Wedge-tailed Eagle...

Today I spent the better part of an hour watchin Pepper play out near the Guava tree (sidenote: it already has Guavas on it!) She was running and rolling and sniffing and eating (poo I suspect, but prefer not to confirm it) and just generally having a wonderful time...while I swept and mopped and scrubbed the laundry/bathroom tiles, shower, laundry sink and toilet.

She was having a marvellous time by herself, even though Sarah was here too (she was sunning herself on the back step) Pepper was content with her own company :)

After about an hour (right about when I'd finished the cleaning) Pepper bounded back over to Sarah and collapsed in exhaustion on the back step too, and proceeded to flake out in the sun.

I had just returned to the kitchen and was debating what to prepare for my lunch, when I heard a terrible racket outside.

As I ran to the kitchen window, I saw something *large* and dark brown moving in the 'wilderness' of our back yard. Sarah was racing towards it, and my slow-witted brain thought it must have been Patrick who had fallen over (he's not terribly well at the moment), so I yelled at Sarah to come back.

With that, the *large* dark brown creature 'flapped' a couple of times and flew off over our vista. It was a HUGE Wedge-tailed Eagle!!

As it took off, Pretty Chook raced from beneath it, over to me (where I stood in the doorway), hoped up on the step beside me, and then sprinted through the house and came to a shuddering halt underneath the couch in the Lounge Room!

*Disclaimer: the chooks are NEVER allowed in the house, with the slight exception of when they sneak in to steal Pepper's food - they are quickly removed though*

At this point in time, I really think I was in shock! I gazed over the vista at the Wedgie, who had now landed in a tree only 50m from where I stood...and I was thinking: 'I really dont want to have to shoot it. They're beautiful birds...'

And then I snapped into action - I ran outside and locked up all my other beautiful chooks (who were raising quite a commotion by this stage), calmed poor Hiram - who was really very distressed by the attack on his favourite hen, locked the puppies in the Laundry (there goes my nicely cleaned tiles!) as they wanted to check out Pretty Chook, and then called Mum.

She said to leave Pretty Chook where she was and she looked outside (to check on her chooks) and there were none to be seen! Clearly the alarm having been raised, Mum's chooks had dived for cover. I then watched as the Wedgie lazily flapped down the gully towards Mum's house, then over the creek and up an adjoining gully. *phew*

I then took some lap-rugs and draped them over the edges of the couch, in the hopes of making it dark, so that Pretty Chook didnt die from the shock...but have been too worried about her since, to check on her.

Michael came home about 20 minutes ago, checked on her, said she was alive, and promptly tried to remove her from the house!! I protested strongly...and so she's still there :)

She is the largest of all my hens - smaller only to Hiram, so she's quite a big chook. Im amazed that the Wedge-tailed Eagle had the courage to land in our yard (avoiding all the trees with its huge 6 foot wingspan) and try to take one of my chooks! Im equally amazed that it didnt choose a smaller hen (of those, I have plenty!) ...and Pretty Chook is the only hen I have that is currently laying!! I really hope she survives!!

Im SO relieved that its attack was delayed, as it could have just as easily have taken Pepper - she was quite near to where the attack happened only a few minutes prior!

Here's a photo of their talons:



I found it on Google, as clearly there was too much happening at the time to take photos...here's the link: http://www.burdr.com/2009/11/fantastic-feet-of-birds/
It has some pretty interesting looking feet! I particularly like the photo of the American Coot's feet, and the Blue-footed Booby :)



Nope, this is not my photo - I hacked it off of google. This is to give an indication of the size...


And here is tonight's photo of snuggles after dinner:





Here's something I found on Facebook tonight:

Never judge a book by its cover. At an event in blistering heat this Marine had to stand at salute the entire time, to cool him down this group of bikers gave him cold water and fanned him.