Thursday, May 05, 2011

One Never Knows What Blows in With the Breeze

It was one of those wonderful early spring evenings. The sun had not yet set and the warm afternoon was slipping into cooler air as the winds picked up and made the new growth on the tops of the trees whisper and bow like monks heading off to vespers. Earlier in the day I had opened the windows throughout the house to let in this new fresh air. 

As I grabbed the mail from the table I heard some crows arguing, and then, looking out the window, I thought I saw some large swooping shadows above the tree tops.  When I looked closer it appeared that the male osprey was catching the winds like a kite high over the river in the late golden sunlight, but I did not see any crows.

Within minutes I heard a nasty crow caw and then saw three crows in a combat dive.  At first glance I thought they were chasing the osprey I had just seen.  The crow cries and the osprey whistle were carried high over the air.  I grabbed my camera to see if I could document this battle when I saw the shadow of what looked like a larger osprey swoop in and land on one of the trees down by the river.  As I hurried down the hill the rasping noise became louder, and at first, I thought a large crow nearby was the one screaming just to the right of me at mid-tree level.  Then I realized it was the large bird itself that was cawing as if in anger or pain.  

It was a most unpleasant sound and went on for some time.  As I hurried closer to the dock I looked up to where the trees cleared and snapped this breath-taking shot below.  How cool was that?  He/she opened its beak and cried passionately out across the water several times.  This bald eagle eventually flew away across the river, and had not seemed to notice me,  highly unlikely, and certainly did not seem the worse for wear as it ignored the crow following close behind.



22 comments:

  1. An eagle in your own yard!? What a wonderful picture.

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  2. Wow!
    congrats on the pic, too; my overly automated thing would never have gotten the focus right.

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  3. wow...how cool is that....great shot...they are so regal...

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  4. i think photography is all about moments. great shot tabor! another photo for your birdie collection!

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  5. Oh, really wonderful. :)

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  6. so do you have a websie for your sons songs? shoot it to me, would love to listen...

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  7. Wow, nice, I've seen several eagles but never managed to get a photo.

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  8. wow!!
    she's a beauty and appears downright operatic :)

    I loved your fashon vs. insecurity comment , thanks for the visit

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  9. Brilliantly narrated and a superb image to go with it. Wonderful!

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  10. Oh how exciting. Thank you noisy crows, for bringing it to Tabor's attention.

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  11. Awesome photo, Tabor!! I would love to see the Ospreys again. They haven't been here in a long while.

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  12. Fun story and great picture. My son commented to me the other day, still in elementary school, that he could try all year to get a photo and not get it and then out of nowhere one falls in his lap (i.e., owl nest down the road.) He was right!

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  13. Aren't they magnificent creatures. I've had the joy of watching a family of baldies grow for the past two summers up at the cottage... never had a view this close though. Beautiful shot.

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  14. Fantastic shot. Congrats on PTOW.
    Loved your thoughts .

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  15. Anonymous2:23 AM

    Oh wow - what an amazing experience! (And photo...)

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  16. Oh how fabulous!! What a great pic you captured!
    The eagle flew in and disturbed all the others! Ha!!
    Magnificent bird indeed!!
    Congrats on your POTW
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  17. I would have been so excited, I would have had a heart attack.
    Kudos. Great picture.

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  18. Anonymous7:45 AM

    Oh my! You were definitely in the right place at the right time! This is a treasured shot for sure!

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  19. I was waiting for an owl. They are mortal enemies . Listening along the river the other day, I cupped myears and laughed at the crow network I could hear close and far away.During the winter the eagles roost all around me on anopen stretch of river.

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  20. Good thing you were tuned in as you were indeed fortunate to get a shot like this. Congrats! And congrats on POTW too.

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  21. Wonderfully told story and photograph that will remain etched in memory.

    Congratulations on POTW too!

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.