262
Lake Umbagog.
Curtis Meadow
1897.
Sept. 21
(No 3)
  Scarcely had the big Woodpecker disappeared
when a Great Blue Heron passed us, flapping its way slowly
up the course of the brook. It alighted about 80 yds off beyond some
fallen tree tops which quite hid it from our view. A
moment later a dark shadow skimmed over the
meadow grass. Looking up we saw a Golden Eagle
soaring directly above us at a height of about 300 ft.
Presently it drifted over the spot where the Heron had
alighted. Checking itself in the middle of a half-hearted
circle it poised for an instant beating its wings
rapidly like a Kingfisher hovering over a school of
minnows. Then it swooped descending in a perfectly
vertical line but nevertheless revolving like a spinning rifle
bullet so that it showed [delete]first[/delete] its upper and underparts
alternately, turning at least four or five times before it
passed out of our sight. [delete]behind[/delete] Never have I seen
anything to equal that descent. The big bird simply
plunged headlong from a height of at least one hundred
yards with almost closed and apparently stiffly
held wings making a sound like that of a gale
of wind blowing through pine branches. The momentum
must have been tremendous. How it checked its
fearful speed before reaching the earth or, indeed,
just what happened after it passed below the
line of the fallen tops (15 or 20 ft. high) I am
unable to record but it certainly stooped at
the Heron and as certainly missed its aim
for just as the Eagle disappeared the Heron set
up an outrageous squawking and a moment later
was seen flying off at its best pace over the trees
evidently badly enough frightened. The Eagle did
[margin]Golden
Eagle &
Heron[/margin]