The ice left a good bit of the Coralville Res today.
Early, when I sent my 10:50 message, I noticed that ice was gone from the big open area between Scales Bend, Sandy Beach and Hoosier Creek.
Right before lunch I went out to Scales Bend and there were lots of ducks. 50-100 Common Mergs, 200 Mallards, 500+ birds in a mixed flock of Scaup and Canvasbacks and a few Coots. I watched a young Bald Eagle [very pale, third year?] swoop down and hit the water with a big splash. It came up with something and my first thought was, golly that fish has big fins. Yeah they were big, but most people call them wings. It was a male Scaup I think. After flying several 100 feet the eagle dropped the duck, I saw the splash but could not locate the duck, as it mostly landed behind a cottonwood.
Later still, at Goose Lake in N Lib, there were 200 or so Canadas, more Mallards, some Ring-Necks, more Cans and a few scattered Male Buffleheads.
Before supper I watched 2 imm eagles playing courtship games. One would swoop at the other, who roll over and stick his talons up. The top bird never reached down to grab them.
Happy Spring, for a day or so,
Rick Hollis, North Liberty
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