A tale of predation, a chill ending!
Twas a night of minus ten, snow on the ground. Much as expected, the local patch was on the verge of being totally frozen over - nought much more til March now.
Last birds to flee the area each year are the Mute Swans and White-tailed Eagles and as the waters freeze over the eagles turn their attention to the swans. Seen this twice before in the little window between total ice cover and the final departure of all birds, but today's spectacle was something special.
Arrived today to see a single White-tailed Eagle sitting on the ice and 138 Mute Swans on the tiniest patch of ice-free water. Then the story began - a second eagle managed to down an immature swan that was waddling across the ice. Two more eagles soon joined in, the demise of the swan providing lunch aplenty, soon too a Raven ventured over. Next came a fox, trotting across the ice and, though somewhat dwarfed by the eagles, flushed them and began to tuck in. Soon two more eagles joined in, snatching morsals along side the fox. Not over yet - another fox came cantering out the reeds, plus an assortment of corvids! End tally - five White-tailed Eagles, two foxes, one Raven, three Magpies and couple of Hooded Crows!!!
Six Snow Buntings flew over!
Watched for almost an hour, eventually the foxes departing back to the reeds with chunks of the very ex-swan, leaving the eagles to regain the kill.
Later saw another three foxes in the meadows and a Stone Martin along a track, plus a Goshawk ...not bad day for so late in the year.
Winning the award for worst photo of the year, I nethertheless include a snap for you to get a feel of the spectacle - was snowing a bit, too far out on the lake for good photo and I didn't have proper photo stuff with me ...just handheld my SLR against the scope - well, that's my excuse for the poor photo anyhow
Little dot on the left is a Magpie, then a Raven, in flight between the foxes is an adult White-tailed Eagle and over on the right is a young bird.
