Most people who engage in birding consider it a relaxing pursuit.
What we often forget is that the birds we are watching are engaged in life-or-death activities every minute of every day.
Their survival depends on feeding, breeding, raising their young, and avoiding predators.
The life of a predatory bird is not a simple one, since other birds recognize it as such and will mob it, especially if they should happen to have a nest or youngsters nearby.
Earlier this month I was exiting my car in Escondido, California, when I looked up and saw a Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by an American Crow.
Luckily I had my camera, and spent the next five minutes watching the crow repeatedly attack the hawk, not deterred by the hawk's piercing screams.
Eventually I had to go, but the sight of the crow mobbing the hawk was a thrilling to me, perhaps less so for the hawk!
