Bird Experiences

I like to capture so many of our experiences through photographs.  Sometimes though, I just can't.  

Recently we were out on a hike with a bunch of kids and our friend Cathy.  As we were eating our lunch on a ridge overlooking farmlands and woods below, we saw a bird of prey soar into view.  It was big and we all excitedly tried to figure out what it was.   A hawk?  An eagle?  A falcon?  As we watched this beautiful soaring bird, we noticed another smaller raptor coming in from the opposite direction.  To our complete and utter astonishment, this second raptor dove at the first, and the two birds put on an air show for us. Aerobatics. rolling, dipping, diving, stalling, spinning and dropping.  It was fantastic to watch.  Utterly one of those moments that captured us completely.   We later learned they were two red tailed hawks that put on the performance for us.   

The next bird experience that was super cool was when we were biking on the causeway.  This time it was an osprey that had captured a baby bird and was flying overhead with the baby in it's talons.  The mother bird was chasing the osprey - shrieking, hysterically over and over as she madly flew after the osprey.   Her desperate and frantic were heartbreaking.  We think the osprey ended up dropping the baby bird into the water.  

Both of these bird experiences were so amazing to witness.  No photograph could come close to capturing the beauty and thrill of being there.