Enji
Well-known member
Spent a few hours at Hjälstaviken yesterday, most of the time spent thinking how stupid of me to be standing in a tower in the burning hot sun when I could be bathing in a lake somewhere or sitting in the shadow enjoying a good book... but then I wouldn't have been privy to the action that suddenly arose when all the geese started making a lot of noise and fly up... knowing this is usually a sign of a raptor approaching we started scanning the sky.
Not disappointed, an adult White-tailed Eagle came flying low over the ground, close to the tower. Gulls where flying around it, screaming angrily as the eagle flew over the surface of the water, scaring several more gulls and ducks into the air. It turned around, and came again, almost lazily... and easy as that plucked a gull from the water. I've never seen an eagle catch something with that ease before, it looked like child's play. Most of the time when I've seen eagles hunting it's been young eagles, and they usually miss their target and end up looking really clumsy. But this old eagle... it made it all seem so effortless. Swoop in, grab prey, fly away. Amazing to see.
Here's a picture that the guy next to me in the tower got of the event:
http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?obsid=19427895
Day really ended well too, since on the way home I saw a raptor from the car... thinking "huh, that's a rather big harrier... waitaminute it's a kite!" as a beautiful Red Kite flew past the car close by, letting me take in the long wings, the typical tail and the beautiful colour of it. Good think my mom happened to drive the car...
First one I've seen up here, and the second anyone seen up here this year. And me just sitting being jealous of mom who's going to Skåne tomorrow, where she will see lots of Kites.
Not disappointed, an adult White-tailed Eagle came flying low over the ground, close to the tower. Gulls where flying around it, screaming angrily as the eagle flew over the surface of the water, scaring several more gulls and ducks into the air. It turned around, and came again, almost lazily... and easy as that plucked a gull from the water. I've never seen an eagle catch something with that ease before, it looked like child's play. Most of the time when I've seen eagles hunting it's been young eagles, and they usually miss their target and end up looking really clumsy. But this old eagle... it made it all seem so effortless. Swoop in, grab prey, fly away. Amazing to see.
Here's a picture that the guy next to me in the tower got of the event:
http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?obsid=19427895
Day really ended well too, since on the way home I saw a raptor from the car... thinking "huh, that's a rather big harrier... waitaminute it's a kite!" as a beautiful Red Kite flew past the car close by, letting me take in the long wings, the typical tail and the beautiful colour of it. Good think my mom happened to drive the car...
First one I've seen up here, and the second anyone seen up here this year. And me just sitting being jealous of mom who's going to Skåne tomorrow, where she will see lots of Kites. 
