Nature & Wildlife 

The Easter Duck

4-11-09

There are two ways to view the following story; I choose to see it as a Bald Eagle getting its Easter Duck.

While driving down the road, I saw a bald eagle on its final approach to attack something. I didn't realize it was an eagle until I saw its white tail feathers disappear behind shrubs on a small hill.

As I drove up to the pasture beyond the shrubs, I saw nothing there, just green grass. I drove on past another little rise and the first thing I saw was 3 mallards, a drake and two hens waddling up the small hill. Then I saw the eagle flopping around toward the back of the pasture. I think the ducks either had their wings clipped or being farm ducks, were too fat to fly. In any case, the bald eagle had nabbed a hen.

After watching this eagle pluck a few feathers, I thought there must be a way to get closer. Seeing the road behind the pasture I figured there must be a way to get to it. the I saw where the turn off was so drove there. it is a private gravel road to a farm house. As I drove toward the farm house, the resident farm dog came out to greet me. But it got sidetracked by the eagle and starting barking at it. the eagle flew to a nearby post and much to my surprise, the duck got up and started running around, the dog in hot pursuit.

I decided to go away and maybe let things settle a little. When I cam back the dog was gone and the eagle flew from the post and started sizing up his next attack.

I think the duck was too fat for the eagle to carry. It tried to take the duck away but just couldn't get air born.

It stopped and started plucking feathers again. This time, two magpies flew in to check things out. 

The magpies distracted the eagle and unbelievably, the duck got away. But the eagle was right on it this time.

The dog came back after this last episode and the eagle flew to a tree nearby. the duck didn't move anymore, so I'm sure the eagle was just waiting for things to calm down and has probably had its breakfast by now. I have see a pair of bald eagles in the area consistently and wonder if they have a nearby nest. in any case, it was an amazing thing to see!