UNLIKELY HEROES

Just outside my front door in my “Wild Niles” neighborhood native natures struggle for survival between predator and prey plays out  every day.  On this day of my hunt for sightings of one of my Wild Niles neighbors, as I approached the Lago Los Osos overlook (Quarry Lakes) off Alameda Creek, I witnessed the struggle of Bald Eagle to get food outmatched by lone Mallard’s struggle to not be food.  To top it off the story has unexpected heroes, a pair of Canada Geese.

The predator circled and dove attempting to snatch its prey, over and over, from different directions.  Flying right above me I could see Bald Eagle’s focus on it’s target.  With each approach the hunter reached out, wings open, legs outstretched, talons grabbing into the water.  Anticipating each attack the hunted dove under the water at just the right time to avoid capture.  Submerging too early meant resurfacing right into the talons. Dive too late and it would be an easy grab.  On one pass lone Mallard’s timing was off and Bald Eagle reached into the water and came up with feathers (in the title pic of Bald Eagle you can see talons gripping a lone Mallard feather “trophy” while circling for another attempt).  The injured lone Mallard prevailed and Bald Eagle was denied the meal.  During the entire episode the two Canada Geese never left lone Mallard. They did not retreat or take flight. They held ground by staying close, kept full attention on the unfolding life or death drama and vocalized while flapping their wings.  Bald Eagle finally tired, retreated to a tree overlooking Lago Los Osos to reflect on the battlefield of frustration.  The Canada Geese escorted lone Mallard to the safety of shrubs along the lakes edge, right under Bald Eagles “nose”.

In the natural world of predator and prey, that overlaps with our human world,  there is no judgement of good or bad, right or wrong.  It is just the way of nature.  But from this encounter with my Wild Niles neighbors, I find myself questioning whether when Canada Geese put themselves in harms way, against survival instincts, to protect lone Mallard, there is a conclusion that is inescapable.  Courage, sacrifice, and facing danger to help others inspires respect and appreciation, perhaps even from a hungry Bald Eagle.  Enjoy Wild Niles.