[ashevilleangler]

OK I've got one. Several years ago while fishing the Akansas river through the town of Salida I noticed an Osprey in a small tree near the bank. Seems he was trying to protect his favorite fishing spot. As I got closer he got very preturbed and then finally flew off to wait for me to leave. Four or five fish later I did so with great thanks to my spotter bird.

Fishing has been a great opportunity to observe many birds not available in our backyard high desert environs. I almost always see american dippers, kingfishers, humming birds, nuthatches and the like whereas the backyard is mostly sparrows, towhees, finches, quail, doves, ravens and of course the various hawks that feed on them. Summer visitors include mountain bluebirds, phoebes, and scrub jays.

One more memorable moment occurred because I happened to look up and notice a bird hovering in the air about 50 feet up. It suddenly folded its wings and dived to within a foot of the ground where it pulled out of the dive and landed like a feather just feet away from me. It was a horned lark and one of the most amazing flight displays I've ever seen.

Cecil