Right on the flat top of a large new steel power pole recently erected along Patterson Avenue between Calle Real and Cathedral Oaks, two raptors were at play.
They looked very pleased with having found the new platform and if they can find a way to anchor one, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a nest there sometime soon.
There is perhaps just barely enough remaining open ground and hillsides left in the heavily populated area to support a new family of raptors.
That encounter made me smile because I love birds of prey. It made me think of other fascinating encounters I’ve had with big birds.
Now that we have a population of bald eagles on the Channel Islands, I’ve had opportunities to watch them suddenly take flight and soar downward towards the surface of the sea.
Near the water, they flair their wings and make powerful wing beats as they stretch their legs and open their sharp talons, They scoop fish from the surface and haul their catch up towards their nest or perch to feed on it. Very impressive.
One time, just as I was rounding a mountain curve on the high side, a red-tail hawk riding an updraft up the hillside, suddenly appeared, talons toward me, barely three feet in front of the hood of my car.
Both of us shared the same look of surprise and momentary fear. Even though the languages were different, I am convinced we both blurted out identical expletives.
Before my momentum carried me past the critter, I watched its talons come to a defensive posture and its muscles tighten with a powerful wingbeat that sent him soaring upward toward its realm of safety.
I was shaken and trembling yet grinning from ear-to-ear.
Close encounters with the more powerful critters of nature leave me in awe. Some can be extremely dangerous, such as bears and cougars and sharks. Still, I wouldn’t want to make a large raptor feel like it needed to do battle with me.
The power of those talons and beaks are to be respected.
I am one to stop and admire a large raptor in flight, or even sitting on a fence post, power line post, or treetop. There is something magnificent about all the big birds of prey. They combine grace and power in a way that commands respect.
Small critters instinctively react to the presence of a raptor. For example, while chatting with a friend in his front yard, we heard the rustle of wings above and watched a huge owl land on a branch about 40 feet above ground.
When we looked down, my friend’s small dog was no longer at his feet. Even though that dog was an incessant noisemaker, it had made a silent beeline for the front porch. Instincts can be a powerful force.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
