There is no doubt that people around the world are easily awed by eagles. There are eagles of various species all around the planet.
Antarctica is the only continent without eagles.
In Newfoundland and Labrador the bald eagle is the default eagle. There are a few golden eagles nesting in the northern half of Labrador where inaccessible to most of us.
Newfoundland and Labrador is a stronghold for the bald eagle in eastern North America. While never an abundant species, bald eagles are a relatively frequent sight.
Yet people never tire of seeing them. Close encounters with such a huge bird triggers excitement within us.
In the winter Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John’s brings eagles and people together.
The eagles are attracted to the nearby city landfill where, believe it or not, they forage in the trash. Eagles are professional scavengers by trade. They are too big and clumsy to chase down most prey. They seek out animal life already dead or compromised in some way that allows them a chance to chase it down.
Eagles also have a taste for gulls. Eagles are always testing out gulls by making them fly. This past summer I watched a flock of gulls resting on a tidal flat at Arnolds Cove scattered upon the approach of an eagle.
One great black-backed gull was slower than the rest. It was flying with a limp.
The eagle zeroed in on this gull. The gull flew in great circles around the estuary being pursued by the eagle with its deliberate and laborious wingbeat. A second eagle joined in the chase. The eagles took turns making close passes at the gull. Each time the gull was able to out manoeuvre the less agile eagles at the last second.
Eventually the gull tired enough so one of the eagles caught up to it, turned over on its back and grabbed the gull effortlessly from beneath with its great claws.
The eagle flew with the gull to a tree top and started picking off the feathers and began to eat it. This was a good day for one eagle.
At Quidi Vidi Lake the eagles are always alert to the possibility of a dead or injured gull among the great winter flocks.
Over the winter a few gulls die out on the ice for various reasons unknown to us. It could be something they ate, an old injury or just old age. The wide open expanse of the ice also offers a perfect resting and social gathering place for the eagles.
Regular walkers around the lake know the bald eagles and take them for granted sitting like a big black blob out on the ice.
But when an eagle sits on top of a pole right next to the path, everyone stops for a look. Traffic on the road grinds to halt as people pull over to have a look and take a cell phone picture.
Usually it is the younger eagles that have not yet learned to be aware of mankind. It takes a bald eagle four to five years from the day it is hatched before it has a white head and tail.
In those first four years the young eagles go through various stages of mottled brown with irregular white patches throughout the wings, tail and body.
Bald eagles are like icebergs to me, spectacular, but when do you stop taking pictures of them? I have so many photographs of both from over the years. I made a rule of no more iceberg or bald eagle pictures.
Yet I break the rule almost every year.
When eagles are fighting over control of a food item on the Quidi Vidi Lake ice on a bright sunny morning there is no saying no!
While eagles are sociable birds, they do not share their food. Size matters when it comes to who eats first. Among birds of prey the female is bigger than the male. The biggest eagle gets first crack at a new dead gull on the ice. The others stand around trying to distract the big one from the prey. When unguarded for a few seconds it can be stolen away by another eagle. With flailing wings and slashing talons the birds engage in fierce looking fights.
Though, miraculously, none ever appear injured. Freezing the action with a high speed digital camera can produce spectacular images.
A dead gull may go through the possession of a half dozen eagles before it finally becomes little more than skin and bones for the crows to pick at.
The ice has since melted on Quidi Vidi Lake.
Eagle sightings will be fewer through the spring. Yes it is now spring!
By the time the next column comes out you will be looking at your first spring robins.
Bruce Mactavish is an environmental consultant and avid birdwatcher.
