Muffin: b. 8-21-1987 d. 7-09-2004
Posted on 07/08/2009 8:52:47 PM PDT by Chet 99
Thursday, July 02, 2009 By LORI STABILE lstabile@repub.com
BELCHERTOWN - Ellen M. Majka was inside her home on Prescott Hill when she saw a bald eagle swoop down into her neighbor's yard.
It was the first time she saw a bald eagle in the neighborhood.
But even more surprising was what she saw in its talons when it flew back up - a black cat.
"I've never seen anything like that in my life. I was shocked. I said, 'Oh my God,'" Majka said.
The incident happened early, just after 6 am. on June 23.
According to eagle experts, a bald eagle capturing a cat is not impossible, but highly unusual.
"I believe it is within the realm of possibility and has been documented elsewhere. Bald eagles are capable of taking domestic cats," William J. Davis, district manager for Worcester County for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said Wednesday.
While the main diet of bald eagles is fish, Davis said they are opportunistic and will eat squirrels, turtles, even Canada geese. They are also known to feast on animal carcasses, including deer.
Interestingly, when eaglets were brought to the Quabbin Reservoir in the 1980s from Nova Scotia, wildlife biologists there believed that the adult bald eagles were preying on feral and barn cats that lived near a lake, Davis said.
Ralph E. Taylor, district manager for the Connecticut Valley wildlife district for the state agency, agreed that a bald eagle taking a cat would be unusual.
(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...
Well, no flames. Raptors and carrion eaters have their places in the food chain, and they’re important. The whole world would be a much stinkier and more unhealthful place if we left all the cleanup of the dead wildlife to just the insects and earthbound predators. Why eliminate 50% of the cleanup crew?
I've seen that done to chicken yards. They (chickens) are sometimes taken by hawks. And, speaking of hawks, I was once standing in my neighbor's yard talking to him when there was a sudden rush of wings followed by some squealing. A large hawk dove in, grabbed a squirrel and took off with him. It all happened incredibly fast.
>If that cat was to jump on the eagle while it’s on the ground then I would probably put my money on the cat.<
Right. The cats around here don’t even dare mess with guinea fowl, much less an eagle.
Coyotes: Hate ‘em and it should be open season on the varmints! I live along the American River and there are always coyotes taking rabbits, house cats and anything else they can get. Because they aren't hunted here they are totally fearless and I've had them come to within a couple of feet of me without batting an eye! They were getting really aggressive one year so the rangers posted the area with signs saying keep your pets out of the area. Some lady with a lap dog walks around the signs, and about two minutes later a coyote comes out of the bushes, grabs her dog and runs off with it.
Another time a coyote come trotting past me, kind of slow, with an off-leash golden retrieiver chasing it. Smart coyote was leading dumb dog to the rest of the pack. Don't know how that one turned out but. . . probably a good idea to keep your pets, dogs or cats, on your own property.
I am glad we picked the Eagle too. lol.
Yep. Nasty varmints. I don't really care, as long as people keep their nasty little varmints on their own property.
Indeed. That would have been Ben Franklin, the foremost supporter of the turkey over the eagle. He thought the eagle was nothing but a carrion eater that frequently stole kills from other animals.
Will the cat do a wing walk later on during the show?
There are no innocent creatures, especially cats.
Roger that, and they're even pretty big birds. I've not a pair of bald eagles that live nearby. One day one of them perched himself on a railing for the walkway down to the dock. His talons were clutching the railing, and wrapped all the way around it... and it's a 2x6. Far bigger than my hands, that's for sure.
Nature is chock full of cruelty. May as well just get used to it.
At least most cats can become good and delightful companions. Not all cats are hard wired to hunt and kill.
I have five and not one of them expresses the slightest interest in birds- or mice.
Birds of prey are useless- except swoop down on innocent creatures and carry them away to tear up.
If I’d been there, I would have taken a gun and blown the sob out of the sky- protected species or no.
You’re kidding, right?
I don’t think I could get use to the “Philadelphia Turkeys” as the name for an NFL team.
LOL.
He’s more interested in some back chew than an aero stroll.
That cat’s got some ambition, huh?
If your cats DID act like a normal cat would you love it less?
I love cats, but not because of or even despite those traits. A thing is what it is.
Predators are a beautiful and essential part of nature. It isn't pretty to the squeamish and faint of heart, but they are of FAR more use than anyone’s pet - which of course is of absolutely of no use to anyone but their family.
Owls live near our house in the Sierra Nevada foothills. We hear them in early evening or just before dawn. They perch on the light pole a few yards from the house. I think they are horned owls.
How ya doing? I was thinking about you. Hope all is well.
Blessings,
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