P.E.I. man captures on-ice battle between Canada goose and bald eagle

'It was quite a scene to witness.'

A dark object on the ice was what captured the attention of photographer Patrick Keefe.

Nestled between trees on the bank of Prince Edward Island's West River, Keefe whipped out his camera, watching through his lens as the object came into focus as a bald eagle.

There had been a battle, Keefe realized — sprawled beneath the raptor's sharp talons was a Canada goose.

"I thought the goose had already expired and [I] was taking some photos of the eagle about to enjoy his reward," he told CBC News.

But then, movement. The goose was alive, and desperate to survive.

"The eagle rose above the goose, hovering eight to 10 feet in the air, and without warning, folded its wings and descended in full assault mode," Keefe wrote on his Instagram account as he posted the photos.

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"Webbed feet and a bill are no match for razor-sharp talons and a hooked beak."

Or are they?

In the video in this story, Keefe tells us what happened next.

To see his original photos and read his descriptions, find Keefe on Instagram as @atlnortheast.

This article was written for the CBC.