A birder whose observations are usually on-target sighted a Golden Eagle overhead yesterday after 4PM.
It was headed towards West Alton. (For a literal "heads up").
UPDATE: (Three days later).
The Golden Eagle soared back today—
once again at 4PM. Boy, were our local Loons unhappy about
that overflight!
And now I know where all my crayfish have gone.
A pair of semi-shy diving ducks picked off six crayfish in two minutes! (Most likely a merganser of some kind—but not in my bird book).
Field notes are:
[1]a yellow lower bill,
[2]white undersides,
[3]tail feathers held flat on the water's surface,
[4]dull brown-gray upper parts including the upper bill,
[5]black eyes
[6]small size, maybe smaller than a Hooded Merganser,
[7]not as fast a flyer as a Hooded Merganser, and
[8]a short fringe of neck feathers. (Like the female Common Merganser, but colored gray, and "crewcut").
I have no idea what they were....