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Predator and Prey

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:51 am
by MickyFinn
Caught this fish yesterday on SBR. If you look closely, you'll see some additional talon-scratches, beside the obvious wound--hopefully, healing. Osprey or bald eagle?

Co-incidentally, a couple of months ago, I watched a bald eagle flying low over the SBR before it swooped up to land on a thick branch over the water--with a big trout swinging from one taloned foot. That eagle landed--lost its grip--and the trout plummeted back into the river, sending up a geyser-like splash. The eagle hung out for a while on the branch, looking down, before flying off. We've all known that feelingl, eh?

Re: Predator and Prey

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:20 am
by Rusty Spinner
You can't tell which bird of prey caught the trout by talon marks, but is is almost always the osprey who then often loses his or her catch to a bald eagle that follows them, stealing their catches. Ospreys are phenomenal hunters and bald eagles not so much, so the eagles steal instead. It was the reason Ben Franklin called for the wild turkey to be America's bird and not the bald eagle.

Re: Predator and Prey

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:01 pm
by 46er
They like Bass as well :mrgreen:

Image

Re: Predator and Prey

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:05 pm
by BiggerThomas
Good Lord, that poor thing looks like it got clipped by a propeller.

Re: Predator and Prey

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:53 pm
by Jaybird
Saw a bald eagle try to take out a Canadian Goose on the South Branch in Califon once . He didn't succeed that time but I'm sure it had worked for him in the past .

Re: Predator and Prey

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:05 pm
by lightenup
I had an Osprey take a fish I was casting to in the meathole a few years back. Scared the crap outta me...Apparently it hung out a few days and stole fish off lines.

Re: Predator and Prey

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2021 2:38 pm
by 46er