Tuesday, March 19, 17:10-17:20

Dense, high clouds. Weak SW wind. After a relatively warm day in mid-March, it cooled quickly in the evening.

In 2023, shortly after I myself moved to the edge of Sneekermeer Lake, a young pair of White-tailed Eagles undertook their first breeding attempt at the Terkaplester Puollen. It became a fruitless attempt, but the same pair, now both in adult plumage, now seems to be making a new attempt at the same spot. Still, the flying doors do not show themselves as often as last winter. So I was pleasantly surprised when on March 19, about an hour before sunset, from the viewing platform along the Lange Sleat, overlooking the Akmarijpsterpolder and Blaugerzen, I saw an adult White-tailed Eagle approaching. The bird flew through a cloud of panicking barnacle geese in a low, fast and active flight continuing northward, over the Aldhof, to the Meinesleatpolder on the northern edge of the Terkaplester Puollen. Among the thousands of flying ducks, gulls, geese, and waders were eight Spoonbills. Initially, they flew somewhat scattered, but even as they grouped together, the White-tailed Eagle seemed to be targeting the Spoonbills already. Admittedly, the Spoonbills also seemed a logical target, as they made a rather sluggish and vulnerable impression compared to the other birds flying up. When a juvenile spoonbill (2KJ) fell a bit behind, the White-tailed eagle initiated a first real dive. While the young spoonbill managed to escape, another spoonbill dove into cover. The young Spoonbill then tried to rejoin the group, but still became isolated after two more thrusts from the White-tailed Eagle. A short chase followed, after which the White-tailed Eagle gave up the chase for reasons that are unclear to me, and the young Spoonbill landed in a reed bed on the Meinesleatpolder. That the Spoonbill survived felt to me not so much like the Spoonbill’s success, but rather the eagle’s lack of perseverance. Meanwhile, the six remaining Spoonbills were past the viewing platform, heading in the opposite direction from where the White-tailed Eagle had come from, to rest and forage on the Blaugerzen.

Although I have seen White-tailed Eagle and Spoonbill in the same area before, I have not seen a White-tailed Eagle hunting Spoonbills so clearly. The tactic - making many birds fly up until you can isolate one - was exactly the same as when I see them hunting geese (and ducks), though.

Translated by deepl.com