Seward, Alaska
Yesterday, I happened to be
approaching the Mile 1 Nash Road wetlands when an adult BALD EAGLE flew down to
the shallow water next to the road and landed with a big splash. I immediately
pulled over and started taking photos.
At first, I thought the Eagle
had pounced on one of the Mallards or Common Mergansers that frequent the
wetlands. It was hard to tell exactly what was happening. Was it trying to
drown the duck by holding it underwater? Was the duck fighting back mightily,
throwing the Eagle off balance?
I just kept shooting and
wondering. It was bizarre hunting behavior for an Eagle. Usually, they just
grab and go. But no, the Eagle kept splashing around, submerging one side and
then the other up to the wing pits, then on its back with a little back stroke,
forward on its belly, a few short strokes, tail up and down; everything but the
fierce head got a thorough drenching.
Finally, it dawned on me that
this was a regal Eagle bath! How amazing!
In the middle of the wetlands, the resident TRUMPETER SWAN
parents have been working like living excavators, piling up a huge mound of
vegetation for their third year nest. MALLARDS hovered around the work scene,
plucking tidbits as they floated past. A few took a nap on the nest mound while
the Swans were busy on the far end. This easy camaraderie will not be tolerated
for much longer.
In fact, the Swans took a
break and started paddling over side by side with purpose to investigate the Eagle, ready
to evict this invader that dared to bathe in their territory.
The Eagle apparently got the
hint and decided it was clean enough. Soggy though it was, it flew off to a
nearby snag to shake off. I carefully checked its talons to make sure there was
no prey. Nope!
After the Swans cruised triumphantly and majestically back to the nest area, and the clean Eagle flew away, I slowly approached the bath site in case there was an abandoned carcass. Nope. It was just a bath after all.
After the Swans cruised triumphantly and majestically back to the nest area, and the clean Eagle flew away, I slowly approached the bath site in case there was an abandoned carcass. Nope. It was just a bath after all.
I was surprised to note that
the whole show only lasted two minutes; timing is
everything. I am so glad that I just happened to be there.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
What an amazing sequence of photos. I'm glad you were in the right place too. I especially love the water droplets coming off the eagle in the last photo!
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