Rascal-dog’s Adventure

Rascal-dog’s Adventure

Rascal had an adventure today.
Rick thought he might have to save his life.
But he was a coward.

Rascal has spent the fall and early winter chasing four or five Swainson Hawks. They play team tag and mock him…flying just close enough that each time he gives a little jump into the sky thinking he will catch one as it swoops by. Then that one soars away as the next one dives in from another direction.

Long about 3:30 this January afternoon when Rick was heading down to the sheep shed to carpenter…he saw something out in the plowed field. Looked like a good sized dog or something big moving around. He drove right out there to inspect, drove within 30 yards…close, real close and just stayed there and watched. It was an eagle--A Golden Eagle--just sitting there on the ground.

Well…Rascal looks over and sees this eagle on the ground and he thinks…wow…this is my lucky day! He tears in after the eagle that by this time has begun to flap his wings and hop.

Rick begins to ponder…wondering what is going to happen. Will the dog be killed…or will he kill? What is going to happen? The eagle continued to flap and hop. As Rick put it…the eagle had eaten too much…he was overloaded…listing…needed to dump one tank!

When an eagle flies, they go downhill…so this eagle was trying to get some altitude and hopped toward the edge of the field with Rascal chasing him…right on his tail. Then the eagle stopped, turned around and tried to fly. He was airborne for maybe 40 or 50 yards. So low that it looked like he was going to bonk right into the wheel line but in the end, went under the pipe. That flight wore him out and he stopped.

Rascal ran right up to the eagle. No more than two or three feet apart. Just looking at each other, nose to nose. Pretty soon, Rascal turned and walked back over to the pickup. He went about his own business, leaving the eagle alone.

I wondered if the eagle was sick and Rick said no. Just full. Real full. Ranchers have seen that before where the eagle will try to get on a hump … maybe walk clear across the field to get up to the upper end…and then fly away just like nothing ever happened.

Rascal had an adventure today.
Rick thought he might have to save his life.
But Rascal was a (smart) coward.