Great find floatflyer! Great Russian cursing and best of all the eagle survived.

WOW what a experience.

I used to hang glide near Whitehall, MT a lot...I'd avoid the area with a golden eagle nest area during the season, but before I knew it was there the female flew ballistic right at me, screeching, even a few miles away to check me out...2000-3000' AGL, just off the wingtip, then under my wing within 10' of the down tubes, looking at me eye to eye, for tens of seconds at a time. It was an amazing experience. The wingspan...wow. When she beat her wings, you could hear the wind whistle. 100% muscle.

When she left, it was by folding up her wings and torpedoing straight down. You could hear the feathers buzz loudly over the wind noise when she pulled out below.

I got the message and stayed away to give her more room.

My dacron wing seemed pretty inadequate after that.

I joined a red tailed hawk in a thermal once, and flew 15-20 feet above, unnoticed for 2 or 3 turns. Very Cool.

Then something on my glider squeaked, he rolled inverted, talons out in defense, and dove away from me. Magical flying moment, one I will never forget. (much cooler than flying with the dime-a-dozen seagulls at Funston)

I miss hang gliding.

Going eyeball to eyeball with a large bird of prey.....like looking a shark in the eye diving. There is no doubt who is in charge!

While in the middle of a 2.5 hr dead stick ridge soaring flight in the S-7 a few weeks back, I decided to text some pictures of where I was and what I was doing, and so my attention was diverted slightly while doing so. The lift was still strong enough to keep me several hundred feet above the 9200' ridgeline, but I forgot about the golden eagle that has been fooling with me for 30 years now at the same site. I of course have no idea if it's the same one, but they can live to be 75 years I heard so maybe so. i like to think so anyway. After sending one picture off I gave my whole attention back to the flight and then saw that he had been eyeballing me close up, like about 35' away, and I hadn't noticed. As soon as I made eye contact he extended his wings (they were tucked) and he skyed out above me... showoff