i6 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



The great birds were so intent on their feast that eventually 

 we considered it unwise to disturb them, and many we 

 noticed were so gorged as to be unable to fly. A keeper 

 of my acquaintance caught two young eagles in 

 Ross-shire owing to their having fed on carrion till their 

 wings were incapable of raising their weight, and the 

 parent birds were compelled to abandon the young to 

 their fate. Having thus made reference to the eagle's 

 vulture-like habits, we may seek a more refreshing 

 atmosphere among the altitudes of its better known 

 characteristics. 



In spite of prevalent opinion to the contrary, my 

 observations of the eagle incline me to accept the view 

 that it is a bird of definite home range. Its range may 

 be great, on account of its powers of flight ; it may, at 

 times, travel immense distances over land and water, 

 but the eagles of our Highlands are for the most part 

 resident birds, and if one watches them closely one 

 learns that they visit certain places at regular periods. 

 Around their home centre they appear to have a number 

 of chosen beats, which they hunt more or less 

 systematically. In the heights between Loch Tay and 

 Loch Earn, for instance, I several times one winter 

 saw an eagle hunting in a northerly direction down a 

 certain corrie. I never saw him flying southwards down 

 this corrie, and so far as I could make out he visited the 

 place once every three or four days. Again, in the wilds 

 between Glen Lochay and Glen Lyon I repeatedly saw 

 an eagle hunting northwards through a small glen, and 

 so far as I could make out, he visited this portion of his 

 beat every third day.* He was eventually taken in a 

 vermin trap, and his photograph forms the frontispiece of 

 this book. After the taking of the photograph he was 

 given his freedom. 



* During these observations the prevailing wind was from the north. 



