York Sea-eagle Seconds

I still couldn't quite believe I'd seen a White-tailed Eagle in the LDV yesterday, so I got up early and went down to Wheldrake Ings, to see if it would show up there. For the first time in a few weeks, I was able to wade through to Tower Hide, though it was still too deep for wellies, so my waders were necessary.

 

Plenty of ducks and geese were present, and it was good to see the returning leucistic female Pintail among about 300 congeners. I gave it an hour, but when news came through that the eagle was feeding on the riverbank near Aughton, I decided it was unlikely to arrive at Wheldrake any time soon. When a pheasant shoot started up nearby, flushing all the ducks, along with two Great Egrets off the canal, I decided it was time to leave.  I waded back and went down to North Duffield, but the eagle was out of view there. After a while, Craig called to say it had flown north towards Ellerton, so together with Adam, I went back up to Thorganby. 

Within a minute of scanning from the platform, I picked up the hulking form of the eagle sitting on the bank top near Ellerton Landing. It was distant and unmoving, so easy to overlook. After 15 minutes, it took off and flapped steadily north up the valley, straight towards us. To our amazement, it landed in a large tree straight out from the platform, giving great views. We scarcely dared move or talk as every time we did, it fixed us with a rather intimidating stare! 

 

Adam headed off, leaving me to savour this magnificent bird, which had by now relaxed and started to do a little preening. With much closer views, it was possible to confirm the lack of rings on the whopping yellow legs. The local Buzzard pair were livid, and circled the trees calling, eyeing up the massive bird with suspicion and annoyance. The eagle watched them, but was pretty unphased. 

 

I let Alan Whitehead know, who was still down at Duff, and he headed up the valley, along with several others who had been alerted by the news. Fortunately, the bird hung out for a good few hours and gave great views to many people, before heading north at 2.50pm, presumably to roost somewhere nearby.