Jogging along in the Alameda bird reserve today, I noticed a red tailed hawk exhibiting strange behavior. It would fly up about 50 feet and then dive down, then repeat again. I ceased running and crept stealthily forward through the tall water rushes but the hawk was not one to be sneaked upon, fleeing into the air with a cry. I could not perceive any creature or object that had consumed its attention. I returned some moments later with binoculars from my car and spied upon the scene from a distant perch. The hawk flew up into the air as before and swooped down to strike a well concealed duck in the face with its talons. At the point of each impact the duck would turn and raise its blunt bill as an ineffective defense. Its face was sad. The hawk continued relentlessly, wearing the duck down with each taloned strike until it lay still at last. The hawk cried once in triumph, landed upon the motionless form and in another moment it held bright entrails more red than it's own tail feathers in its beak. I waved at the red tailed hawk from my far away viewpoint and it took to the air with its red rope and vanished over a bridge.
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Been very busy studying the human body lately and how to heal it and do so enjoy the time it takes to raise ones head to the fleeting sunshine and snatch a quick adventure. 15 units worth of EMT classes can steer ones thoughts. Perhaps I should have done CPR on the duck and staunched its wounds? I think not.

I'm currently reading, "Shadow & Claw" by Gene Wolfe. Best fantasy novel I have read in some time. Kind of like Edgar Poe meets Elric meets a dreamscape...

I also saw some unusual commonalities. A large brunette woman wearing a brunette sweater leading a large brunette dog. An old man with wild white hair and white pants leading a wild haired white dog. Two girls dressed in the same clothes, each standing on a similar rock in the sea, taking a picture of each other simultaneously...