Seward, Alaska
In between squalls this afternoon, I happened upon a BALD EAGLE feeding frenzy by the seafood processing plant on Lowell Point Road. There were no fishing boats unloading, no processing, and few gulls, so the heightened excitement was a bit of a mystery.
Eagles, from 3 to 7 in number, swooped low over the water, grabbing, chasing, screeching, flapping, turning, and spinning. The lucky ones escaped with a fish scrap in their strong bills or trailing from their sharp talons.
Lucky or not, they then stroked powerfully to the trees and landed to eat, skirmish, or rest. Not all the landings were graceful; indeed, most looked like controlled crashes. Some landings featured multiple birds on the same branch, feathers flapping and everyone screeching.
Eagles perched high and low along the mountainside like ornaments. They were hard to count, especially the well-camouflaged immatures, but I’d guess at least 20.
After finishing their snack or rest, they launched off the branches with determination and headed back over the road. I peered around the bank and managed to get a better view of their destination: an apparently open tote of fish scraps on the dock.
Eagles crowded around the tote, perched on the pilings, on top of the tote stack and nearby building. As some flew away, others flew in, landing almost or on top of the others. Giant wings, giant talons, strident voices.
The accidental open tote was a bonanza for the Eagles and for me!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
PS 10:15 pm SAW-WHET OWL beeping from Mt Marathon lower slope!
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