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 ...
Oh boy, I lived in a neighborhood in a desert. I had an Alaskan Malamute which had wolf in him. There was a St. Bernard next door and a German shepherd next door to that. Everyone knew to never leave a dog out in a fenced yard at night. A pack of coyotes jumped the fence and all that was left of the German shepherd was an ear.
It would suck for the 101st Airborne (!) to be wearing a screaming turkey on their shoulder.
The eagle may be discussed here, but for raptors my choice would be the Great Horned Owl. I have rehabbed both of them and the Great Horned Owl is pretty darn tough and I think a cat would be nothing but food for a Great Horned Owl.
Yup.
Even if the eagle failed to get it’s claws into poor little Sylvester, ONE SWIPE with the beak would slice through major arteries clean enough you would think a surgeon did it with a scalpel.
I just knew that I loved Bald Eagles for a reason!
Once my wife and stepdaughter who was about 10 at the time left town for a 2 day trip to Palm Springs.
We had a cat that was a threat to get outside. All she wanted to do was rolly polly around on the concrete but still, in coyote country you know not to let animals outside as a habit.
Last thing I asked Allie was if Chrissy was inside. She said yes.
Well when we get back Sunday nite, no Chrissy. Allie went to pieces thinking that the cat was outside and in the belly of some beast.
I looked for that cat for about 30 mins until finally it comes out of the bushes crying for me. I just knew that she was ok. Cats aren’t stupid. I bet she didn’t get more then 10 feet from where I found her the entire weekend.
Allie was the happiest little girl in the world when I brought the cat to her.
Nothing like the sound of a pack of coyote ripping a living animal to pieces.
Makes you wonder why nature has to be so cruel.
John
Coyotes are just looking for food. They've got to eat too. You don't need a pack for a cat. It only takes one for that.
Ft. Bragg has coyotes...my daughter lost her cat that way.
An Eagle is a Buzzard with good PR.
One of our neigbors lost 3 pugs to coyotes. One after the other. As a matter of fact, I was the last one to see the last pug she bought. He came running through my yard about and hour before dark with 2 other dogs. I thought then that that was the last of Buddy. Sho nuff, he was never seen again.
They have gotten to where they have no fear of man. I had walked outside early one morning about day break and this coyote comes prancing down my driveway. He gave me a causal look and just kept on going.
It was a place to live. I had a resident Hawk, and Owl, a family of Skunks, family of Quail, chipmunks, gophers, Rabbits you name it. I was saw a huge deer with a big rack jump the face down at the end of the fence. One neighbor said he saw a Cougar while riding his bike in the back.
I sold he house in 2004 and moved but looking back that was great place to live in. I love to see wildlife.
John
On an unrelated note, any Ohio Freepers may want to check out this press release concerning a Draconian kennel regulation bill currently making its way through the Ohio House.
A friend of ours was at a local park and he heard a woman screaming and an eagle was flying off with her very small dog. I can’t imagine how that woman felt.
You are so right. We live in the desert and see quite a few hawks. One day a few years ago my husband saw a hawk flying off with a cat. If I’d seen that I probably would’ve needed a valium.
Maybe the Eagle took puddy tat to altitude, then released him.
Come to think of it, that’s what we should do to the scum at GITMO. ;)
Owls are the most awesome creatures in nature IMO. There are beautiful and there is so much folklore with them. That’s awesome that you have had the opportunity to interact with them.
Shocking! Wildlife is just so....wild!!
ROFL
I saw one at a friend’s house this past year and let me just say that those suckers are HUGE! Awesome to see one.
The strength in a raptors talons is incredible, far out of proportion to the birds size.
Next time, I'll figure a safer place to keep a pet sea lion, like maybe in a fish tank in the den. With all this "endangered species" nonsense running rampant in America, you never know what kind of wild animal can attack you pets today.
Hey, do bald eagles like ex-wives?. . .
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