Two Eagles Gone Wild In The City!?!?

[photographmemories]

Two male bald eagles made the News Makers Line boil over Monday in the Portland area where they took their differences into a cottonwood tree near Southeast 55th and Division before 9am. I received reports from Oregon Birders Online, a birding website where local birders can post current sightings. I watched over the reports through breakfast and afterwards to find out if they were going to stay put long enough for me to make a nearly 30 minute drive over to the scene. It became apparent that I had a good chance so, I grabbed my gear and headed over there. I arrived just before 11:30.

The two were locked up by the talons. Experts say one of the two may have sunk one of it's sets of claws into the other's leg.

These guys are in the midst of a fight. every once in a while I would see a crow and hear calls, this would make the eagles more lively.

Here, the eagle dangling upside down is seen with part of the upright eagle's wing in it's mouth

Dude, The cherry picker is here! You'd better knock this stuff off and move on.

Did they take off? No, the battle rages on like never before

It becomes apparent that the eagle dangling on the bottom is digging deep with it's beak into the flesh of top eagle, close to it's left eye

Crews work diligently to use the picker to reach the fighting pair by staging operations in a driveway in order to break up the mayhem. Eventually the bucket starts to raise slowly, stopping a couple of short moments to assess the situation

This was the last photo that I took. As you can see the eagle has pulled his beak out from his rival and notices the encroaching bucket. In a flash, the two birds release grips and fly away right afterwards. This was the moment that I saw coming and had to put the camera down and take it all in.

Chad

 

[Bill Anderson]

Wow. You will have to be on the lookout for the eagle with the injured eye.

I would say that was a once in a life time experience, but based on my observations of our local urban eagles, both eagles may remain in the area and the fight resume at a later date. With all of the eagles I see in Edmonds, I wonder how many an urban area can support.

 

[Terry O]

Hard to look at, but impressive. Nice work, Chad!

 

[photographmemories]

Thanks for the comments, Bill & Terry.

Yeah, The news last week said to be on the look out for injured eagles. I haven't heard of any reports of them being spotted since. They're talking one may have a leg injury from the other sinking it's talons in and one having a wound on the face.

From my photos, it appears that the eye may have been spared even though the wound was pretty close, not sure though. They say the eagles can heal up pretty good on their own, I hope that's the case.

 

[Joemeche]

Outstanding coverage of something that would be hard to watch.
Kudos to you for hanging in there. I'll add another WOW!

 

[JaniceL]

Wow, how did I miss this thread. Great shots, Chad. I read an interesting comment in another forum. Questioning whether it was the right thing for the attempted rescue or if they should have let nature take it's course. I wonder if the one eagle eventually loses his eye.

 

[Christine]

awesome capture !!!! you were in the right place at the right time for sure! Looks like one of the Eagles lost an eye...

 

[Bill Anderson]

....... I read an interesting comment in another forum. Questioning whether it was the right thing for the attempted rescue or if they should have let nature take it's course. ......

That is always the debate with rescue/rehab efforts, especially when it involves species which are not endangered.