Soaring Hawks, Diving Crows

As I was taking a long pleasant stroll in nature today with just my dogs for company I gradually became aware of the screeching, cackling and squawking of a large group of crows high over head.  It must be nesting season as I've seen the crows being noisy and rambunctious quite often of late.  With nothing else on my agenda I took a seat on a comfortable rock and sat back to enjoy the fray. 

They were very high so it wasn't easy to make out what the fuss was about but their agility in the air was impressive to watch. The birds got lower and closer to me and I continued to watch them, this time through my lens.  With the increased magnification I could see one of the birds was much bigger than the others and they all seemed to be picking on it.  A huge hawk had entered the crows fly zone and they were not impressed.  I watched and clicked some shots as they ganged up on hawk until finally he flew high into the sky to an altitude that seemed to placate the crows. 

As the hawk flew higher and further away the crows didn't seem to settle down at all.  They all went into a aerobatic routine.  Diving and soaring, twisting and swooping, it was as though they were doing their own version of a victory dance.  They'd driven the intruder off and they congratulating themselves.

I had to wonder though, who was the victor?  The crows who furiously defended their air space with incredible feats of swooping and diving, but never actually making contact with the hawk, until he'd had enough?  Or the hawk?  That big beautiful solo bird who had simply elevated himself above the squawking bunch, to enjoy the infinite blue skies above?

Perhaps everyone got what they desired today.  The crows have their family, the hawk has his solitude and I got a reminder - I can be a crow or I can be a hawk but trying to be both will only bring conflict.