Wildlife

Yesterday, late afternoon, I was working hard and looked out the window to see a smallish bird of prey eating a bird just beyond our yard, gray feathers flying in the air at it chewed away. Turns out, it was almost surely a peregrine falcon (image from here). I walked out to get a better look and got very close to it — 15 meters or so. It didn't react when a cyclist went by right next to it. A neighbor was out and about who knows birds and I asked him about it; he confirmed that it was peregrine. Said it had been in his backyard last week eating another bird.

Every time I see a bird of prey now, I think of the fate of dysfunctional departments (here). And that's a reminder: It's getting to be time for an update on local university finances/politics.

But for now, what a sleek, beautiful animal — even if it's a born killer.