Imagemaster wrote:
1. The quality of that video sucks.
2. It does not show a "hunt". Whatever is in the lake is dead, and could even be bait thrown into the lake.
1) It does. AFAIK the point of the post was to show the behavior
2) I thought that too until you see that there is a struggle going on once the eagle drags it on shore.
I think I'd be motionless too after having an Eagle dig it's talons into me trying to pick me up out of the water.
It could have been whoever took this video didn't capture the entire hunting sequence and missed the start of it...not every video of an Eagle is shot from a blind.
Haifisch M3 wrote:
the eagle is struggling once on shore
Since when does the flapping of wet wings prove there is any struggle You can't even see the prey on land, so you are just making an assumption. Eagles are not the best walkers on dry land, so when soaking wet and in shallow water with reeds and prey in their talons, they would have to flap their wings for both balance and to shed water.
you can't see the prey once it is on shore so i don't know where you get the motionless bit from
You just said you can't see the prey once it is on shore, yet you claim there is a struggle.
Every shot of the prey on the lake shows that it is motionless. I don't know of any waterfowl or animal swimming on a lake that does not dive or move to avoid an eagle attack, unless it is seriously injured or dead.
It is obvious what was in the lake was dead and eagles like dead things to eat afterall they are scavengers . But I like it better not for the quality but watching the eagle swimming to shore was awesome. Not many people have ever seen this in an Eagle I have seen them in the water dragging a fish to shore but never swim. Also who really knows if it was bait chances are it was a dead animal not bait
We are all entertained and informed by this and Tony's videos. I don't care too much about hair splitting. The more eagle behaviour I see the better. I have a couple of old baldies squabbling over a post perch and the expression is what makes it riviting. TG
Those are all great videos! I have never seen an eagle swimming like that with food in its talons. It is pretty crazy how strong they are though. I have caught a 26" arctic char with eagle talon wounds that look pretty gnarly. The gashes were several inches long maybe 3/4" wide and 3/4" deep and seemed fresh. Not sure a fish would survive longterm with wounds like that, but who knows...
You can't even see the prey on land, so you are just making an assumption. Eagles are not the best walkers on dry land, so when soaking wet and in shallow water with reeds and prey in their talons, they would have to flap their wings for both balance and to shed water.
You just said you can't see the prey once it is on shore, yet you claim there is a struggle. 