When it pays off to not pay attention

A week and a half ago I was walking down this road with two other volunteers, going from Sibayo to Callalli. I was not paying attention to the other volunteers’ conversation because I was zoning out like I usually do when I look at the seemingly never-ending valley of vast hills and canon walls. My trance was broken when I heard a quick repetitive screech from a bird of prey. I looked up above me and to the right from where I heard the noise and I saw a falcon 20 feet above us. Literally within that second that I saw the falcon, I caught sight of another but smaller bird of prey (not sure what kind it was because it was moving so fast) diving down at the falcon. The falcon barrel rolled upside down and stretched its claws up into the sky towards the oncoming bird. I could hear the “whoosh” from the diving bird’s velocity as it cut through the air over the falcon, just inches from the talons.
To this I exclaimed to my fellow volunteers, “OH SH*#!” while I watched the falcon spin back over with its prized rodent still clasped firmly in beak. The falcon flew off with what was obviously the reason for the air strike, and I asked the other volunteers, “Did you see that?!” Unfortunately for them they did not which was probably the closest we will ever physically get to such a scene, but one volunteer did say that they heard the “whoosh” too of the bird of prey diving by. I hurriedly explained, “It was freaking amazing, the falcon had a rodent in its beak, and like, this other bird…”
The air battle transpired in just a second, but I still get goose bumps every time I play it over again in my head. I guess there are sometimes when it pays to not pay attention.