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Eagle vs. Redtail



I've never posted to this group, but enjoy following your adventures/sightings.
I usually do my birding with the Charleston County Parks or the Charleston 
Natural History Society.

A bit of excitement last evening during dinner.

We live in a subdivision and are lucky enough to be on a marsh. About 100 
yards from our kitchen window, in the marsh is a bit of land with 3 pine 
trees in various stages of decline. In past years we have seen northern 
harriers use the pine trees for lookout and resting purposes. This year a 
red tailed hawk has taken over the territory. We see it in the early 
morning and again in the late afternoon toward evening.

Friday night about 6:40, I could scarcely believe my eyes as a fully mature 
bald eagle flew between the house and the island. (I didn't need the 
binoculars to identify it). The red tail darted out of a tree and went 
after the eagle, then as the eagle circled, flew back to the tree with the 
most branches and needles. Perhaps taking cover? The eagle circled and 
returned and the hawk came out again. This happened about 3-4 times with 
the eagle finally flying off. The eagle was low enough to see its white 
head and tail and its huge bill, (or is it beak?)

This morning the red tail was assailed by either a blue jay or red wing 
blackbird (the back light and suddenness of the attack made identification 
impossible)  which actually dove into the hawk's head and succeeded in 
making the red tail leave the island for a pine tree in the yard two houses 
away. There I saw the jay sitting on the same branch as the red tail 
screeching at it until it flew off. I hope I have not seen the last of the 
red tail.

Gail
Charleston,SC