On 12/9/2022 at 11:42 AM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

On Lay Lake coming around a small Island one morning I watched the last Duckling in a line swimming behind momma get absolutely inhaled by a huge LGM.   Still the most shocking thing I've witnessed.

 

One minute it's so peaceful watching this beautiful family of Ducks, the next second Jaws literally eats a Duckling ?

Durn that's sad to me! I was watching an eagle gliding over the Tennessee River thing "What a beautiful sight" when all of a sudden the Eagle breaks into a dive and attacks a hen and a group of ducklings trying to cross the river. The ducklings submerged in time and then continued to evade repeated attempts until the eagle finally retire empty. I was breathing a sigh of relief along with momma duck as she and her brood made it to the other side. The ducks have to guard against what's above and below the water. Seems like a tough way to make a living.

5 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Durn that's sad to me! I was watching an eagle gliding over the Tennessee River thing "What a beautiful sight" when all of a sudden the Eagle breaks into a dive and attacks a hen and a group of ducklings trying to cross the river. The ducklings submerged in time and then continued to evade repeated attempts until the eagle finally retire empty. I was breathing a sigh of relief along with momma duck as she and her brood made it to the other side. The ducks have to guard against what's above and below the water. Seems like a tough way to make a living.

Eagle has to eat too. Duck is delicious 

4 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Durn that's sad to me! I was watching an eagle gliding over the Tennessee River thing "What a beautiful sight" when all of a sudden the Eagle breaks into a dive and attacks a hen and a group of ducklings trying to cross the river. The ducklings submerged in time and then continued to evade repeated attempts until the eagle finally retire empty. I was breathing a sigh of relief along with momma duck as she and her brood made it to the other side. The ducks have to guard against what's above and below the water. Seems like a tough way to make a living.

I love how witnessing nature's cruelty and beauty put my own existence into better context, how easy I have it in many ways, but in some other ways how much more complicated my existence is than those I love to watch in nature.  

 

I love how merit determines outcomes in nature, how it must have been with early humans.   If you are faster, smarter, sneakier, etc. you survive, if you aren't your DNA gets culled.   Fairness is a human construct, and one that usually ends up in mediocrity.   Mother Nature doesn't have to play by those rules.    

 

6 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Eagle has to eat too. Duck is delicious 

LOLOLOL.....pay no attention to the supreme predator that is TNRiver46. 

 

Dude is all the way at the top the chain, the world is his dinner plate ?

34 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I love how witnessing nature's cruelty and beauty put my own existence into better context, how easy I have it in many ways, but in some other ways how much more complicated my existence is than those I love to watch in nature.  

 

I love how merit determines outcomes in nature, how it must have been with early humans.   If you are faster, smarter, sneakier, etc. you survive, if you aren't your DNA gets culled.   Fairness is a human construct, and one that usually ends up in mediocrity.   Mother Nature doesn't have to play by those rules.    

 

LOLOLOL.....pay no attention to the supreme predator that is TNRiver46. 

 

Dude is all the way at the top the chain, the world is his dinner plate ?

Beats starvation every time!