The Hunters and the Hunted

At Huntington Beach State Park, near the condo where we are staying, we watched this eagle fly over the water.

When the eagle arrived, many birds that had been sitting on a little sand spit flew away. He landed in their place and waited.

Birders who have been watching the area have seen the eagle swoop in
and take a ruddy duck like these.

Cormorants in the area also drew closer together as the eagle waited.

The eagle made an effort to grab an egret, and then flew away, leaving his prey for the time being.

Open water in marshy area of Huntington Beach State Park -- a magnificent birding spot. In the distance, you can
see the causeway across the water, which is a beautiful spot for wading birds.

Alligators also hunt birds and other creatures in the marshes of this area.

Here's another alligator swimming purposefully towards an ibis in the reeds.   

Happily, we didn't see the alligator grab this ibis, though of course we know
that all creatures have to live. And that we are the most predatory of them all.

Perhaps the victim of some human action, such as being hit by a boat -- this dead bottle-nosed dolphin was being
washed up by the surf onto the beach near our condo. Contemplating the life and death of the creatures we see is
challenging, but inescapable.