The "sea eagles" of Yokosuka

This video taken by Andrea shows what many in Yokosuka call sea eagles. I believe that they are actually black kites (at least that is what I have read). The reason the birds are congregating and swooping down is that some of the kids on a field trip put out food for the birds. It didn't take long for the birds to take notice. This isn't my first exposure to these birds. On one of our first mornings here in Yokosuka, we were walking to Mona and Macie's school. Macie and I were a couple of steps behind Mona when one of these birds swooped down between us to try to get a doughnut out of my hand. He missed but I quickly threw the doughnut on the hill - I had learned my lesson. What lesson? We had heard stories of people who had encounters with the birds and warnings not to carry food while you were walking near the ocean. The lesson - no more doughnuts while walking to school. As Homer Simpson would say - Doh!