashing
posted by bicyclefish at 10:22 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by bicyclefish at 10:22 AM on March 20, 2013
An elderly patient spent an hour gazing happily at the Eagle Cam in my library yesterday. I think there's no peace like the peace of watching animals do their thing.
posted by gillyflower at 10:25 AM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by gillyflower at 10:25 AM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
So many urban myths about eagle nests scattered with cat & small dog collars.
... are they true?
posted by anthill at 10:27 AM on March 20, 2013
... are they true?
posted by anthill at 10:27 AM on March 20, 2013
The Streaming Eagles?
posted by mhoye at 10:37 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by mhoye at 10:37 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
How big are the fullgrown birds? I've heard that eagles are so long, and I'm sure the camera angle makes them look smaller than they are.
Also, this is good for Alcoa, and is sure to erne them lots of goodwill...
posted by Jehan at 10:46 AM on March 20, 2013
Also, this is good for Alcoa, and is sure to erne them lots of goodwill...
posted by Jehan at 10:46 AM on March 20, 2013
How big are the fullgrown birds?
As ariel_caliban points out above they are huge. I was driving by one the other day feeding on a deer. I stopped the car, backed up, watched it eat for a while surrounded by crows that wouldn't come near it. I have never seen a bigger bird. I decided to get out and take some photos and when I opened the car door it flew back about 75 feet into a corn field. I waited, but he wasn't coming back as long as I was in the area.
This bird had to be 3 feet high from talon to head.
I can see them in flight or perched whenever I want. They are fairly common. If you're in Iowa I know the good spots to see them. Hit me up.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:09 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
As ariel_caliban points out above they are huge. I was driving by one the other day feeding on a deer. I stopped the car, backed up, watched it eat for a while surrounded by crows that wouldn't come near it. I have never seen a bigger bird. I decided to get out and take some photos and when I opened the car door it flew back about 75 feet into a corn field. I waited, but he wasn't coming back as long as I was in the area.
This bird had to be 3 feet high from talon to head.
I can see them in flight or perched whenever I want. They are fairly common. If you're in Iowa I know the good spots to see them. Hit me up.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:09 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
They're typically about 3 feet long from head to tail, with a wingspan of about 6 feet. So, HUGE. If a shadow a low-flying eagle ever passes over you, you will instinctively want to jump in a hole like a gopher.
posted by rtha at 11:17 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by rtha at 11:17 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
This is awesome! Thanks for posting!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 11:22 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by WalkerWestridge at 11:22 AM on March 20, 2013
I suggested they name one of the eaglets "Colbert", so that Alcoa can get the Colbert bump in publicity.
posted by misha at 11:23 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by misha at 11:23 AM on March 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
Ah, I grew up about 40 minutes north of Davenport. We used to watch the eagles over the Mississippi from Eagle Point Park all the time. It was such a part of Iowa life that growing up I never imagined people living somewhere where everyone didn't go see the national bird every year. I thought it was why it was our animal.
This is really neat, so thanks for posting. Props to Alcoa!
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:35 AM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is really neat, so thanks for posting. Props to Alcoa!
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:35 AM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
How big are the fullgrown birds?
Our local Aviary has a pair of Steller's Sea Eagles on exhibit. They're almost prehistoric to look at up close. On a recent visit one walked up to the glass and towered over a toddler. We were fairly certain that the message there was "if not for this wall, you'd be mine, puny human." I love them.
posted by librarianamy at 11:35 AM on March 20, 2013
Our local Aviary has a pair of Steller's Sea Eagles on exhibit. They're almost prehistoric to look at up close. On a recent visit one walked up to the glass and towered over a toddler. We were fairly certain that the message there was "if not for this wall, you'd be mine, puny human." I love them.
posted by librarianamy at 11:35 AM on March 20, 2013
Baby eagle should let brother/sister eagle have some food too, INSTEAD OF BEING AN ATTENTION WHORE AND EATING ALL THE NOMNOMS.
posted by hellomina at 11:36 AM on March 20, 2013
posted by hellomina at 11:36 AM on March 20, 2013
WHAT is that loud buzzing noise???
ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD.
posted by JHarris at 11:55 AM on March 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD.
posted by JHarris at 11:55 AM on March 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
In other cute bird news, the other day I came across these pictures of a screech owl that was found by the flight techs on an aircraft carrier in the wheel well of a fighter jet and adopted.
posted by XMLicious at 12:29 PM on March 20, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by XMLicious at 12:29 PM on March 20, 2013 [6 favorites]
Mmmmmm, fish parts....
posted by gingerbeer at 12:30 PM on March 20, 2013
posted by gingerbeer at 12:30 PM on March 20, 2013
Baby eagle should let brother/sister eagle have some food too, INSTEAD OF BEING AN ATTENTION WHORE AND EATING ALL THE NOMNOMS.
I think the second baby eagle, at two days old, is wrestling with the age old conundrum :
"should I stand up to eat? or stay here on the couch? Perhaps.... I could do both!"
posted by cacofonie at 12:52 PM on March 20, 2013
I think the second baby eagle, at two days old, is wrestling with the age old conundrum :
"should I stand up to eat? or stay here on the couch? Perhaps.... I could do both!"
posted by cacofonie at 12:52 PM on March 20, 2013
you might even say that baby brother is being a foil to his older brother.
posted by cacofonie at 12:54 PM on March 20, 2013
posted by cacofonie at 12:54 PM on March 20, 2013
In other cute bird news, the other day I came across these pictures of a screech owl that was found by the flight techs on an aircraft carrier in the wheel well of a fighter jet and adopted.
I just died from adorable. Thanks!
posted by rtha at 1:02 PM on March 20, 2013
I just died from adorable. Thanks!
posted by rtha at 1:02 PM on March 20, 2013
Bald eagles do look remarkably compact when they're perched, but they are ENORMOUS and when I was lucky enough to see one flying over my house (I'm about three miles from a river where they nest in winter), I thought it was a small plane at first because I have NEVER seen anything that big in the sky that wasn't man-made. It's GIGANTIC.
"So many urban myths about eagle nests scattered with cat & small dog collars."
About three years ago in my town there was a shortage of mice or voles or some sort of thing in the summer, related to some disease, and there were two small dogs (chihuahua size) treated by veterinarians after hawks (not eagles, hawks; probably red tailed hawks which have a wingspan of 3-4 feet) had a go at them in their backyards. Neither dog was carried off but both had some pretty serious wounds from the talons and the animals welfare people actually did put out an alert about staying outside with your small dogs and pet rabbits/gerbils/whatever and not letting them roam the yard unattended, just in case. I guess cats are warier?
Okay, last story, I was driving (pretty fast) on a rural road where I quite often see birds of prey because it's brushy grass bordering woods, so there's lots of good pickins for little rodenty things. A golden eagle came down RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CAR, wings fully extended, talons out (pretty much like this), heading for a rabbit in the area next to the road. Its wingspan was BIGGER THAN MY WINDSHIELD and I was like HOLY FUCK THIS BIRD IS GINORMOUS WE ARE GOING TO DIE but luckily eagles steer better than that and we didn't collide. Anyway, now I'm scared to drive 55 on rural roads not because of hitting a deer, which happens all the time, but because AN EAGLE MIGHT DIVE THROUGH MY WINDSHIELD AND KILL US ALL. It was awe-inspiring, though; absolutely amazing. And seared on my brain due to the massive overdose of terror-adrenaline from that instant. My kids slept through it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:09 PM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
"So many urban myths about eagle nests scattered with cat & small dog collars."
About three years ago in my town there was a shortage of mice or voles or some sort of thing in the summer, related to some disease, and there were two small dogs (chihuahua size) treated by veterinarians after hawks (not eagles, hawks; probably red tailed hawks which have a wingspan of 3-4 feet) had a go at them in their backyards. Neither dog was carried off but both had some pretty serious wounds from the talons and the animals welfare people actually did put out an alert about staying outside with your small dogs and pet rabbits/gerbils/whatever and not letting them roam the yard unattended, just in case. I guess cats are warier?
