Attack by a wedge-tailed eagle over Boort caught on camera

[Robbo]

THEY don’t call him Jack the Ripper for nothing.

 

He generally attacks from behind and you don’t know he’s there until the first shriek.

 

A moment later, his powerful talons have torn shreds from the fabric shell of your ultralight glider and he’s hitched a ride on an updraft to prepare for another raid.

 

Pilot Alan Beavis, of Bendigo, is not Jack’s only victim, but he’s the first to have caught the wedge-tailed eagle’s attacks in the skies above Boort on camera.

 

“It was scary the first time (he attacked the glider) and I guess it’s still a little unnerving when it’s in close,” he said.

 

“I usually focus on the talons — if they’re down it probably intends to try and rip the wing.”

 

Story and video at http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/country-living/attack-by-a-wedgetailed-eagle-over-boort-caught-on-camera/news-story/e854314ff1cb88727c7c0d250e793039

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Might've been the Gnu on the side of the aircraft that scared him off.

 

Edit: or Billy Goat, distant relative.

 

 

[onetrack]

Eagle thinks to himself - "Geez, this is great! They're thoughtful enough to deliver the meals to me in the air, now!!" LOL

 

If the bugger sank those talons into your leg, you wouldn't stand a chance! Their talon grip is phenomenal!

 

I can remember the old man telling us about hunting 'roos in an old '28 Dodge tourer, around 1932-33, on the huge plains around the Upper Murchison in W.A.

 

They shot a 'roo - and one of the blokes was bent over the carcass, getting ready to skin it - when a huge Wedgie dropped out of the sky, and badly gashed the blokes leg, as it made a grab for the 'roo!!

 

I've actually reared a Wedgie from a chick when we accidentally knocked down its nest when contract clearing with dozers in the '70's. A truly amazing bird - the SIL named him "Samson", after the strongman in the Bible.

 

He had all the dogs and cats number - they ran and hid any time he took a stroll - which he like to do frequently (we lived on 5 acres on the outskirts of a small country town in W.A.)

 

Soon, he had full feathers, and he'd run up and down the yard practising his flying skills, with outstretched wings. His wingspan was impressive.

 

I've never encountered an animal so utterly devoid of emotions. Cats will purr and meow, and dogs will wag their tail and anticipate your moves - but an eagle just stares at you with those unblinking eyes and swallows meat and bones placed in front of it, without expressing any emotion. They can swallow a big chop bone whole, they must have the digestive system of a snake.

 

Samson learnt to fly and used to perch on the big above-ground water main over the road from the house, just eyeballing any motorists passing by - probably checking to see if the contents of the cars contained suitable prey!

 

Then one day he flew off and never returned! I trust he found a good life and a mate somewhere, and that some cranky farmer didn't shoot him out of the sky.

 

Wedgies were declared vermin in W.A. for many years, because they were deemed a major threat to lambs.

 

Then the W.A. Ag Dept did some research and found that the Wedgies diet and nests contained very little by way of lamb meat or bones, and that the majority of Wedgies dined on rabbits and small marsupials.

 

So the "Vermin" classification was lifted, and Wedgies are now protected, like many W.A. native birds - even crows and ravens!

 

 

[poteroo]

So the "Vermin" classification was lifted, and Wedgies are now protected, like many W.A. native birds - even crows and ravens!

Which is why there are so many of them throughout the state. We have 2 pairs that live somewhere within our circuit area, and we see them up every day there's some thermal activity. Guess they have learned to stay clear of the Runway 14 ILS track as the RPT crews don't report any close encounters. Luckily, they don't seem aggressive and we share the air with no dramas.

 

The damage they can inflict on an aircraft can be quite severe. Saw a T6 Texans' wing caved in to the spar by a wedgie some 20 years ago - if the pilot hadn't been one of the best aerobatics/ag/warbird drivers of the time - it would have been lost.

 

happy days,

 

 

[onetrack]

In the 1970's, where my parents house was located on the Ashfield/Bassendean (W.A.) border, we had a pretty good view of Perth airport from a high point of the Swan River escarpment.

 

I can recall watching a couple of Wedgies soaring around the East side of the airport, fairly regularly, reaching some pretty substantial heights, probably 1500' or more.

 

However, I don't recall any birdstrikes involving Wedgies around Perth, so something must assist them to avoid aircraft - and I'd hazard a guess that their incredible eyesight possibly alerts them to aircraft heading their way.

 

 

[ron dunn]

Back in the eighties, we had two gliders hit on the leading edge of the wing by wedge tail Eagles. This caused a fair amount of damage to the leading edge but fortunately both were able to make a safe landing. One occurred when the glider was around 6000 thousand feet in a thermal and the other was during a ridge soaring camp.

 

It is my feeling that the bird does not attack you in most cases but is trying to dive out of the way after being surprised by your presence and misjudged it. I have had the pleasure of having a wedgie sit on my glider wingtip for several thousand feet in a thermal with his head peering at me in the cockpit. I have had others do a half roll when they meet you thermalling the wrong way to them.

 

 

[AlanB]

This particular Wedgie (pair?) definitely has issues with anything within it's territory. It's had a go at trikes, hang gliders and our ultralight gliders. You have to consider whether you stay in a thermal in it's territory and risk an attack or move away and risk not finding another thermal.

 

Makes for interesting video's though :)

 

Here's some other video's of the attention I've been getting at Yando.

 

 

 

[M61A1]

I had one have a go at the Drifter on approach a few weeks ago. At first it was difficult to identify, with it's wings half folded and approaching talons first and head on, it wasn't the profile I was used to seeing. Evasive action seemed like a good idea.

 

 

[Soleair]

Hey AlanB, I love your GOAT.

 

Did you build it yourself?

 

 

[AlanB]

Thanks Soleair. Yes, I built from plans with some minor mods.

 

 

[Soleair]

They look such a fun glider, & I very much admire Mike Sandlin's 'minimum aeroplane' concept. It is a very well thought out design, with lots of clever little details.

 

Now I've finished my MiniMax build, I'm tempted to build a GOAT. But modified for the addition of a small engine (or electric motor?) for self launch capability.

 

But first I'll prolly have to work my way through the long list of all the house-related jobs my wife has been compiling during the last 2 years or so I've spent locked in my shed. . .

 

How do you find the rigging? Or are you able to keep it rigged permanently?

 

 

[AlanB]

Mostly stays rigged. I built a trailer for it for XC outlandings or taking it somewhere different to fly. Rigging/de-rigging takes about 45 min by myself without rushing.

 

Here's a derig time lapse video.

 

[MEDIA=vimeo]74189959[/MEDIA]