if they run after a hare

The day we went to Ichinohe we started by first driving to Shirakami-sanchi. I must say my plan wasn’t neat, it meant a long drive but it wasn’t without reward. The route from Shirakami-Sanchi to Ichinohe was long, taking us through the mountains sometimes on unsurfaced roads, we saw a Mountain Hawk Eagle swoop down on an unfortunate Japanese Hare that was already being chased up the road towards us by a Japanese Marten. The eagle pulled up at the last second, perhaps because of our presence, and perched in a dead tree next to our car. Both of us were thrilled to see the scene. The Hare was at a loss, with the Marten following up the road, us ahead and the Eagle perched above it walked in circles in the middle of the road. Finally it hopped into the forest and the other players soon disappeared too leaving just us sitting in our car on the empty road. It was like a show and though it might happen all the time we thanked for our luck that we could witness the performance.

We were so astonished to see the scene and couldn’t take off our eyes from it. This was the only photo we could take… the Marten, last to depart, sniffing around on the road contemplating its lost meal.

(enlarged)