Backyard bird watching

[justplugit]

That had to be a thrill to see one that close up, P.
About 5 years ago my wife and I put the canoe in at Poxono on the Delaware to fish at dusk.
As we came out of the cove, about 200 ft. away, a Bald Eagle swept down picked up a fish in his talons and slowly circled around upward along the side of the mountain and flew off. My wife caught the whole thing on tape. I haven't seen it for awhile and fear it was put in the attic, lost forever along with 1/2 the world stored up there.

[FishermanTim]

I love those impromptu up-close and personal sightings that we get from time to time.
I had taken my younger brother down to Nickerson State Park a few years after our father's death and wanted to show him why we enjoyd heading there year after year for a weekend fishing trip.

We were fishing one of the smaller ponds in the park when I heard the trill of a resident osprey and had recently dispatched a sunfish (they are way too numerous in this pond) and had tossed it out as food for the local birds. As the bird caught sight of the floating sunfish, it made its diving approach. I told my brother to keep his eye on the floating fish, at which point the osprey swooped down, picked the fish off the water and flew back to its roost.....all within 15 feet of our jonboat.

I then turned to my brother and said "You won't see that in the city!"

Now when I kayak on the local rivers and ponds, all just outside the route 128 belt, I see that stuff with increased regularity.

Man, you can't beat the great outdoors!