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Post by murraybrown on Sept 27, 2008 10:41:24 GMT -8
Have just returned from a very chilly camping trip from the Lightning Lake Campground. Although the birding was rather quiet with fewer than twenty species seen, there was one real good sighting.
As I walked along the narrows between the two sections of Lightning Lake, fishing rod (and no camera) in hand, I heard a tremendous commotion and calling from all the squirrels, jays, and nutcrackers in the area. Within seconds the answer became clear, when a very large hawk swooped through the trees at eye level and only about eight meters from where I stood. It turned out to be an immature Northern Goshawk, and it had hunting on it's mind. At one point it actually dropped to the ground and ran after a squirrel right under a log! Even without binoculars I could see the ferocious look in this magnificent raptor's eyes. Either it hadn't yet learned to fear humans, or it was too hungry to care, as it showed almost no interest in my standing so close. After missing the squirrel it took off over the water and made a pass at a muskrat swimming along the waters edge. I felt very fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time.
Murray
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Post by Gord on Sept 28, 2008 20:55:08 GMT -8
WOW! Nature at its best.
Isnt that the way. Things like this happen with no camera at hand. Next time you'll be seeing a large trout rising but just have a camera and no rod! ;D
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