Andrea PNW
Songster
- Sep 4, 2020
- 171
- 377
- 166
Oh. My. GAWD. Yesterday morning I had one of the most traumatic close calls of my whole life. I was in the kitchen - barefoot, in my pajamas and a t-shirt (no bra) and out of the corner of my eye all I saw was giant wings, a giant white head and Bela was screaming. It must have just landed on her that instant. She had been running full bore to the house and had pinned her down about 20ft away from my back door.
I ran full bore and busted straight thru the screen door in my bare feet in the pouring rain screaming "nooooooo". The screen door went flying and the eagle turned tail and tried to fly off with her in the other direction. My babies are spoiled and fat so he was having a hard time getting her airborne more than 3ft. He got halfway across the yard and I almost got a hold of his tail feather and he finally dropped her cuz he wouldn't have been able to clear the 10ft fence.
I snatched her up and miraculously, outside of feathers ripped out of her neck and intense psychological trauma - she is physically unharmed. As I was sitting in the wet grass barefoot holding her and checking her out, that eagle flew back over the yard super low and slow to perch in the top of a tree overlooking my house. He was clearly pissed I ruined his meal and was waiting to make another attempt. The neighbor had to come over to stand watch while I got her and the rest of my Heathers safely into the quackhouse.
I was doing that hyperventilating/sobbing/shaking thing and the adrenaline was so intense I threw up twice afterwards. If I would have gotten my hands on him I'd probably have had to go to the hospital first (he was at least 4ft tall standing) and then to jail cuz I was completely out of control. It was hindsight that I remembered that you can't harm a bald eagle.
She's still a little off kilter today. Very quiet and not as spirited as usual but she's been eating fine so hopefully she's just working thru her shock.
There will be no more free ranging in the yard without me physically being outside. I never want to go thru that ever again.
Thanks for listening. I just needed to emote to other duck parents. Y'all would understand.
I ran full bore and busted straight thru the screen door in my bare feet in the pouring rain screaming "nooooooo". The screen door went flying and the eagle turned tail and tried to fly off with her in the other direction. My babies are spoiled and fat so he was having a hard time getting her airborne more than 3ft. He got halfway across the yard and I almost got a hold of his tail feather and he finally dropped her cuz he wouldn't have been able to clear the 10ft fence.
I snatched her up and miraculously, outside of feathers ripped out of her neck and intense psychological trauma - she is physically unharmed. As I was sitting in the wet grass barefoot holding her and checking her out, that eagle flew back over the yard super low and slow to perch in the top of a tree overlooking my house. He was clearly pissed I ruined his meal and was waiting to make another attempt. The neighbor had to come over to stand watch while I got her and the rest of my Heathers safely into the quackhouse.
I was doing that hyperventilating/sobbing/shaking thing and the adrenaline was so intense I threw up twice afterwards. If I would have gotten my hands on him I'd probably have had to go to the hospital first (he was at least 4ft tall standing) and then to jail cuz I was completely out of control. It was hindsight that I remembered that you can't harm a bald eagle.
She's still a little off kilter today. Very quiet and not as spirited as usual but she's been eating fine so hopefully she's just working thru her shock.
There will be no more free ranging in the yard without me physically being outside. I never want to go thru that ever again.
Thanks for listening. I just needed to emote to other duck parents. Y'all would understand.
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