I was out enjoying a huge group of gulls on Schoolhouse Pond during lunch today, having just completed my first scan through the flock, when all the gulls flushed, flying in ever widening circles away from the pond.  Looking up, I saw a Red-tailed Hawk, which continued flying to the east, and an adult Bald Eagle, which circled lower and lower.  As I watched, the eagle dove in a manner similar to an Osprey hunting fish.  The eagle landing on top of a hapless Laughing Gull that had remained on the water.  The eagle quickly dispatched its victim and then flew off with the gull still in its talons.  The gull was completely limp with the extended wings of gull flopping beneath the eagle as it flew.  I suspect that the gull was already injured before the attack as it did not take flight with the rest of the flock.  Total gull numbers included:

Laughing Gull: 1,013
Ring-billed Gull:  18
Herring Gull:  22

Also present were 37 Northern Shovelers and 8 Double-crested Cormorants.  I suspect that gull numbers will be low at Schoolhouse Pond during the next few days after today's excitement.  Needless to say, there are none out there now.

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, Anne Arundel

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