I have seen flocks of crows mobbing a bird of prey in the past.  Usually, they gather around the lone hawk cawing at it loudly from all sides and then when the hawk trys to get away, the crows take turns dive bombing it in flight.  Just like you remember grade school boys doing.

 

Yesterday, I watched as two crows landed near the top of a dead tree, just to survey the meadow.  Suddenly a Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) landed in the top ot the tree and looked right at the crows.  While I and the crows were wondering where did that hawk come from. a second Northern Harrier landed in the tree.  The crows looked worried. 

 

The first Harrier flaired his huge wings out and jumped, talons first toward one of the crows.  The two crows immeadiately flew out of the tree, amid loud caws, and headed for the far away treeline.  Right away, a dozen other crows took off from several different locations around the meadow and headed off to the treeline.

 

The second hawk waited until the exodus was well under way, then flew off to another tree in the meadow several hundred yards from the first tree.  The two hawks then took turns calling out claiming the meadow as turf non-grata to crows.

 

Wow!

An as yet unseen spider has taken up residence in my car.  Each time I get in or out of the car, the spider has laid a new strand of web in which to catch my nose.

Last night I attended Lucia's Evening Campfire Program with Amy and Enedina.  Afterward, the four of us seasonal rangers took the opportunity to walk in the moonlight across the Big Meadow along the Rapidan Fire Road.  It was hours after sundown, but the entire 135 acre meadow was visible in the bright soft light from the nearly full moon.  There was no great single discovery that we made on that stroll.  No animals were seen or heard.  We tried calling to any barred owl that might be near.  None answered.  It did not matter.

 

In my past existence, living in suburbia, commuting in heavy traffic to and from work, I did not take the opportunity to just go to a campfire program and follow it with a mile long stroll across an open meadow.  I wish I could share this with everyone.  I hope my family will visit during October's full moon and join me for such a wonderful time.  I hope that the sky is clear.  Last year, when my family was here in October, the fog was thick nearly the entire time of their visit.

 

Realizing that the weather is unpredictable in the mountains, I guess one of my blessings is living up on the mountain.  When the sky is clear on a full moon night, I can react and go enjoy it.