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DEAD SEA-EAGLE MYSTERY

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Subject: DEAD SEA-EAGLE MYSTERY
From: "Mike Jarman" <>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2003 06:49:56 +0000
A freind of mine informed me that a lady (Barbara) from Foxground on the NSW South Coast of NSW found 2 dead White-bellied Sea-eagles in one of her paddocks. After a few inquiries I tracked her down and she told me the story.

It was late September when she was alerted by her cows which had gathered in a circle around a white object. The cows were making such a terrible fuss that she feared one may have had a premature birth. On closer inspection she was suprised to find two dead sea-eagles a few metres apart, one was crumpled into the ground. Both were bleeding from the beak and had scratched, bleeding talons. One bird was bigger than the other and both were in full adult plumage. She collected both birds photographed them and sent them to two separate vets as she feared they may have been poisoned. A while later she phoned the vets to find out what had happened. One vet said that the bird had not eaten for a few days and suffered from internal haemarrage which could be the result of poisoning. The other vet said that the results were inclonclusive but may have been the result of poisoning. Both vets sent samples away to be analysed but the results never materialised.

After learning of the story I phoned both vet clinics who had trouble remembering the cases. They told me that there was definate internal haemorrage which they suspected as being caused by poisoning but could tell me little else. No bullet holes were found on the birds.

After doing a bit of investigation into poisons it would seem unusual that two poisoned eagles would die at the same location unless the toxin was instantaneous. One bird had not eaten for at least two days.

Maybe there was another reason??

The photographs have been posted on the Illawarra ABC website.http://www.abc.net.au/illawarra/stories/s903469.htm

The photos are a bit gruesome but may provide some clues into their demise. I have my own idea on what happened but I thought I would put it to the giant brain that is birding-aus.

cheers

mike

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