Eagle's flying close to the ground

There is a tree at the confluence of the Snye and the Clearwater that is a favourite perch for some amazing birds.  The other day it was a massive blue heron that vaulted itself off the old branch hovering high above MacDonald Island, stretching its long beautiful body as it swooped across the river.  Yesterday, it was a bird of a different feather.

Unlike most days of late, that have been breezy to the point of distraction, Thursday provided crystal calm conditions and just the right amount of sun to make it comfortable for those of us with our rods in the water.  And apart from the music pouring out of the car, the sound of distant heavy equipment backing up - BEEP BEEP BEEP, it was a quiet evening - the SeaDoers were nowhere to be seen.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a bald eagle, way up on that same old branch, staring down at us.  With its white pate and black body, it felt like an old professor was at the front of the class assessing our fishing skills.

All of a sudden he dove off the branch in a steep arch and drifted to the surface of the water before taking a regal trip up the Clearwater just off to our right.  It made a wide turn and headed back to the same spot off the point, reaching down with its menacing talons, hoping for supper.

"This is how the big boys do it," the eagle thought to himself as he made a second pass.

It was a beautiful moment, one worth preserving on Twitter.

I must have learned something from the wise old eagle because I ended up catching four fish that night, three in just a matter of minutes.  Thank you old wise one.