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Eagles


islandgun
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On the croft today I heard an unusual mewing sound, put me in mind of  a Peregrine. A quick scan revealed what turned out to be an  interesting repeat of last year, also early spring [pretty sure i put it on here] We counted 9 Golden Eagles gliding around and calling to each other. My thoughts are a gathering possibly looking for mates. perhaps an extended family !, there was one noticeably much bigger than the others.. A fantastic sight even if a long way away, this was the best picture !  Anyone have any theories ?

 

DSCN2667%5B1%5D.JPG.f3a639e1820cea3876001c9b3813f4ea.JPG

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Just to clarify a bit,  I usually might see an eagle once every couple of months,  which makes this annual thing, quite something, just had a quick google, goldens usually mate for life, so my best guess is just a gathering !

Edited by islandgun
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44 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

Fantastic, only ever seen one when up in Sutherland fishing Stalkers one of the Scourie Hotel lochs, miles from anywhere. It was being mobbed by a cormorant.

Rare to find someone else who's been there! That area is where I saw the only mainland sea eagle I've ever seen, all the others have been out on the isles. 

What a sight that is. We don't get them down here, yet...although apparently one's been hanging out in Oxfordshire that's flown from the Isle of Wight.

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Could it be last years family and they are kicking the chicks out to go fend for themselves.  Life gets cruel sometimes.  I remember seeing a female black bear with two very large cubs in Newfoundland and my gide said in about two weeks time she would kick them out on their own when she gets in with a male bear to make a new family.  The young tend to wander around like they are lost for a few weeks.

I fished  Drumbeg many moons ago and hoped to see eagles but never did.

Edited by Walker570
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7 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said:

Rare to find someone else who's been there! That area is where I saw the only mainland sea eagle I've ever seen, all the others have been out on the isles. 

What a sight that is. We don't get them down here, yet...although apparently one's been hanging out in Oxfordshire that's flown from the Isle of Wight.

Wonderful place to be and would like to get back sometime but not cheap these days even though it’s half the distance from Oxford.

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25 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Could it be last years family and they are kicking the chicks out to go fend for themselves.  Life gets cruel sometimes.  I remember seeing a female black bear with two very large cubs in Newfoundland and my gide said in about two weeks time she would kick them out on their own when she gets in with a male bear to make a new family.  The young tend to wander around like they are lost for a few weeks.

You could be on to something ..👍,  maybe a gathering of successive generations to push out this years youngsters, which would also explain the increase in numbers from last year, they were there for a couple of hours and dispersed gradually in different directions, just read eggs are laid in March !

Edited by islandgun
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17 minutes ago, scolopax said:

Are you sure that is not a white tailed sea eagle?

Im not sure, the pics were taken with a long lens, there was one that appeared to be very much bigger than the others, although i dont know if its the one in the pic,  the one in the photo does have a very pronounced V to the tail

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43 minutes ago, islandgun said:

Im not sure, the pics were taken with a long lens, there was one that appeared to be very much bigger than the others, although i dont know if its the one in the pic,  the one in the photo does have a very pronounced V to the tail

It seems very much like a sea eagle, solid wide wings,  and a wedge tail, which importantly appears to be white.

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3 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Could have been a sea eagle being mobbed by goldens.

Not mobbing they simply flew around making the mewing sound [which iv'e never heard before] , [there was a picture of a huge golden defending a road kill red deer in the next island down Uist]

2 hours ago, old man said:

Could be the clue is in the sizes?

1 female with males in mating display flight?

That was my first thought, but then reading it appears they are monogamous and they are supposed to have laid their eggs by now..

Given our position approx central to the two main holding areas N and S maybe they just get together before they dispersed back to their own or new territories...heres a picture from last year two plus raven

DSCN0074.JPG.9e041b9fa86e8f71fdebde0c4e56f0d5.JPG

Edited by islandgun
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52 minutes ago, islandgun said:

Not mobbing they simply flew around making the mewing sound [which iv'e never heard before] , [there was a picture of a huge golden defending a road kill red deer in the next island down Uist]

That was my first thought, but then reading it appears they are monogamous and they are supposed to have laid their eggs by now..

Given our position approx central to the two main holding areas N and S maybe they just get together before they dispersed back to their own or new territories...heres a picture from last year two plus raven

DSCN0074.JPG.9e041b9fa86e8f71fdebde0c4e56f0d5.JPG

One thing for sure ig, we will never know for sure. 

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1 hour ago, islandgun said:

Not mobbing they simply flew around making the mewing sound [which iv'e never heard before] , [there was a picture of a huge golden defending a road kill red deer in the next island down Uist]

That was my first thought, but then reading it appears they are monogamous and they are supposed to have laid their eggs by now..

Given our position approx central to the two main holding areas N and S maybe they just get together before they dispersed back to their own or new territories...heres a picture from last year two plus raven

DSCN0074.JPG.9e041b9fa86e8f71fdebde0c4e56f0d5.JPG

lovely scale image. Ravens seem big until you put them next a sea eagle!

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Great pics

Both pics are sea eagles . 

Sea eagles have wider wings than golden eagles and are chunkier and less agile.

What you saw could have been a pair staking out a new territory, a pair driving away last years young or a pair driving away youngsters without a territory. If one of a pair dies or moves off you sometimes get juveniles on the edge of a territory moving in .

It could also have been sea eagles competing with golden eagles for a territory as this is happening more and more especially in coastal areas. 

Whatever the reason was it's great to see and seeing eagles is something special. These are a couple of Eagle feathers I have found whilst out on the hill.

IMG_3877.JPG

IMG_4813.JPG

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Thanks all, As said there were various sizes and its now looking like a mixing of sea and golden, Territory claiming could be the case although  there was no mobbing or harassment [that i could tell]  just a general mingling and calling,  some sight anyway.. As old man said I will probably never know for sure....cheers

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