Saturday, March 21, 2009

circling birds


What do you think?
Is this a Raven chasing a Golden Eagle?
The information i have been able to find, suggests that that is possible.

This morning at noon. I heard a raven calling way up high.
What first looked like 2 Ravens circling high up above, didn't seem to make sense as one was considerably smaller.
After circling, calling and going up for quite a while (I had time to get the camera and actually find them and zoom them in through the view finder.) Eventually the bigger one flew of very high in the sky, flying like an eagle. The Raven kept calling somewhere closer by but out of sight.
Looking at the photograph, i say it could have been an Golden Eagle.

Ravens are territorial and do chase eagles, i think (i will see Mary tomorrow)
And Eagles; "the typical first arrival is in late March" (Birds of the Yukon Territory)

Beside this interesting event, it was a beautiful spring day, sun and a crisp wind, and contrary to this picture, the sky mostly blue most of the day. Around -10 C.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I wouldn't doubt it. Ravens are smart ... and territorial.

jozien said...

Thanks Robert and Cicero,
to confirm it, I am just learning.

christopher said...

I too think it quite likely. By the way, crows have their own chasers down here in Oregon. I bet ravens get chased too. Little birds that chase bigger ones. Hmmm. Yes. Why don't the bigger birds try for the little ones? Probably they do and learn there is no point. They are out maneuvered by the smaller faster birds.

RachelW said...

I've seen the ravens chase eagles quite a few times, and they even seem to play together sometimes. I don't think I've seen any golden eagles here yet, though. The dark ones I've seen have all been immature bald eagles, as far as I know. Not sure, maybe you have some goldens around where you are.

jozien said...

Thanks Rachel, i know you in Whithorse have way more ravens and bald eagles. Making you more of an expert than i am.
The outline of the eagle suggests that it is a Golden. They do nest here in the mountains, but this one probably be on his way north.

Unknown said...

The top of Haeckel Hill is a great place to watch ravens chase eagles.