You Tell Me, I'll Show You

Monday Mystery!

Is this bird (I would apologize for the awful photo, but it's the best so far!)

the same as this bird (I'm jealous of whoever took this photo, no credit was given)?

I'm thinking we really do have Golden eagles here, which is pretty exciting since this isn't really their habitat. They've been sighted over the years but this pair, and yes, there is a pair, are close enough - where ever in the mangroves they are - to be seen on a pretty regular basis. 

The top photo was from a couple of days ago when I heard the wild chickens going ballistic. He saw me even before I stepped off the porch and flew across the field, like usual, but this time he perched on the tree top. I slowly sat in a chair by the coop (my chickens were huddled inside - their brains might not be very big, but their instinct is spot on). He probably perched there for five minutes, but with the light going it was difficult for me to find the perfect setting on the camera. I'm getting closer though!

He's gorgeous

This is terrible, BUT it shows him looking straight at me. I'm not sure how far away I was, somewhere in the 30 to 40 meter range, but he knew I was there. He flew off a few seconds after 'the stare'.

I was going to include a video of a Golden eagle capturing goats but, truthfully, it's pretty damn graphic, even for me, a big believer in knowing Nature sometimes isn't so pretty to our human eyes. I have linked it though, in case you want to see how powerful and clever these birds can be. If you tend to be squeamish about nature in the raw? Skip this. At least over your morning coffee...

Edited to add: It seems incredible that it was two years ago we were stunned by the tsunami that devastated so much in Japan and has so widely affected many places in the world. This link shows incredible before and after photos (click on the photo to see the after).

11 March 2011 - Higashi Nihon Daishinsai

 Have a make the most of your moments Monday. Do something matchless.