Beady Eyes

I spy...

Out here in the Valley I always have this feeling that I am being watched... Well when you live in a bowl in the woods you just might be...  It's not uncommon to come face to face with deer on our driveway/ have an owl/hawk swoop down in front of you.  But I was startled on my last walk as I saw a shadow of a plane flying too low in front of me. The only thing was I didn't hear anything because it wasn't a plane...

As I looked up just perching in a tree roadside was our neighbor eagle who must have come to check out the pickin's in the Creek/ at their neighbor's. You know the grass is always greener... 

Hunkering down

(There's been an eagle's nest for a couple of years at the edge of our neighbor's field and pond.) 

These birds are huge and powerful. As I zoomed in his beady eyes were checking me out too. Keen eyesight help these raptors see  a great distance about 4x human sight or so I've read. 

I haven't seen more than 2 at a time near their nest.  I've read the female usually lays 2 eggs and the larger chick tends to kill their younger sibling once hatched.  The parents don't interfere.

The visiting eagle was rotating his head (like in the exorcist) checking everything out.

Eagles have at least one singular characteristic. It has been observed that most birds of prey look back over their shoulders before striking prey (or shortly thereafter)

I decided perhaps I should let my visitor get on with the food search and head back home before I became dinner right here in the End of the Rainbow Valley...