Soar with Eagles

Some decades ago I took an adventurous drive across the middle of the West on U.S. Highway 50. I had my camera with me and got some great shots...but this was one of those trips where the big one (not a fish) got away.

Highway 50 ends in the middle of California, and at least in those days there were not any clearly marked detours.

So I stopped the car, sat the camera on my dash, and opened up a map on the hood. About a minute into my perusal I hear this familiar "rattle" a few feet away. My juices started to flow. I knew I hadn't moved around so I shouldn't have been the irritant that had this beast shaking it's tail.

Then from behind me I feel a gust of wind, and then?

A huge Golden Eagle swept over my shoulder, dipped to the ground, and popped right back up with this very upset rattlesnake in the grip of the Eagle's talons. And where was my camera for all this? Still sitting there on the dash.

Well for the most part I've been pretty kind to birds since then, and the word must have gotten. Because this past weekend, the BIG BIRD you see here visited this Austrian Pine in the backyard and seemed to say, "Okay, Paul, go get your camera. I don't have all day."

It's no Golden Eagle, although it is about the same size. It is a Female Ferruginous Hawk, probably here to make sure the open area behind us is rodent free.

"Could you just move your head a little bit back to your left?"

"Yeah, but make it quick. I'm late for supper."

"SNAP!"

"Thank you, ma'am. Will I see you back around these parts again, any time soon?"

"Too hard to tell. Is that a digital?"

"Yeah, Nikon D-70."

"Nice! See you around. Prairie dogs are barkin'. I gotta fly."


Wow!