life and death

Yesterday morning, I happened to be outside with the dogs for their morning you-know-what, when there was a sudden commotion over by one of the bird-feeders. There was a swift whoosh, and flurry of feathers and much alarmed twittering! A swall raptor of a kind I could not identify the flew away westward empty-clawed/beaked. To me this is highest drama, heartbreaking, raw and awfully real. I was glad the seed-eaters survived this time, but I suppose the raptors need to eat as well, and are beautiful too in their own way. I often see the larger brown-tailed hawks sitting on power lines by the road side as I drive into town. I wish I knew them better to identify them with some assurance, as this type of hawk or that...