IT is no exaggeration to say that the breath-taking spectacle of a peregrine in combat with an osprey changed the life of researcher and author Sophie Osborn.
Says she: "It marked the beginning of my journey into the endlessly captivating world of birds.
"This has become an odyssey of deep appreciation, profound concern and ongoing efforts to protect and restore their dwindling populations and diminished habitats."
The story of her life-journey up to now is described in Sophie's fascinating book, Feather Trails - A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds.
The focus of her fast-paced narrative is on conservation and reintroduction campaigns in the US for three special species - peregrine, Hawaiian Crow and California condor.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, with a degree in international relations, Sophie ditched her earlier aspiration to be a diplomat in favour of fighting for nature - birds in particular.
"Oh, the joy and freedom of being out of high-heeled shoes and a cloistering office," she exclaims.
Not that things have always run smoothly. Obstacles along the way have included heat exhaustion, poachers, rattlesnakes and chauvinism.
The book is packed with fascinating scientific detail - mercifully written in layman's language rather than 'academese'.
And no punches are pulled in condemning the shocking impact on birds of agro-chemicals, human garbage (notably plastics), introduction of alien species (and their diseases) and poisons, such as lead, in the environment.
But the overall tone is overwhelmingly upbeat and positive - the author's humour and exuberance keep bubbling to the surface.
"For birders, one of the great joys of travelling is seeing new birds," she enthuses
"An astonishing array of feather colours and patterns, an endless variety of forms, plus a suite of unfamiliar songs, calls and behaviours captivate, enthral and fuel an often insatiable quest for the new and the never-before seen."
Exhaustively researched, Feather Trails is published in hardback at £25 on July 25 by Chelsea Green