[at-l] the skies over Harrison

[hopefl@juno.com (Lamar Powell)]

I was working in the yard this weekend when the repeated cry of a hawk
got my attention. Looking up, I saw several birds riding the air in
effortless spirals, up and up. 

With my poor eyes, I was not able to tell what kind of birds they were
but I felt sure the one was a redtail hawk, because of its cry. The
calling bird suddenly reconfigured itself  to execute a hard right turn
and then, pulling its wings into an arrowhead, it dove rapidly towards
another. I nearly lost my footing as I arched my neck to watch the hawk
pass over my head, turning my own self so that I thought I get screwed
into the ground.

I have never witness such an arrow straight flight path and such a burst
of speed from a bird. I could not tell what its angle of attack was but I
was sure he was in a steep diver. As he closed on his target I was able
to tell that the other bird was twice the size of the hawk. Based on the
difference in size, I believe that other bird was an eagle. The wildlife
folks have found eagles nesting on high bluffs over the Tennessee River
near us.

As the hawk closed, I was sure a collision was unavoidable. At the last
moment the eagle skillfully dipped one wing to break from his lazy ride
on the upward draft. With wings nearly vertical he cut a sharp 180 as the
hawk rocketed by. With several powerful flaps and a sharp jog to the left
he came face to face with the hawk who had pulled up to loose speed and
banked sharp left. 

The faceoff erupted into a flurry of activity, the power of the eagle
matching the agility of the hawk. There was a chorus of cries, one
answering the other and then ever widening vertical separation as the two
once again began to ride the air to dizzy heights. 

In maybe less than 10 second I witnessed a display that will form
memories for the rest of my life. Hopeful
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