A Cooper drilled a starling off our bird feeder, right outside our kitchen window and the kids got to watch from about six feet, as the hawk ripped it to shreds. I explained that we had a guest for dinner except he eats his outside.

smile


I have seen several ducks plucked out of the sky but the most amazing thing I witnessed was an eagle stalking a greeb. The eagle was perched above in a fir snag and sort of lazily swooped down on the greeb which immediately dived and the eagle continued past to another perch on the other side of the bay. When the greeb surfaced, the eagle swooped again and landed right back where it started. After about eight repititions, the greeb was too tired to dive and the eagle just as calmly picked it up.


I was blown away by the strategy and total efficiency of the entire campaign; a dozen wing strokes and the eagle was in complete control before it even started the greeb didn't even have a chance.
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In the legend of King Arthur, the Fisher King was a renowned angler whose errant ways caused him to be struck dumb in the presence of the sacred chalice. I am no great fisherman, and a steelhead is not the covenant of Christ, but with each of these fish I am rendered speechless.