They're Watching!
Over the Labor day holiday we found that the kennels were full and that there was no room at the Inn for our little dog Toby. Toby is a sad little MaltiPoo with 15 years under his belt. Deaf and loosing his hair he is also having trouble seeing. The vet is a wonderful place to board him while we are out of town but there was a full house.
So, Toby got to go with us to HHI where we were working on the house damaged in Hurricanes Mathew and more recently Irma. (will it never end?)
Toby was out of his element. He didn't know the place and the surroundings were unfamiliar and smelled different. He spent the whole time searching for us in an unfamiliar house.
We took him outside on a leash to do his business so that he wouldn't wander off.
On our second day during one of these frequent trips to the outdoors I heard a loud chittering coming from the tree to my left. It sounded strange to me but was quite pronounced. I couldn't see the bird making this sound.
I did notice that the sound was being echoed from way out in the marsh. Eventually, another bird took flight and headed directly toward the yard. A BIG bird!
I watched it come getting bigger and bigger. Now Hilton Head Island has a lot of large birds. We frequently watch 5' Great Blue Herons and flocks of Sandhill Cranes working the tidal flats at low tide. This bird was larger than these.
It landed in the tree above my head. A Bald Eagle. One Eagle perched in the tree above me had called it's mate to come.
Toby was Prey!
He spent the rest of the visit closely monitored and inside most of the time.
The Eagles, well, they spent a large amount of our visit perched just over our heads watching for their opportunity to carry him off. They did not get that opportunity and Toby is safely back on his home territory. Miles away from their ominous eyes.
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Happy to hear Toby is home in his safe haven...hope you have much more quality time left with him...they warm our hearts...
Kathy ^-^ ^-^
Wow that’s scary. I’m glad they didn’t get Toby! Bald eagles are beautiful but bigger then what we think when they get close up. We live in Minnesota by a refuge. They have nests around here too.
It's good to hear that Toby is safe. We do not have Bald Eagles in my area. It surprises me that they would be interested in him with you right there.
It's true, any small animal is prey for them. I heard from a man who runs a seafood store in the keys that he once saw a great blue heron dive in and kill a German shepherd with his long beak! Yes, indeed, they are watching! ( of course, I must clarify that the dog was jumping up and being somewhat aggressive when the bird was flying around) That said, I was still shocked to hear it.
I'm glad Toby wasn't lunch! I've seen a large own carry off a small dog before and it was just AWFUL!!!
When our Boo was nine or ten weeks old we had a hawk diving in to get him. My husband scared it off. We didn't leave him the yard until was getting too big for any bird to take on.
We have six-foot fencing around the whole yard. We often hear Fisher Cats in the march. They would take on either of our dogs and I think the cat had an occasion to meet one of them. He came with a hole thru his tail. He doesn't go in the marches anymore.... He has to do his hunting other places.
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Glad you were alert and kept Toby safe. Still seems like a beautiful place to spend some time.
Debbie