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Woman: Eagle flew off with cat
Masslive ^

Posted on 07/08/2009 8:52:47 PM PDT by Chet 99

Thursday, July 02, 2009 By LORI STABILE lstabile@repub.com

BELCHERTOWN - Ellen M. Majka was inside her home on Prescott Hill when she saw a bald eagle swoop down into her neighbor's yard.

It was the first time she saw a bald eagle in the neighborhood.

But even more surprising was what she saw in its talons when it flew back up - a black cat.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life. I was shocked. I said, 'Oh my God,'" Majka said.

The incident happened early, just after 6 am. on June 23.

According to eagle experts, a bald eagle capturing a cat is not impossible, but highly unusual.

"I believe it is within the realm of possibility and has been documented elsewhere. Bald eagles are capable of taking domestic cats," William J. Davis, district manager for Worcester County for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said Wednesday.

While the main diet of bald eagles is fish, Davis said they are opportunistic and will eat squirrels, turtles, even Canada geese. They are also known to feast on animal carcasses, including deer.

Interestingly, when eaglets were brought to the Quabbin Reservoir in the 1980s from Nova Scotia, wildlife biologists there believed that the adult bald eagles were preying on feral and barn cats that lived near a lake, Davis said.

Ralph E. Taylor, district manager for the Connecticut Valley wildlife district for the state agency, agreed that a bald eagle taking a cat would be unusual.

(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: wildkingdom; wildlife
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1 posted on 07/08/2009 8:52:47 PM PDT by Chet 99
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To: Slings and Arrows

.


2 posted on 07/08/2009 8:57:06 PM PDT by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: Chet 99

That’s why you’re not supposed to let your cats go outside!!


3 posted on 07/08/2009 8:57:07 PM PDT by boatbums (Pro-woman, pro-child, pro-life!)
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To: Chet 99

Apologies to Peter Gabriel:

‘Wind was blowing, time stood still...

... eagle flew off with a cat’...


4 posted on 07/08/2009 8:57:55 PM PDT by Hoosier-Daddy ("It does no good to be a super power if you have to worry what the neighbors think." BuffaloJack)
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To: Chet 99

I’m glad my mini Jack Russell dog is pleasantly plump. We have a fence to keep out the coyotes and wolves, but the eagles and owls are another matter.


5 posted on 07/08/2009 8:57:56 PM PDT by mplsconservative
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To: Slings and Arrows

Kitty Ping

Bet the cat lived and now has 9 lives left.

JJ61


6 posted on 07/08/2009 8:58:04 PM PDT by JerseyJohn61 (Better Late Than Never.......sometimes over lapping is worth the effort....)
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To: Chet 99

I CAN HAS KITTEH?

7 posted on 07/08/2009 8:58:38 PM PDT by RichInOC (No! BAD Rich! (What'd I say?))
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To: JerseyJohn61

Talons cut the cats spinal cord. Sorry.


8 posted on 07/08/2009 8:58:47 PM PDT by Hoosier-Daddy ("It does no good to be a super power if you have to worry what the neighbors think." BuffaloJack)
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To: Chet 99

I heard the biggest killer of songbirds in the US is feral and domestic house cats.

Payback’s a bitch!


9 posted on 07/08/2009 8:59:26 PM PDT by djf (Go tell everybody its calm before the storm Can you hear the distant thunder baby....)
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To: JerseyJohn61

I meant to say 8 lives.


10 posted on 07/08/2009 8:59:51 PM PDT by JerseyJohn61 (Better Late Than Never.......sometimes over lapping is worth the effort....)
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To: Chet 99

11 posted on 07/08/2009 9:00:31 PM PDT by packrat35 (Stimulus = Kenyan term meaning "pissing away your future")
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To: Chet 99

Good job, bald eagle!!


12 posted on 07/08/2009 9:00:45 PM PDT by Longdriver
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To: Chet 99

Had a Golden Eagle in Utah show up every time I walked my puppy.


13 posted on 07/08/2009 9:03:00 PM PDT by razorback-bert (We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.)
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To: packrat35

If that cat was to jump on the eagle while it’s on the ground then I would probably put my money on the cat.


14 posted on 07/08/2009 9:03:13 PM PDT by randomhero97 ("First you want to kill me, now you want to kiss me. Blow!" - Ash)
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To: Chet 99

I keep my eagle on a leash.


15 posted on 07/08/2009 9:06:47 PM PDT by Vidocq
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To: djf
Payback’s a bitch!

And cats hold grudges


16 posted on 07/08/2009 9:07:03 PM PDT by Lady Jag (Communism + Hezbollah + Al Qaeda + Obama + StoneAge = CHAOS)
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To: mplsconservative
"We have a fence to keep out the coyotes and wolves, but the eagles and owls are another matter."

Yes. You'd have to raise the fence height to around eight feet and cover the entire yard with chicken wire. That would do the trick but the expense would be considerable.

17 posted on 07/08/2009 9:07:23 PM PDT by davisfh ( Islam is a very serious mental illness)
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To: randomhero97
If that cat was to jump on the eagle while it’s on the ground then I would probably put my money on the cat

You would lose your money, and your cat.

18 posted on 07/08/2009 9:07:29 PM PDT by Wycowboy
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To: Wycowboy

I’ve seen cats hunt and I’ve seen them take down big prey, especially birds of prey. I’ve seen domesticated cats take hawks and owls out of trees.


19 posted on 07/08/2009 9:09:42 PM PDT by randomhero97 ("First you want to kill me, now you want to kiss me. Blow!" - Ash)
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To: Lady Jag

Lol!!

Wheeeee!!!!!


20 posted on 07/08/2009 9:11:48 PM PDT by djf (Go tell everybody its calm before the storm Can you hear the distant thunder baby....)
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