Okay, last story, I was driving (pretty fast) on a rural road where I quite often see birds of prey because it's brushy grass bordering woods, so there's lots of good pickins for little rodenty things. A golden eagle came down RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CAR, wings fully extended, talons out (pretty much like this), heading for a rabbit in the area next to the road. Its wingspan was BIGGER THAN MY WINDSHIELD and I was like HOLY FUCK THIS BIRD IS GINORMOUS WE ARE GOING TO DIE but luckily eagles steer better than that and we didn't collide. Anyway, now I'm scared to drive 55 on rural roads not because of hitting a deer, which happens all the time, but because AN EAGLE MIGHT DIVE THROUGH MY WINDSHIELD AND KILL US ALL. It was awe-inspiring, though; absolutely amazing. And seared on my brain due to the massive overdose of terror-adrenaline from that instant. My kids slept through it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:09 PM on March 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
Balds mostly don't hunt for live mammals (though nesting birds will probably catch anything they can to feed the young, and they'll scavenge off carrion). They're mostly (lazy) fish-eaters; if there are ospreys in the neighborhood, balds will mug them if they're carrying fish.
Eyebrows, you're lucky that golden didn't hit you! Raptors are killed by car and truck strikes at a horrifying rate.
posted by rtha at 1:16 PM on March 20, 2013
Eyebrows, you're lucky that golden didn't hit you! Raptors are killed by car and truck strikes at a horrifying rate.
posted by rtha at 1:16 PM on March 20, 2013
Yeah, in retrospect, I realized that the eagle couldn't weigh that much compared to my car and he was in much more danger than I was, but DUDE, when you are a foot or two from a gigantic raptor coming down at prey, wings fully out, talons extended, and it is BIGGER THAN YOUR WINDSHIELD, all your prehistoric, atavistic, residual tiny-mammal brain wants to do is ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun! He definitely LOOKED like he could take on a ton of steel and win!
I actually had to pull over and calm down because the adrenaline rush was so massive.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:23 PM on March 20, 2013
I actually had to pull over and calm down because the adrenaline rush was so massive.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:23 PM on March 20, 2013
Totally. I have instinctively ducked-and-covered when the shadow of a big raptor goes over me!
posted by rtha at 1:38 PM on March 20, 2013
posted by rtha at 1:38 PM on March 20, 2013
On the wing an eagle looks a lot like a hawk. You really need something for scale to realize how huge they can be. They are also super common now. When I was a kid they were all dying off. It's great to see them all over the place now. In Iowa we allow dove hunting, which I think isn't sporting at all, but if they legalized eagle hunting, but you had to do it with a knife...I'd pay to watch that.
posted by cjorgensen at 2:33 PM on March 20, 2013
posted by cjorgensen at 2:33 PM on March 20, 2013
Governor Branstache had a HUGE hard-on for reinstating a Dove hunting season. He'd been pushing for it since the early 80s. It always seemed strange to me.
Anyway, I grew up watching the bald eagles in Dubuque just up the river. During the winter they hunt just below the lock and dam, and there's the aptly named Eagle Point Park on the bluff above that is just perfect for observation. Even living in Des Moines now I frequently see eagles.
Unrelated--I drove past that Alcoa plant last year while I was in the Quad Cities on some Deere business. I thought our plants were big until I saw Alcoa. That thing is just Detroit-style massive.
posted by TrialByMedia at 2:48 PM on March 20, 2013
Anyway, I grew up watching the bald eagles in Dubuque just up the river. During the winter they hunt just below the lock and dam, and there's the aptly named Eagle Point Park on the bluff above that is just perfect for observation. Even living in Des Moines now I frequently see eagles.
Unrelated--I drove past that Alcoa plant last year while I was in the Quad Cities on some Deere business. I thought our plants were big until I saw Alcoa. That thing is just Detroit-style massive.
posted by TrialByMedia at 2:48 PM on March 20, 2013
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posted by filthy light thief at 9:08 AM on March 20, 2013