Aerial Combat over Lake Tapps--Bald Eagles and a Duck

Photo by Gary Wheeler
A wonderful visual sequence sent in by Robin of Illinois, the original blog link is--
http://oneacrewood.blogspot.com/2009/03/aerial-combat-over-lake-tapps/
(Correction on the blog address--
http://oneacrewood.blogspot.com/2009/03/aerial-combat-over-lake-tapps.html )
As per the blog, the narrator and the photographer are Gary Wheeler.
For the original narration check the original blog above. Blogger is having a wee bit of problem these days with copy and paste so I'll give you the general idea and you can go to the link for the details. It concerns a mature Bald Eagle who is attempting to nab a duck.

Photo by Gary Wheeler
But the duck, being no dope, dives into the water and comes up in a different spot just after the eagle flies by each time. This goes on for awhile--and then eventually another eagle appears and that dear readers is the scenerio in a nutshell.

Photo by Gary Wheeler


Photo by Gary Wheeler

Photo by Gary Wheeler

Photo by Gary Wheeler

Photo by Gary Wheeler

Photo by Gary Wheeler

Photo by Gary Wheeler

Quicksilver Gets What He Wants and a Charlotte Update

For those who asked after Quicksilver, he's doing just fine except for his penchant for getting off his play areas and gamboling around on the floor under Pyewackit the cat's stealthy observation. Today he decided he'd stay put if I gave him an unlimited supply of tropical fruit nutri-berries and played the video SWEENY TODD over and over so he could watch it--over and over.

Who knew he'd like bloody musicals starring Johnny Depp.

And nest news from Brett Odom the sharp eyed observer of Charlotte and Pale Male Jr. at the 888 nest--
Yesterday, (Thursday December 10th), Charlotte spent some time just sitting at the nest site on 888 7th Avenue. It was around noon, so she wasn't roosting there for the night. Also, on Wednesday, there were two hawks soaring above the 888 building. One was Charlotte and I am guessing that the other was a foreigner. I doubt it was Jr. since he always disappears during the winter, and Charlotte eventually chased the hawk across the river into NJ.

And in answer to a question of mine--
Oh, and Ziggy hatched April 30. The 2009 egg should have hatched sometime between April 18 - 27 if it had been viable.

Sorry this is a short one, more coming up after I've actually finished shoveling all the 16 inches of snow that is clogging up life.

During the snowfall I was attempting to get some snow off as it arrived so was shoveling at 2 in the morning. It was a very wet heavy snow, which was sticking to all the trees particularly to the conifers. I'd been hearing branches crack around the neighborhood, when an extremely large crack sounded above my head in one of the Spruce trees in the front yard. I dived for the front porch, it has a roof, just as a major branch came plummeting out of the sky near where I'd been standing to a chorus of House Finch danger calls. The House Finches "own" the Spruces in the front yard as the Juncos own the ones in the back.

After deciding no more were coming down, I checked to make sure nobody had come down with the bough. No little trapped birds so I suspect they all made it. And after fleeing likely came back in a few minutes and snuggled back in on another branch.

Donegal Browne

The Thunder Snow Storm Plus a Pyewackit Update

I can't stay on long as I'm in the middle of a Thunder Snow Storm and don't want to take the chance of surging out the computer. Thunder Snow Storms just don't or rather didn't happen. They are remarkably unusual here. I've yet to figure out why they don't happen as often as regular thunder storms but will keep looking for the explanation. The first TSS anyone can remember occurred the year before last and this evening there is another huge one going on.


The digital camera takes the flakes and I suspect because it catches the aura of sparkling light around the flake, turns them into something similar in shape and even color at times to soap bubbles--nearly a foot so far.

Earlier I looked out when it was only snowing moderately and noticed a lump up on the Crow's Goodie Stump. I turned on the outside light but it's circle didn't illuminate much. Still a large lump. A raccoon? So I grabbed the camera and went out and I was surprised that what ever it was stayed. Some will remember I originally saw Pyewacket out on the stump eating pasta. And this visitor turned out to be a cat as well, only this one is large and chubby. Whether this is a neighbor's cat out for a snow romp or a stray, I assume will become clear eventually.

Speaking of Pyewackit, here is a much filled out Pye compared with the initial version when she first came in out of the cold. Also giving me a look, she isn't partial to the camera--she is partial to my giving her the catnip that she's asking for, which I'd fully expect from her namesake who lived with a witch in the comic play, Bell, Book, and Candle.

More as weather and electricity permit.

Donegal Browne