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Scrooge
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Scrooge
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PostSun Feb 03, 2002 9:55 pm 
After an afternoon of logging-road walking in the Tomtit Alps we were headed for home on Ben Howard Road when Larch spotted an eagle sitting on a gravel bar in the Skykomish. We stopped and watched it for several minutes and at first we weren't at all sure of our identification. "Crouched" on the ground at water level, it looked like it might have been some strange sort of duck or goose, or maybe just a trick of our eyes. Then it "stood up" and took off upstream and our identification was confirmed. I bring up this sighting because I didn't realize eagles had any sort of ground-based behavior. There were stumps on the bar and trees on the shore that would have seemed much likelier perches. If you've got any info on this, please add it. Otherwise - let's hear your eagle stories. smile.gif

Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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Oldtimer
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PostSun Feb 03, 2002 10:20 pm 
For years, my wife has had eagles on the brain. We have gone to a lake south of Vanderhoof in June for a number of years so (a) she can view eagles, and (b) I can catch RB. She sees lots of eagles on a spawning stream, I catch lots of trout in backcountry lakes. One evening a few years ago I took her to the "usual" spot to see if any eagles were there. Twenty four were sitting on the ground in a pasture; some were so stuffed with fish (trout and squawfish) they couldn't fly. We also go to Squamish at appropriate times to view eagles. Finally, we also go between Concrete and Marblemount to view eagles. We were there about 3 weeks ago, where she saw 10 in about 3 hours. Frequently, we see eagles on sandbars. However, I would say the ratio is at least 15:1 -- 15 eagles sitting in trees to 1 eagle on sandbar/s. No, upon further reflection, I think it is more like 50:1. However, when we've seen one eagle on a sand bar, we usually see more than one. In B.C. on that spawning stream, it's like 50:50. My most common fishing technique is trolling a fly. One time, a friend and I were doing that. He had a hit on his fly, the RB started jumping, suddenly, we saw an eagle flying by, it headed for the RB, grabbed it, and flew away with the fish in its claw (I've noticed they usually use one claw to hold the fish when flying to a tree, rather than two, although they grab with both for starters). My late friend, who was a diehard fisherman, was not pleased at all to lose his fish to an eagle.

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#19
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PostMon Feb 04, 2002 8:53 am 
Went up to Rockport area in about 1978 to check out the eagles. Think it was prior to signs saying stay off gravel bars. Walking along one I started gently kicking these same sized "sticks" that were about foot and half long and six inches in diameter that were encased in mud. The "sticks" were pretty water logged and rotten and broke up pretty easily. Then I noticed this horrible smell everytime I kicked one. Obviously, my "sticks" were actually dead salmon. frown.gif That day I saw at least 50 birds. Took one shot across the river with about 18 birds in it. There is a sharp bend in the river a few miles east of Rockport with a large gravel bar adjacent. Saw two birds on the bar, wings up and flapping in a debate over a fish. Went every year after for about 10. Haven't been in a while.

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Newt
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PostTue Feb 05, 2002 5:06 am 
Last year I counted 27 on the flats out on Chuckanut. 8-10 of which were standing in the fields. Saw one 2 years ago standing on the bank of the Stilly next to the water. Counted a total 45 in Ketcikan in June and the Ranger on the Ferry said go to Haines in Oct. If you don't count at least 100 you ain't lookin'. My best tho was year before last out on SR 542. We were doing some field work west of Glacier. Lots of road kill around. We're driving along and one swooped down in front of us, big talons snagged the kill and on the way up it swerved to miss our truck. It's load hit the top corner of the cab. We couldn't beleive it and wanted an instant replay. Just awesome. Them suckers are BIG!! NN smile.gif

It's pretty safe to say that if we take all of man kinds accumulated knowledge, we still don't know everything. So, I hope you understand why I don't believe you know everything. But then again, maybe you do.
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Lazyboy
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PostTue Feb 05, 2002 12:28 pm 
Here in southwestern Oregon, up in the hills, we have some resident bald eagles. One pair lives near a pond close to our home. There are some small streams that fill this pond and I enjoy canoeing on it and doing a little fishing. The eagles are nearly tame and will come by us flying so close overhead that you can feel the wind from their wings. It's pretty awesome.

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MtnGoat
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PostTue Feb 05, 2002 12:59 pm 
There are also lots of eagles on Lk Washington. I lived one house back from the water in Juanita for 8 years and in the winter not a day goes by without seeing at least one eagle, and more often hearing the distinctive cry a Bald makes. Kind of a screech crossed with a chicken cluck. Last time I was visiting an old neighbor a few weeks ago, there were three in the tall firs in the front yard fighting over something one of them had.

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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Ulrich
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PostTue Feb 05, 2002 2:37 pm 
As a follow-up to the report of sightings of eagles on Lake Washington. This Sunday evening while walking past the Seattle Tennis Club we observed a pair of eagles perched on top of a tall tree. One finally took off towards the valley. What first got our attention was the screeching we were so familar with from trips up the Skagit river.

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Scrooge
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: wishful thinking
Scrooge
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PostTue Feb 05, 2002 8:19 pm 
Another (peculiar) suburban eagle sighting. We were driving through Woodinville on 522 when we saw an eagle flapping along just above the roadside trees - being pursued by a flock of eight or ten crows. I've seen crows make a game of chasing pigeons, but I wouldn't have thought they'd try the same sport with the MUCH bigger eagle. Nevertheless, there's no qustion about what we saw: an eagle fleaing with a bunch of crows in hot pursuit. But, does anybody have a clue as to what we were seeing?

Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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Newt
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PostTue Feb 05, 2002 9:25 pm 
We have 2 resident Eagles here in Lake Stevens. George and Martha. Been here for a number of years in their same nest by the road. Having built the nest in the tree subsequently shut down a housing development that was planned there. They also perch on the other side of the road on occassion and there is another development being planned there. Wonder who will win this one. As for the bird chase I've seen all kinds of smaller birds chasing larger ones. Sometimes flat out harassing. Could never fiqure it out. NN smile.gif

It's pretty safe to say that if we take all of man kinds accumulated knowledge, we still don't know everything. So, I hope you understand why I don't believe you know everything. But then again, maybe you do.
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MtnGoat
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PostThu Feb 07, 2002 6:34 pm 
The eagles I saw while living near the water were often harassed by crows. A good portion of the time you'd see an eagle looking like it was carrying something, it would be followed by at least a few crows.

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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