An interesting video that was forwarded to me by a friend in law enforcement in Texas…
And secondly, basically a great “Flying ” story.
I wish I could take credit, but this came from a gent who runs a 2000 acre corn farm not far from Oshkosh, WI. He used to fly F4Es and F-16s for the Guard and participated in the first Gulf War… Submitted for your enjoyment, and as a reminder that there are other great, magnificent flyers around besides us.
I went out to plant corn for a bit to finish a field before tomorrow morning and witnessed The Great Battle. A golden eagle – big bastard, about six foot wingspan – flew right in front of the tractor. It was being chased by three crows that were continually dive bombing it and pecking at it. The crows do this because the eagles rob their nests when they find them.
At any rate, the eagle banked hard right in one evasive maneuver, then landed in the field about 100 feet from the tractor. This eagle stood about 3 feet tall. The crows all landed too and took up positions around the eagle at 120 degrees apart, but kept their distance at about 20 feet from the big bird. The eagle would take a couple steps towards one of the crows and they’d hop backwards and forward to keep their distance. Then the reinforcement showed up.
I happened to spot the eagle’s mate hurtling down out of the sky at what appeared to be approximately Mach 1.5. Just before impact the eagle on the ground took flight, (obviously a coordinated tactic; probably
pre-briefed) and the three crows which were watching the grounded eagle, also took flight thinking they were going to get in some more pecking on the big bird. The first crow being targeted by the diving eagle never stood a snowball’s chance in hell. There was a mid-air explosion of black feathers and that crow was done. The diving eagle then banked hard left in what had to be a 9G climbing turn, using the energy it had accumulated in the dive, and hit crow #2 less than two seconds later. Another crow dead.
The grounded eagle, which was now airborne and had an altitude advantage on the remaining crow, which was streaking eastward in full burner, made a short dive then banked hard right when the escaping crow tried to evade the hit. It didn’t work – crow #3 bit the dust at about 20 feet altitude.
This aerial battle was better than any air show I’ve been to, including the warbirds show at Oshkosh! The two eagles ripped the crows apart and ate them on the ground, and as I got closer and closer working my way across the field, I passed within 20 feet of one of them as it ate its catch. It stopped and looked at me as I went by and you could see in the look of that bird that it knew who’s Boss Of The Sky. What a beautiful bird!
His tag line? I love it. Not only did they kill their enemy, they ate them.
Great story! I’ve seen hawks and crows tangle, but never have caught a glimpse of an eagle, even though DNR put some here to supposedly help their numbers.
Very cool. I have never seen an eagle. Hawks a plenty down here.
It has to be so cool………. Hubby has his pilots license, nothing like yours, but he loves it. Me on the other hand not so much. I go up and I go down. I sleep during flights, since that Continental Airlines flight pulled up from a landing on the run way 50 feet off the ground. LOL
We have a ton of friends that are pilots that ride bikes with us. When they start telling stories, I have to leave, I love to fly, but hearing it from a pilot, I think I would take a Greyhound instead…. LOL
Fly safe friend.
When up in the Upper Pennsula Michigan with the wife(it is where she is from) they have plenty of bald eagles flying up there.
They are not afraid of humans,in the sense they beg for food like pigions.
One landed next to on a park bench while eating a ham sandwich,and kept inching closer until I gave it up to him.
Yeah,big bird with talons and a sharp beak. I gave that sandwich up quite easily.
Great story.
Thank you for posting the Sheriff Mack video. This is the kind of direct, to the point, citizen action that can turn this country around. I will shortly back up my words with a cash contribution.
Snigs- They’re there somewhere… Look for the tallest tree or object THAT is where their nest is.
CPD- Sorry you don’t like flying, but thanks for putting up with hubby enjoying it.
CS- I would have too… 🙂
Fuzzy- Thanks
WSF- You’re welcome!
Nice story. I always thought Falconry would be a cool hobby to get into. Until I researched it and found out how much work is actually involved. I know eagles are a no no, but other predatory birds would have been neat.
I HATE crows.