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Post by Harrier on Mar 10, 2011 18:28:24 GMT -8
I'm not talking about sighting a rare species or adding a bird to your life list. I'm talking about the action, excitement, and even violence that we occasionally witness in the avian world. I hope this isn't a repeat topic. I'm new here.  I'll start: In the summer of 1995 (I think) I was out on a walk to Deep Lake on the Coldstream Ranch near Vernon with a friend and my brother. We were passing through a pasture area when I saw three of the resident Mallards flying low and fast, zigzagging in obvious panic. They were right to be worried, as there was a Goshawk only 50 feet behind them and closing fast. I had just enough time to point out the spectacle to my companions before the raptor nailed one of the ducks mid-air and they both when tumbling to the ground. I set up my scope (what 17 year old brings a scope on a walk with his friends?) in time to see a grisly scene that I won't go into great detail describing here, but it involved arterial blood, so you get the picture. To this day, that friend says that he can never be a birder because he saw the coolest thing imaginable on his first time out. Anything else would be dull in comparison. |
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Post by Wetlander on Mar 10, 2011 19:46:18 GMT -8
To bad about your friend, sometimes epiphanies come just watching the robins...
But I get the point, it is a pretty intense way to first notice the birds around you.
Being a Valley boy, eagles have always been in my life. At an important point in my life, an eagle swooshed about 6 feet over my head and took a fish right in front of me. Bit of adrenalin rush, but more a spiritual grounding kind of thing.
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Post by Chris on Mar 10, 2011 22:38:42 GMT -8
I usually find myself getting more excited before I go out birding. Not all of the time, but if I am going to a location I rarely go to, or if I haven't been out in a while I get excited. I would say the most excited I have ever been out in the field is about a year and a half ago when I was out at Harrison Lagoon looking at Horned Larks. I heard a large 'woshhhhh' noise and it was a Peregrine Falcon trying to get one. It tried this another two times. The speed it was flying at was intense. It was awesome to witness and awesome for the larks as it didn't get any of them.
Good topic Harrier.
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Post by kenpossum on Mar 10, 2011 23:56:25 GMT -8
I think my most exciting moment was watching a Golden Eagle pick up a very young Mountain Sheep near Lake Louise in Banff National Park. It swooped down into the flock, picked up the baby, flew up and dropped it with the intention of killing it. However ... the baby landed on a grassy ledge, bounced, and proceeded to wail as any frightened baby would. It's mother came to the rescue and confronted the eagle every time it made an attempt to pick up the young'in. After about ten minutes the eagle gave up, and mom and baby made their way back to the flock. Unfortunately, no photos.
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Post by Harrier on Mar 11, 2011 15:39:28 GMT -8
Wow Ken, that's a good one!
And to add to my list:
-I once to turned around to see a Merlin flying right at my head only to have it turn away at the last second.
-I was once stabbed in the leg by a Sandhill Crane.
-I have been buzzed by both Red-Winged Blackbirds and a Barred Owl.
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Post by kenpossum on Mar 11, 2011 16:29:51 GMT -8
Ah ... the Reifel Sandhill Cranes with attitude. I was stabbed in the butt for not having seed when I passed by them. I suppose it could have been worse but my training as a floor hockey goalie kicked in - if you have a choice, offer your butt!
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Post by kestrel on Mar 11, 2011 17:10:50 GMT -8
At Riefel in 2005, my dad and I got chased by the male crane after we got a little too close to his 2 babies ;D. At one point, my dad fell into the ditch while the crane stood watching him. After he climbed back up onto the trail, the bird resumed the chase! Later on we came upon a sign that read "Beware of Sandhill cranes, they are very aggressive, Beware!".
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Post by Harrier on Mar 11, 2011 19:20:48 GMT -8
Hehe, I see that you guys have met the same guy that got me. |
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Post by theanimal on Apr 25, 2011 12:41:51 GMT -8
Remind me never to tick off that particular sandhill crane if I go down to Reifel.
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Post by gamewraith on Apr 25, 2011 18:12:15 GMT -8
Best bird moment was being on the back ridge of the Chief in Squamish facing away from town. A friend and I had hiked up early on a cool crisp October day. Saw a large Raven riding the thermals and as we watched it circled closer and closer. Then it went into a flat spiral spin, the kind that if and airplane does it, it will never recover. Then with a slight tip or flick of a wing it pulled out and sped straight away. It was one of those moments where you look at your friend and realize it had to be putting on a show for the drop-jawed customer. Never to be forgotten.
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