Aerial Ballet

Friday, March 22, 2019

I was hiking in BLM carrying my Canon 70D camera, which stops action but isn’t the greatest for capturing flying birds. Usually, the birds are very high beyond lens range. Oh, for a big-time zoom lens! Anyway, imagine my surprise on seeing overhead a pair of Red Tails, low enough to capture, and maybe without great detail, but what the heck. Before long, I put two and two together and found myself a witnessing an eyecatching aerial performance.

I’d already been hearing Raven screeches, which I ignored, for they’re noisy birds. To most country folks, Ravens are nuisances, they steal eggs and perhaps baby chicks. Ravens are Corvids, tough, determined, exceptionally smart birds. Several Ravens nest near my property and train their offspring before my often-astonished eyes. I watch them teaching their kids to sail on currents–a fabulous overhead visual–the birds noisily staying in touch, circling together, at once higher and higher, and then, lower and lower. They repeat this series, eventually circling so high they disappear in clouds.

The moment that Red Tail’s mate entered my vision those high-pitched Raven’s screeches began making sense. Now, I saw that a single Raven was chasing two hawks that probably had approached its nest. I’ve seen similar aerial battles but never a single Raven chasing a pair of Red Tails. I’ve seen the opposite, single hawks chased by pairs of Ravens. I’ve learned that angry Ravens are relentless and will chase Red Tails to near exhaustion.

Here’s what happened (with apologies for fuzzy photos).

For awhile the two hawks seemed to be playing with the Raven, separating and circling as the noisy Raven tracked. Suddenly, the trio flew wide, beyond tall tree branches and out of my sight, before reappearing, and now, the Raven was closer, very serious.

The hawks suddenly veered away in a very large circle, the Raven hotly pursuing, and all flew out of my sight. For awhile, I heard screeching, and when it stopped, figured the Raven had won.

The episode provided me with yet another demonstration of how social dynamics in the wild animal world are no less complex than those in our human world.

Dear Friends, If only my lens had captured better that awesome performance. Diana