We had an Eagle showing up at our pond for the last week. It left with what looked to be a gray
squirrel the other day, and got a bass about 15 inches long mid morning out in the deeper part of the pond.
My wife took this shot of it leaving the pond with her cell phone. She said it got something right next to the waters edge and flew off. Gray squirrel maybe.
A couple days ago, it came back and landed on a branch overlooking the pond. We watched it for about 20 minutes, when it flew down and landed on the opposite side of the pond. He slowly stalked up to a hole in the ground about the size of a softball, which was a secondary escape hole for a muskrat den. It almost appeared to be tip-toeing slowly up to the hole.
In the pond, you can see the sandy bottom (*slide) from the muskrats using the den opening just under the water line. The Eagle listened at the escape hole and then slowly stalked to the shore where the muskrat would be coming out. This occurred just as I was running out of shooting light.
Excuse the blur in some of the pics, but I was holding it by hand and zooming in about 100 to 150 feet. We have been here for 3 years and seen all kinds of critters visiting the pond, and have seen the Eagle on quite a few occasions, but I was never able to get some photos until recently. So cool to see this.
We're in Mecosta county Mi.
He flew down from the tree and landed about 15 feet away from
secondary opening of the muskrat den. He slowly stalked to the hole.
Then bent down to listen
Then slowly stalked to the shoreline where the muskrat/s would be coming out of their den.
He left at dark without success, but his actions and a little blood on the shoreline where
he was standing leads me to believe he was successful a day or two before.
The Eagle came back the next afternoon, cleaned up a dead bluegill about 10 inch long or so, then pounced on a mouse or a mole and left. In between the dead bluegill and the mouse, he got a drink of water. Too cool.
You can see the dead bluegill in this pic
Then for a drink from the log my wife and I rolled into the pond for the turtles to bask on. The wood ducks, turtles and now the Eagle all approve.
After the bluegill, he flew to the log and then wiped his beak, first on one side,
And then the other.
Then he surveyed his surroundings for a minute or so,
And then took a drink
Hello
Then pounced on a mole or a mouse.
Cont.......