An early morning walk as the sun rises. A placid pond. Four geese silently floating. Then a great clamor from water and sky, a large bird of prey flapping out of a cove clutching something in its talons, a pair of low flying geese screaming behind it, wings beating double time. They fly one above, one below the bird of prey. As the three wheel about, the talons release their treasure. Something falls amid the floating geese and splashes - an egg, a fledgling? I stare into the sun and cannot be sure.
As if it does not matter, the bird of prey flaps toward land and perches high in a pine. The pursuing geese speed away, back to the cove. The geese on the pond circle and talk, circle and talk. I am merely a witness. I walk on. When I return half an hour later, the geese on the pond are still talking about it.
5 comments:
They can be rather loud telling the world of their thoughts. Getting some new goslings here. I have a few nesting at the back of my formal yard along a wetland and they tell my dogs to keep away.
I see it happening through your words.
Live and death on the wing. Very exciting this time of year with new little ones having to be protected.
Delightful thoughts and observations Pauline.
Seems only we have the luxury of being touchy -about it. For the birds it's life or death, no room for emotions, except for the poor mothers. How can they bear it when their babies are eaten?
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