31 March 2013
I had the great good fortune today of observing a young Red-tailed hawk hunting and then diving and managed to catch a few snaps as it did so.
Patience is a virtue but especially if you have the right gifts, wisdom and experience and serendipity is on your side. Will it be a mole rat, a red backed vole or a mouse or perhaps even a Marmot.
Timing is the key to successful hunting. Knowing when to strike. The launch.
The dive, a perfect act of coordination of sensory, motor neurons, hormonal, cerebral and cerebellum control adjusting every limb and feather. Note the tail flaps fanned in brake configuration at just the right angle for smooth descent and the wings raised ready spilling air but ready to apply the brakes when he hits the target and the ground. The eyes are fixed directly on the target in anticipation of its escape response.
I doesn't get much better than that. Evolution is such a delight to behold. Its creation has worked such marvels. Science enables us to study the creation. You might call it evolutionary creation science.
Copyright 2013 Jorma Jyrkkanen. All rights reserved.
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