Daily Star
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Whether you're out in the wilds or fishing along some overpopulated lake shore, you never know what will be around the next bend.
That happened to us just the other day, when we were trolling for walleyes on Goodyear Lake.
Just after landing a good three-pounder, we swung the boat around and started to head back up the lake. We were fishing in our favorite spot right between the flag pole and the umbrella, as usual.
Anyway, as we waited for the next hit, I noticed a bald eagle slowly flying down the river toward us. Suddenly, the wide-winged raptor turned and started circling just a few yards from our boat.
She went round and round several times before diving down, extending her sharp talons into the water. The big bird came up empty-handed but continued its hunt on down the lake.
Of all the times to be without a camera, I thought.
A few minutes later, the dark brown eagle with its stark white head and tail flew back up and passed us with a large perch tightly in its grasp. She was close and we could see the fish _ head into the wind _ being carried aerodynamically back toward the Stump Lot. That fish was probably going to be the dinner for a couple of young fledglings in a nest.
Sometimes you don't see what's there, but you can hear what nature has to offer.
While hiking the Northville-Placid Trail a few years ago, I could hear a bear sniffing by my ear just on the other side of my tent's very thin nylon wall. I never saw him, but the tell-tale signs were around my camp in the morning.
I was a little disappointed that I never saw that bear. After all, it's always a thrill to see one wandering around in the wilds.
The other night, we were camping by my pond up on the hill. Many of our friends were there for a cookout and evening campfire. Up above the swamp in the darkness of night, a group of coyotes started to howl. They weren't very far away as they yodeled and sang, calling loudly to one another.
After a few minutes of their wonderful serenade, all was quiet once more. I always enjoy listening to their melodious songs and wonder what they are saying. Were they just calling to each other? Were they getting ready for the hunt?
After a few minutes of silence, we knew what they had planned. Suddenly, there was a blood-curdling, howl-like scream from something in extreme distress. I immediately knew what it was. For several days, we had seen a mother deer and her two spotted fawns feeding and frolicking in the meadow. One of those fawns had just become their dinner.
We were appalled at the thought of the coyotes killing that poor, defenseless fawn, but that's nature. Coyotes have to feed their young just like the eagle that caught the fish to feed her young.
I thought it was neat to see the eagle diving into the water after a fish, but I think most of our friends would have been upset if we had seen the coyotes kill that fawn.
What's the difference? Was it nature at its best or worst?
Rick Brockway writes a weekly outdoors column for The Daily Star. E-mail him at robrockway@hotmail.com.
