If you’ve been in Japan for a while you may have experienced food being stolen out of your hands by a seahawk. Is sometimes happens around the Yokosuka area. And it happened to me.

First of all, a seahawk (also known as an osprey), is a fish-eating bird of prey with a long range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 2 feet in length and wingspan of up to 6 feet. They are graceful in the air, but they can be intimating as they circle high above their prey.

A while back, I ordered takeout at McDonald’s on Yokosuka Naval Base. Hungry, I walked out the door and unwrapped by big fillet of fish sandwich slathered with plenty of tartar sauce. As I prepared to take a bite, something from above bumped me hard.

Startled, a feeling I had never felt in my life before swept across my body. It took me several seconds to realize what had happened: One of those big birds circling around McDonald’s swooped down and snatched my fillet of fish sandwich right out of my hand.

I didn’t have time to go back and buy another sandwich, so I proceeded to walk towards the main gate. As I exited the base, I decided to report the situation to the military police. I told the policeman that a bird had stolen my fillet of fish sandwich near McDonald’s. He just laughed at me and said it happens all the time.

So, the moral of my story, or the lessons learned, is to be careful if you’re walking around the waterfront areas in Japan because there are birds called seahawks. Look above and see them circling. They have an eye on you … and an eye on your lunch! Be careful!