We've been seeing lots of water fowl since we entered LA.  Although the pastures of cattle seem to be diminishing somewhat, the cattle egret who like to groom them are on the increase.  We witnessed a dramatic wildlife/human interface event yesterday way out in the middle of nowhere.  (This in addition to the turtle rescue....).  We heard a shot coming from woods at the edge of a field, and then a beautiful mature Bald Eagle rose from the field and painstakingly (for those of us watching...) got enough lift to get the heck out of there - we were watching with baited breath, but he/she appeared to have made it.  Very disturbing, hard to imagine wanting to kill such a beautiful creature.