Yesterday on my afternoon striper fishing trip. Fishing was slow, wind was blowing and I was doing my bet to improve the situation in a secluded cove out of the wind. I watch two adult bald eagles fly around the nearby point about thirty feet above the water. I point them out to my clients a remarkable sight for sure.
At that moment the eagle that is slightly higher swoops down on the lower one. The lower bird rolls up and extends his talons. For a moment they are locked together and as they near the water in free fall they separate. I’m already standing with my jaw dropped as they regain some altitude. Before I can say anything the higher eagle again swoops down and knocks the other one into the water.
At first I am stunned only able to say “I didn’t know that they could float” (apparently they do). As I am gathering my wits to attempt a rescue the eagle flaps its wings and in a couple of flaps of those big wings is not only out of the water but flying past us dripping into a nearby tree.
I see eagles almost every day but never anything so dramatic; until now. Of course it only took a couple of minutes and happened way to fast for me to even think that I should get out my phone and video what I was seeing. I have seen them challenge each other over territory and certainly chase gulls and other birds but nothing like this.
Amazing what you can see just being out there!
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