Why sit on the couch watching nature documentaries on TV when you can see the real thing while strolling along a Sunshine Coast beach?
Photographer Pete Evans provided this stunning series for sunshinecoastnews.com.au readers, which he captured at Point Arkwright.
From the cliffs, he spied a magnificent white-bellied sea eagle descending at speed and then gradually opening its wings to “parachute” gracefully on to its target – a sea snake.
However, the eagle’s operation did not go exactly to plan and despite taking flight with the creature in its impressive clutches, it dropped the snake.
Undeterred, it again swooped to regather it, before again dropping the slippery customer.
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Sir David Attenborough, who says while some celebrate the endeavour of predators, many become emotionally attached to prey, would have delighted in the sequence that produced the rare and exhilarating outcome of the hunted escaping the hunter.
Photographer Pete said that after its bungled efforts, the sea eagle returned to shore, where he was able to get some stunning close-up shots.
The white-bellied sea-eagle has long broad wings and a short, wedge-shaped tail. It measures 75–85 cm in length, and has a wingspan of 180–220 cm.
It dines on fish and sea snakes, despite most creatures avoiding them as they are highly venomous.
Do you have a wild story to share? Get in touch via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au
