News: Eagles

[GCG]

This is so tragic. I will continue to watch for updates.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/13-bald-eagles-found-dead-on-maryland-farm/

[The Peregrine Chick]

Dutch police train eagles to snatch enemy drones
Toby Sterling / Reuters / 2 Feb 2016



Dutch police puzzling over how to remove drones that pose a public safety threat are testing a way to get the job done in one fell swoop - with trained eagles.

“It’s a low-tech solution to a high-tech problem,” spokesman Dennis Janus of the country’s national police said.

The idea arose because amateur use of drones has boomed and police have begun to worry about unlicensed drones flying into off-limit spaces around airports or above public events such as politician’s appearances.  Possible solutions the Dutch police have studied include shooting nets at the offending drones, remotely hacking them to seize their controls - or taking them out with birds of prey.

“People sometimes think it’s a hoax, but it’s proving very effective so far,” Janus said.

Showing off the technique in a video released by police, a four-propeller drone hovers in the middle of a warehouse, coloured lights flashing.  Released by her keeper, a white-tailed eagle glides straight toward the drone, clutches it easily in her talons - clack! - and drags it to the ground.  Sjoerd Hoogendoorn of “Guard from Above,” the company working with police to develop the concept, said the birds must be trained to recognize the drones as prey.  They are rewarded with a piece of meat after each successful foray.  Their scaly talons are strong and tough enough to seize most consumer-grade drones without injury from the blades, he said.

“These birds are used to meeting resistance from animals they hunt in the wild, and they don’t seem to have much trouble with the drones,” he said.  The potential impact on the animals’ welfare is subject of testing by an external scientific research institute.

“The real problem we have is that they destroy a lot of drones,” Hoogendoorn said. “It’s a major cost of testing.”  Another unknown is how the the birds will fare in a crowd situation, he said. 

A decision by police on whether to move ahead with using the eagles is expected by the end of the year.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/dutch-police-train-eagles-to-snatch-enemy-drones/article28506178/

[Alison]

The video has been removed. Too bad, I would have liked to see it.

The video in the text has been removed but the video is still available above the article, you just have to watch the ad first.  Or at least it was when I checked out at 1230h today. 

I tried to look at the video, but there is only a message saying "This video does not exist."

The cameras at the nest are owned by a site in Latvia. Whoever posted this video elsewhere removed the identifying line of information on the video which gave the source; they then replaced it with their own information, as if it were their video.

This is a breach of copyright, and the people at the originating site were extremely displeased. They were also greatly offended by the nasty comments which were posted about the eagle. I understand the video has now been made private.

The eagle involved is a Sea Eagle, and he is a young eaglet just learning to fly. I have now seen photos of him, and he is beautiful.

[Jazzerkins]

A beautiful poem.  Thanks for sharing gcg.

[GCG]

About once a week, I receive a newsletter from Eastwood Eagle Watchers. Eagle Jim is the photographer and he is the author of these newsletters. His photos of the eagles are breathtaking. His writings are eloquent. I wanted to share with you the newsletter I received today. In it he talks of insomnia and how a poem repeated itself in his mind. Finally, at 2:00 A.M., he got up and wrote it down and The following is his poem. Enjoy! 

https://eastwoodeaglewatchers.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/eagles-of-inspiration/#comments 

[Kinderchick]

You are right, gemcity. Very disturbing to have this rare eagle species shot dead after being nursed back to health & released back into the wild. Even more disturbing is that there are only about 400 nesting adult pairs left in the Phillipines.

[GCG]

This is SO disturbing! 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/endangered-philippine-eagle-found-shot-to-death-in-philippines/

[dupre501]

Wow!

[GCG]

Eagle takes down a drone in this video.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/national/watch-fierce-eagle-takes-down-drone-midair/nnJY8/?ecmp=daytondaily_social_facebook_2014_sfp

[GCG]

Thanks, TPC! I will do that!

The video is up and running again. Awww! Can an eagle feel embarrassment?

[Kinderchick]

Yup, as TPC says, the video is still available, after the advertisement, gemcity.

[The Peregrine Chick]

The video has been removed. Too bad, I would have liked to see it.

The video in the text has been removed but the video is still available above the article, you just have to watch the ad first.  Or at least it was when I checked out at 1230h today. 

[GCG]

The video has been removed. Too bad, I would have liked to see it.

[dupre501]

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/this-eagle-tried-to-ace-a-landing-it-failed-hilariously/54919/?intcmp=twn_promo_news3

Golden eagle just misses landing in it's nest. Oops....

Kind of funny actually.

[GCG]

I just watched this video and was saddened by this event. It is indeed sad that Alaska doesn't carry the same penalties as the lower 48 states. 

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/news/man-arrested-in-alaska-for-running-over-bald-eagles-with-his-truck/vi-BBleOcc?ocid=ASUDHP