Month: May 2021

The good news is that Bald eagles have rebounded in the US–so much so, that I see one at my house every few months.

The bad news is that one showed up just as my osprey was out. My bird was circling the lake when an eagle attacked from the rear. Orville noticed this and dove low over the water, zigging and zagging. This did not prevent the eagle from quickly footing his back, flinging a couple of his feathers to the wind.

Orville immediately returned close to me in the yard, and the eagle peeled off. Orville sat for a minute, catching his breath, his cries muted. Plaintiff maybe?

He soon flew back to his perch and began fishing. The fish are still slower to come to food than the turtles (which come in great numbers), so no luck again.

Orville is molting some primaries, so I’ve been keeping his weight up. So “up,” as a matter of fact, that he decided to sit on the chimney and not return. All night.

Being worried about a Great Horned owl half the night made it hard to wake at the break of dawn. But, I was out there anyway in the front yard, fish on my glove, whistling at the roof. It’s a good thing we don’t have close neighbors.

He still didn’t return, but he seemed a little more interested than the night before, giving an occasional “feed me” call.

I got a lawn chair and a book and settled in. After a two-hour vigil, I was rewarded by his reluctant return.

After a small meal, he behaved better the next day and the next. Three days after his night out, he was back to his reasonably responsive self.

I can’t recall if I mentioned the redtail attack. Orville was circling the pond when a wild hawk dove at him from trees on a hill. Orville jinked evasively, but the redtail made one successful swipe, knocking off a few back feathers.

He seemed unharmed, but his calls were slightly quieter for at least two weeks. I know this because my son measured his calls with a decibel meter daily for a class project.