The things you can learn while at anchor

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Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
The area where we dropped the hook stays reasonably deep up to about 30 feet from shore. We anchored in about 10 feet about 200 feet off shore at the base of very well wooded steep embankments (cliffs?). The Great Blue Herons, the buzzards and the Bald Eagles and the Ospreys all hunted along this shore. When one of them scored a fish all of the others were quick to offer to share. This I observed, a Great Blue Heron will make a Buzzard back off with a single peck but nobody challenges the eagles. The Buzzards will hang around for the scraps but if the Heron is there, they wait until the Heron has lost interest. There was a local fisherman ( commercial) that had fish traps set along the shore. I saw him the first morning. The traps are nets made with hoops and covered over the outside with netting and fitted with cone shapes in each hoop leading to the next hoop. The bait is set farthest from the entrance so the fish must find its way in through these funnels but to find is way out must find the small hole in the bottom of each funnel. The cormorants actively hunt near the fish traps and I wondered how often the fisherman finds a bird in his nets.
 
May 10, 2006
52
Hunter 30_88-94 Lake Tahoe
wow...

It sounds like you had a great time! From my slip I can see the osprey and eagle's fishing. It's about a ten minute dinghy ride from my slip up the river where they hunt. When I see them it is a signal for me to get my fishing gear and go get dinner. They can see the fish activity a heck of a lot better than I can. I did'nt get skunked once last summer. My three year old boy caught a 24" rainbow....hehehe! Tim
 
May 14, 2004
99
Catalina Capri 22 Town Creek, MD
Interesting....

...that you say none of them challenge the eagles. Down here on the St. Mary's, I've never seen anything challenge the eagles for food, but the ospreys definitely employ teamwork to drive the eagles away from nesting sites. At the naval base where I work, both species show up in the spring, but the eagles (mostly seen flying alone) don't hang around more than a week or two after getting ganged up on by pairs of osprey. There are at least 4 pairs of osprey nested on base, and I see their young ones flying now, too.
 
Mar 1, 2005
220
Hunter 34 North East, MD
Eagles...

Sitting in the cockpit one morning sipping coffee anchored off Lloyd Creek a few years ago and watched an eagle male hand off a caught fish to his mate in mid-air several times. Inspiring sight!
 
May 14, 2004
99
Catalina Capri 22 Town Creek, MD
Dan -

I'd love to have seen that. Do you see a lot of eagles near North East now? I grew up in Cecil and remember boy scout trips to Conowingo to spot them there. Didn't normally see them elsewhere, but that was when their population was just beginning to really pick up again.
 
B

Bob V

bait fish

I was sitting in the cockpit at sunrise anchored out in Pender Harbor, BC when I noticed the bait fish all jumping out of the water en masse. It was off in the distance and I could not tell what it was that got them in such a panic but it went on for some time with a frenzy every ten minutes or so regular as clockwork but in a different place each time. Eventually they worked their way over closer to me and I could see three or four seals working like sheepdogs. They would herd the fish into a tight ball and when it was dense enough they would blast through the center with their mouths open. Then they would start over again herding them into a ball. They put on quite a show.
 
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