Two juvenile eagles nesting near Bare Hill Pond hijacked a fish delivery to Harvard last weekend, outwitting the unsuspecting truck driver as he was unloading fish at the General Store. One diverted the driver as he was parking his truck, while the other waited to swoop down and grab the unguarded fish packets from the loading dock. The driver was unhurt, but the young eagles made a clean getaway with the fish. Wildlife officials say such brazen incidents are rare but not unheard of. Young eagles, like most adolescents, are insatiably hungry most of the time. Until they hone their hunting skills, the lure of an easy meal—particularly salmon—is nearly irresistible, experts say.
Aside from fish and other aquatic snacks, eagles generally limit their food choices to a selection of small mammals. The adult eagles on the pond have conducted high-level surveillance of recent community activities on the Common, perhaps drawn by the tempting buffet of small dogs. But like all raptors, they have excellent vision, and in a pinch might even snatch a tuna sandwich from a picnic table. If that occurs, experts advise giving up the sandwich without a struggle. Unlike seagulls, eagles won’t go for the fries or chips, so that’s some consolation, at least.
