Today was quite a day at the fire tower. It had been slow until about 4pm. I
was watching a group of Turkey Vultures when a large raptor came out of the
valley on the Mendota side. It banked and I could see the bright white band on
the tail and the black tip. It was an immature Golden Eagle. I thought
"Alright". As it came floating down the ridge toward me at eye level my
thoughts turned to "No, No, No!". Here comes the photo op of a lifetime and I
do not have my camera. It continued directly at me then banked to avoid the
tower and passed by me at eye level and only 30 feet away. After I calmed down
it occurred to me that moments such as these are why I am a birder. These
sublime moments are the reason I huff and puff my way up to the fire tower and
sit on the rocks and count hawks. Last year it was a Red-tailed Hawk hanging in
mid air just off the cliff. Five years ago it was a Bald Eagle in the same
flight path as the Golden. It has been Osprey,
Peregrine Falcons, and numerous Broad-winged Hawks. As if I needed further
reinforcement for that thought, about 45 minutes later an immature Mississippi
Kite came floating through below the ridgeline allowing me to see my first one
from above.
Tom
Tom & Laverne Hunter
Russell County Bird Club
Lebanon, VA
