Steve and I went out for the day yesterday to celebrate our wedding anniversary and came home with the experience of a bald eagle hunting ducks. What an interesting experience. I love Northeast Harbor so much I could live there. It’s nice to visit now and then. Our timing was fortunate yesterday as we almost stopped to do something else before going there. We watched a duck and her ducklings paddle by on their way out of the harbor, and not long after, heard her putting up a huge fuss. Twenty seconds after her incessant, panicked quacking, a bald eagle made its first swoop down on the ducklings. The dove. She rose and tried to attack the eagle. This continued for almost ten minutes. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the scene. Eagles are predators who have to eat. Ducks are prey who are eaten. The eagle wasn’t after the adult duck; it wanted a duckling. That’s the hard part. A baby. “Go catch a fish!”
When it was over, the eagle sat exhausted, head hanging and panting, while crows dive bombed. The crows kept up their attack for several minutes. The ducks won. Momma took her brood back to the safety of boats to shelter near as they made their way to a dock to hide under. We heard her quack now without the terror of impending attack.
After resting, the eagle flew to the far end of the harbor and perched in an old pine tree. We heard it call occasionally but it didn’t hunt again while we were there. A bald eagle hunting ducks is an experience we’ll never forget.
Todd
Nature…never fails to amaze!
Pat Mirza
That was fascinating footage! I love how fearless the mom is and how the ducklings ‘duck’ under water when the eagle approaches. The crow, tho – what’s in it for him/her to attack the eagle? I’ve seen crows attack small birds in my yard and it was disturbing. Anyway I look at it, though, wildlife is fascinating! Thank you for this glimpse.
Robin
Later on an osprey flew over. It wasn’t hunting or bothering anything. Three crows caught up to it and followed it out of the harbor, presumably to make sure the predator was out of the area. Yet crows eat their own just as eagles do but osprey don’t. Always interesting.
Maggie Boineau
Wow! what a cool experience! Thanks for sharing!
Sharon
What a great thing to see!