Bird wars

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
I watched an awesome display of avian air to air combat yesterday evening. Our ospreys, like the many others on the island, recently returned to nest. The bald eagles, however, have become increasingly reluctant to leave the island when the ospreys return. Two Bald Eagles decided they were going to take over our osprey's nest. The ensuing dog fight looked like WWII vintage camera footage. The Ospreys won..as they always do, but the maneuvers of both birds were super impressive. I'm guessing that the population of Bald Eagles on the VA side is getting to the point where they are more aggressively seeking permanent territory on our side..we've watched the creeping invasion for years now. Pic is of the tree they were battling over.

osprey tree.jpg
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Another pic ...with one of "our" ospreys standing guard (or looking for fish in the cove..)

osprey 2.jpg
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Pretty cool. Unless you are a bald eagle, of course.

The eagles were very aggressive. I watched one stay right on the tail of an osprey for a short distance; the osprey jinked left, right, left but the eagle stayed on it's tail. Then the osprey pulled a friggin' manuever straight out of Top Gun..went immediately vertical and then rolled and was then both above and behind the eagle. Amazing!...
 

Natron0915

Active Member
The eagles were very aggressive. I watched one stay right on the tail of an osprey for a short distance; the osprey jinked left, right, left but the eagle stayed on it's tail. Then the osprey pulled a friggin' manuever straight out of Top Gun..went immediately vertical and then rolled and was then both above and behind the eagle. Amazing!...


"I'm gonna hit the breaks, he'll fly right by"
 

glhs837

Power with Control
The eagles were very aggressive. I watched one stay right on the tail of an osprey for a short distance; the osprey jinked left, right, left but the eagle stayed on it's tail. Then the osprey pulled a friggin' manuever straight out of Top Gun..went immediately vertical and then rolled and was then both above and behind the eagle. Amazing!...


"Too close for talons, switching to beak....... "
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
"Too close for talons, switching to beak....... "

:killingme

And it has escalated big time. Just now came in from watching a total of four eagles going at it with about 6 to 8 osprey. It's like the Battle of Britain overhead...with bird poop instead of bombs.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
:killingme

And it has escalated big time. Just now came in from watching a total of four eagles going at it with about 6 to 8 osprey. It's like the Battle of Britain overhead...with bird poop instead of bombs.

My money is on the F-15's. Sooner or later the V-22's are gonna crash out.... :evil:
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
*snort* It's a standoff...nobody is giving ground. Or..air..whatever.

Perfect time for America (you) to stick our nose in nunyobidness and shoot one of each and then offer to mediate as the voice of reason, the honest broker...then sell arms and expertise to both sides, grab some beers and watch. :evil:
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
One of the eagles pulled a pretty cool maneuver last evening. Just as an osprey was coming down on top of it, the eagle inverted and attempted to grab the osprey's extended talons with its own talons. It caught the osprey by surprise.
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
Too cool. You should video some of the battles, Gilligan.

I used to love bird battles on a smaller scale with my hummingbirds. I had two feeders about 10 feet apart and one male would try to guard both. Zoom, zoom, ZOOOOOOM! :lol:
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Too cool. You should video some of the battles, Gilligan.

I used to love bird battles on a smaller scale with my hummingbirds. I had two feeders about 10 feet apart and one male would try to guard both. Zoom, zoom, ZOOOOOOM! :lol:

We get that, even with five feeders, two four ports and three singles. Usually get about 3-4 of them, with one feeding and others will swoop out of the forest to drive one off.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Perfect time for America (you) to stick our nose in nunyobidness and shoot one of each and then offer to mediate as the voice of reason, the honest broker...then sell arms and expertise to both sides, grab some beers and watch. :evil:


Sounds like a great idea.

You've got my back with bail money....right?
 

luvmygdaughters

Well-Known Member
We get that, even with five feeders, two four ports and three singles. Usually get about 3-4 of them, with one feeding and others will swoop out of the forest to drive one off.

Yep, so do we, at one time we had 6 feeders and they fought like there was only one!
 

ski357

Member
One of the eagles pulled a pretty cool maneuver last evening. Just as an osprey was coming down on top of it, the eagle inverted and attempted to grab the osprey's extended talons with its own talons. It caught the osprey by surprise.

I've seen an eagle do this to an osprey before as well, while out kayaking the St. Mary's River. That is an image and a trip I'll remember for quite some time.
 
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