[Ashrunner]

SCEtoAUX...miss read your original post. But it is still a great photo 8v)

Don...Western Sandpipers at Cape May, or did I misread something?

I've had a number of encounters with birds which were pretty cool. I've had Stellar Jays take food out of my hands on a swooping attack, a Golden Eagle crap on my head, Chickadees which would go to my bedroom window and do their loud, CHI-CHI-CHI-CHI call when the bird feeder was empty and a Rufous Hummingbird which once go in my face making all sorts of noise when I got too close while taking photos.

But my most memorable happened with a Bald Eagle years ago. I was heading north along Highway 97 to The Dalles to pick up my mom at the train station. I was passing through the wheat field areas of central Oregon, zipping along at about 60 or so, when I entered a slight left hand curve and noticed a gap in the fields in front of me. As I approached the gap, a Bald Eagle came drifting out of the gap, headed right for my car.

Now, you need to understand that the gap area wasn't much more than 15 feet from the road at the most, when this eagle appeared. I didn't even have time to slam on the brakes. Well, I braced for impact and looked in the rearview mirror to see if I missed him, when my peripheral vision noticed the bird coming up over the hood. I reared back expecting a windshield hit, when the eagle dove down by the front left wheel well and turned perpendicular to the travel of the car, at a 45 degree angle or so.

I watched him slid by my driver's side while I looked DOWN on him passing by. When he cleared the car turbulance, he turned to his right and continued his westward journey through another gap in the wheat fields on the opposite side of the road.

This all took place in maybe, six seconds and when it was over, I had to slow down and caught my breath while I continued my journey northward.

It was an experience I will never forget.