Buzzed by a Raptor in California

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As we drove the 20 odd miles out to Point Reyes Lighthouse we were looking carefully for Bobcats. We didn’t see any; however, the car was buzzed by a raptor.

I braked and parked. It was a Northern Harrier, a male too! I reached for my camera and the bird promptly disappeared around the headland. We waited a while. He was hunting and all animals are creatures of habit; I thought it might just come back.

It did! After only five minutes we watched it return around the headland carrying something. It had obviously caught prey. At that instant I thought that’s it we will now have a flypast as it takes the prey away, and that’s the last we’ll see of it.

However he was flying directly towards us. It came closer and to my amazement pitched down in front of us and proceeded to devour its catch in full view… and … get this … I was ready with the camera.

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