Hello Eagle Friends,
I woke up and thanked God for another day given to me to explore and capture the beauty in people and the wildlife in the valley.
Today was my grandmother's 92nd birthday and she was with me in thought all day. I hope we can enjoy another twenty years together. So Dave, Em, and me had to sneak over for a quick birthday hug and to give her a couple funny birthday cards. Do you know what to get someone who has no need for anything else? Get them a funny card and write something personal inside. Give them a hug and don't leave without saying, "I love you."
The big family celebration is Thursday but I couldn't wait that long.
I had a wonderful day in the valley today. I hiked out to Dancer and Daedee's nest area and walked the river until Dancer arrived. He flew above me and tail swagged his greeting to me. It's his way of acknowledging me. It's his way of saying, "This is my land--walk quietly in my home."
I realized I was standing almost exactly in that same place where I met Daedee and Dancer four years ago. I didn't know it then but I was walking along one of those places on this earth, one of those God-given paths; you know the ones where you walk through an invisible door, and you enter your new life.
While I stood there on the flood-damaged river bank, about where I stood four years ago, give or take the thirty some feet of riverbank swallowed by the floods this past year. It was there that I realized that it took this courageous male eagle; a handsome, magnificent raptor with a golden yellow beak and gentle teaching eyes to show me something some of you may not even know yet.
This eagle, the one I call "The Dancer," Dancer for short, is an eagle who ignores the yellow State DNR signs that only whisper to men above men, "this land is my land." For this eagle already knows, and has shown me daily, that the river owns the land, but he owns the winds. On them, he spreads God's message: That only God gives each of us enough land, river and wind for all our days. You can quote me on that but only if you add, as told to, by "The Dancer."
The golden eagle was stirring up the crows again, and to find the "gold" I knew I had to follow the "black". There he was sitting on his favorite perch half way up the east bluff. I grabbed a couple blurry shots. I promise you that when my new lens arrives I will get in on the face of this beauty and share it. I have only seen him the one time up close.
In fact, early on at the beginning of my blog somewhere in January, I have a photo that I thought was possibly Ditto, but it was the golden eagle. I'll correct all my captions and edit all these posts when it comes time to publish this Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles.
I wore my snowshoes today and it made hiking back to the river much more enjoyable until my right snowshoe got caught up on flood brush and I twisted my ankle. As I type this now the burning in my ankle and dull pain is growing worse. No doubt that I'll be wrapping my ankle before I snowshoe out tomorrow.
I left Daedee and Dancer's and went up and sat with the trumpeter swans for awhile, and enjoyed watching them along with the Nest 6 eagles. Both eagles were working fervently on
their nest which is growing deeper by the day.
As I sat watching them, I wondered if I'd be able to see them at all once the foliage bursts out in late May. I think I'll be able to see up until then. After that, I'm not sure what I'll see without climbing the bluff and sitting close enough to see, but far enough away not to disturb them.
The nest three eagles were both actively working on their nest. Nest four had one eagle up on the nest and one on the look out tree.
Nest five and two were empty. I found the three year old eagle at one of his old perches across from my marsh project, and I just want to believe that it is Ditto. His beak, his size, his stature, they match his. The bright yellow feet--just like Ditto's. I called out and he turned right to me in my truck perking up. He knows my voice well. I have to just wonder. He sat roadside with me for about twenty minutes.
Next I headed up to the deer carcasses, and found Judy and The Mayor perched above it, and two adult eagles were leaving the area as I came around the bend. Maybe that was the Nest Five eagles? They were the only one's I hadn't found yet, well, and Daedee, but she wouldn't be flying off with another eagle.
There was another deer hit up the road, so that carcass will likely be added to these other two.
The Mayor was scratching his head with his foot and I noticed how dark his feathers were underneath all that white. Along with the dark-edged eyes, and darker feathers around his eyes I am sure he can't be more than five or six years old. He almost has a mask like a raccoon. I'm so blessed to find these differences in the eagles, or I'd never be able to tell them apart.
I found four more trees for my tree book. I think this next week I'm going to have to concentrate on finding some birch trees for the book. I hiked a mile back into one area the other day, before the additional snow, but I didn't spend enough time.
Every day when I pick my daughter up from school she asks enthusiastically, "Did you get any good tree's today?"
"You bettcha!"
I can't wait to show you some of these trees. I am hoping you will be amazed at what you can find on a walk through the woods, along a river, or in a marsh.
Before I left the valley, I looked up at the red tail hawk I pass daily, and snapped a couple quick shots, and said, "See you tomorrow."
Before I close, I would like to personally thank the city of Rochester snow plow crew for filling the base of my driveway with an extra, deep load of icy chunks and street scrapings from yesterday's snow. My sweet daughter saw me trying to move the huge scoops of ice, and she tried to help me, but she couldn't lift the weight.
I'm looking forward to Day 29.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment