Aussie Wedgetail Eagles

[Chilli]

Hi. Was at a place we go and see these there often. I was fishing and when I turned around to say something to my misses two were right in close playing. I fumbled for my phone and by the time I got into video mode they were much further away. In close you could see every feather they were that close. They are our largest bird of prey, not as big I don't think as yours. I love these things. Hopefully next time ill be ready. Iv put my phone on instant video touch now.
They are a bit away here and I missed filming them playing and grabbing each other. They did briefly on the second video before going out of view. I had to cut the video in two as I cant post anything bigger than the short of each.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[DizzyDigger]

Looked 'em up..not quite a big as a Bald Eagle, but a beautiful bird nonetheless.
They remind me of immature Bald Eagles.

 

[Chilli]

Looked 'em up..not quite a big as a Bald Eagle, but a beautiful bird nonetheless.
They remind me of immature Bald Eagles.

They are lovely birds mate. They were nearly shot into extinction here as the early settlers thought when they saw them on dead sheep and cattle feeding that they had killed them. They don't hunt either, they just saw them opportunistically feeding on them dead for other reasons like frost or dingos and foxes. Thankfully they made a comeback. They will take rabbits and hares and small native prey but never livestock. Beautiful birds. There are quite a few where we are now and I just love seeing them. The eyesight though. Like yours for sure. Several yrs ago at the same place I caught a nice big trout in the lake.
One was circling about the same distance as those in the vids. When we walked back to the car it zeroed in like a rocket straight onto the left overs from me cleaning the fish. To have eyesight like that huh!? 👍

 

[DizzyDigger]

Several yrs ago at the same place I caught a nice big trout in the lake.
One was circling about the same distance as those in the vids. When we walked back to the car it zeroed in like a rocket straight onto the left overs from me cleaning the fish. To have eyesight like that huh!?

About 20 years back I went to do some trout fishing at a small local lake. When I picked my spot on the bank to fish from, I noticed an Osprey flying around the lake. While not as common as the Bald Eagles, we do see Osprey quite often.

That bird took a five fish limit (all within 50 yards of me) before I put my second one on the bank. I'd see it circling up about 500 ft., then it would fold it's wings and come down like a bullet, braking just before it hit water. Wings would start flapping and up it would come with yet another fat trout in it's claws.

I've heard that there are areas in Australia that have a serious feral cat problem. Maybe the eagles can help out a bit there.

 

[Chilli]

About 20 years back I went to do some trout fishing at a small local lake. When I picked my spot on the bank to fish from, I noticed an Osprey flying around the lake. While not as common as the Bald Eagles, we do see Osprey quite often.

That bird took a five fish limit (all within 50 yards of me) before I put my second one on the bank. I'd see it circling up about 500 ft., then it would fold it's wings and come down like a bullet, braking just before it hit water. Wings would start flapping and up it would come with yet another fat trout in it's claws. View attachment 2179681

I've heard that there are areas in Australia that have a serious feral cat problem. Maybe the eagles can help out a bit there.

That would have been amazing to see the Osprey hunt like that. You were privileged to see that.
Yes we have a huge feral cat problem. They have annihilated much of our native small marsupials and reptiles. Its got really bad in the past say 15 yrs.
I have noticed a huge decline in wildlife numbers. I went all last year where we previously lived and in the bush saw nothing reptile wise in areas I used to see lots. The larger things like Roos and wallabies and tough echidnas are still around along with big goannas here and there but the smaller reptiles and ground dwellers have been wiped out in many places. I can walk through Kara Kara national park for a whole day and have done so many times and see nothing other than birds. Its a weird feeling being there after how it was a couple of decades ago with things everywhere. The ferals grow quite big now the ones that have been breeding wild over time. Probably 1 1/2 times the size of a large domestic. Unfortunately they hide up during daytime so don't get preyed on by birds of prey.