Quote:
Originally Posted by Marna1957  This morning after fresh rain, I put on my Duster (brown long raincoat for riding horses, comes down to shins) and my boots, Katy's Raincoat and out for her morning walk.
As we came around the house, two things odd. A FLOCK of Oriels, (black and yellow birds, my spelling is probably way off) A flock? We usually only see them in 2s or very small flocks.
Where is Teanna? Our GSD usually stays right with us, unless......she spots something out back as we come out the back door.
I was walking Katy and here came Teanna out of the back with a red Squirrel running with her, every once in a while in her mouth, then free, then....up the tree it went.
THEN THIS HAPPENED! A huge bird was flying in. Honestly. HUGE! I was watching it. I was walking behind Katy, on lead, I had stopped to watch Teanna. The EAGLE LANDED! Right on the tree just over and above us! Watching. I was watching. I froze, deciding what to do. I moved forward and it hunched then flew off. IT HAD AT LEAST A 6' WING SPAN.
It occurred to me latter. As the Eagle was watching Katy, I might have just looked like a tree, covered in brown, boots under. I fear that if she were out there alone, I would no longer have that tiny dog.
I think the Eagle came in for the squirrel and then saw Katy.
I LOVE living in the country.....but Katy can not go out alone. |
OMG, I would have snatched Katy up so fast. I have told this story a hundred times. NYC, Central Park. In order to keep the population of pigeons and rats down in the park, the city bought in Falcons, trained them what to hunt for, when they were fully trained they were released in Central park where there was plenty of food for them. At one point they got another Falcon, trained that one and set it free in the park.
One afternoon a lady was walking her tiny Chihuahua on leash, a Falcon swooped down and snatched that dog up, the lady was screaming and tugging on the leash, the bird released the tiny dog, the damage the talons made on that dog it was miracle the dog lived. The Falcon trainer knew it was the new bird, caught and for more training.
Just trying to point out these prey birds have no fear of humans, and in a park filled with ppl miss judged the tiny Chi for a rat. In an open field there is no difference. If the bird is not able to carry the dog off and releases it, what those talons do to the dog can be fatal. Guess no one needs to tell you to be careful or never let a wee lil dog out alone after that experience.
Consider yourself very, very lucky that eagle flew off,
BTY I LOVE those red squirrels, so tiny and oh so cute. I haven't seen any in my heavily wooded area, but do have the flying nocturnal ones. I am glad that Teanna's catch was able to get away lol.