Legendary

For our cats and dogs, the “Big Game Days” will be forever legendary. It was years ago, but I’ve told the story to Marcus, Sabrina, and Max countless times- Eagle Day and Moose Day.

Eagle Day

It was just an immature bald eagle, but it was a bald eagle. It was making a ruckus in the sanctuary behind our house. Her Imperial majesty, Xenia ( Empress of all she surveyed), was lounging in the yard. I could see the calculation in the cat’s pose: big stupid baby bird. It seemed to be flopping around. Just peachy, perhaps I should “assist” it. Then, the bird took wing and flew off. Within a moment, there was a turbulence in the woods, a squack, and then silence. The eagle returned with a mature squirrel in its claws.

The young eagle dropped onto the stone wall separating us from the sanctuary and proceeded to tear into its prey slowly. All of a sudden, the calculation shifted in Xenia’s mind. She seemed to all at once gain consciousness of how alone and exposed she was, and how near the eagle was.

She looked about for her trusty henchdog, Sam. Sam, Xenia’s henchdog, was watching the eagle enjoy its meal with more than a bit of fear. But from a safer distance.

The young eagle tried to fly off with its squirrel, but only managed short hops. The eagle was young, and the squirrel was large. The eyes of the watching pets grew larger, and they slowly backed towards the safety of the house. The eagle perched on the rocks and completed its dinner.

Her Imperial Majesty and loyal servant did not approach the site of the kill for several days.

Moose Day

Deer we have lots of in the woods of Central Massachusetts. Moose, not so much. The state says that the populations are increasing, but sightings are still rare. A few years ago, we had one looking over the short fence between our yard and the wildlife sanctuary. It was curious. The part of our yard adjacent to the refuge has been re-naturalized. When we moved in, it was full of failed lawn and invasive vines. Slowly, we reclaimed it with native plants and a program of removing the vines. The moose probably noticed the small pond and attractive foliage plants. It could have easily jumped the plastic net fence and the low stone wall; those were more to keep Xenia and Sam in than the woods out. It just gazed peacefully into the yard and towards the two.

Usually, Sam and Xenia counted themselves as lords of all they surveyed. But they recognized that they were outclassed by the moose and beat a retreat towards the house, glancing back periodically to observe the moose.

We’ve replaced the little plastic net fence with an eight-foot-tall wooden one, not to keep the wildlife out, but to keep people crossing through the woods from entering our property. Since then, hares, rabbits, birds, and squirrels are about the only things entering or leaving.

Still, I’ve told Max, our cattle dog, and the cats, Marcus and Sabrina, about the great days of yore when giant moose and ferocious eagles were in the backwoods. I don’t think they believe me.

“Father is old and senile, lets go inside and get a treat!”