Click banner to go to my host bio and listen to show at showtimes, Fridays at 11 AM EST, or to download archives anytime. This week is Pt. 2 Flashes of Hope.
Hello Eagle Friends,
I dedicate today's blog to our Troops and their families. I just feel like I need to say: May the sign of the newest eagles of the valley, and no doubt the youngest eagles of all the pairs; may their early nesting and incubation of the first egg of 2008 be a symbol of promise, a sign to all of you who are waiting for your loved ones to come home, and to you who are serving wanting to be back home. Keep praying, keep your faith and believe. For even the young eagles know there is a time to sit still during the long wait before the birth of promise.
Today was a beautiful day in the valley of the eagles. We got a late start, but everything is in God's timing. The temperature was 31 as I neared the project area and spotted two wild turkeys scratching at the ground. One ran off and the other
remained.
Em didn't have school today so she came with me. We didn't find Daedee or Dancer in their nest area today. The snow was perfect for making snow sculptures so we made a white wolf out of snow, the one that is said to inhabit this valley.
We decided he should be in pursuit of a snowshoe hare and so we pulled the snow up and formed a rabbit. Then added the long ears. Time passed quickly and we had to leave our snow creatures and move on to the other projects.
I was anxious to get to nest 2. When we arrived I found Judy laying down in the nest. That was a good sign. Then as I was taping I heard a long, "Caaaaaaa" and I looked around to find The Mayor, Judy's mate perched high above her in another tree.
That was another sign that incubation has begun. Day 2. Still, I have to just watch, this could be preparatory nesting, too. Getting the fit of the nest, the nesting feel perfectly comfortable, just right. But then I thought that's what Judy was working on so hard last week.
We moved on and found nest 6 empty. I told Em, "You know we probably only have a week or two left with the trumpeter swans." I thanked God for another day getting the opportunity to see them again.
The mergansers had all moved on, and only mallards sat and swam with the swans today.
I looked for the opossum, but no sign of him either. Maybe I'll see him again. Maybe I wont.
Nests 3-5 were all empty. No activity at all, and no sign of any eagles.
I did find the cottontail back in his cave which is the first time since the other day. I was glad to see he hadn't been caught or shot by a hunter. Em got to see him just as he ducked in, turning and flashing his white tail at us.
Dusk had arrived as we backtracked our paths. Then I saw the red-shouldered hawk, the adult so I pulled over and photographed him and video taped him. Him or her.
I said, "Em what should we call this hawk?"
"How about Sweetie?"
"No, that's what I call the red-tailed hawk."
"How about Sweetheart?"
"No. Too close to Sweetie."
So she paused then looked at me and said, "How about Bob."
It was so funny the way she said it, I said, "Okay, we'll call him Bob."
"Bob the Hob."
We laughed.
As we passed the last bend before Judy and The Mayor's nest I said, "Hey Em, look there’s The Mayor on one of his favorite perches."
I shot some images of him, looking around, looking at us, but I liked the one I posted. It's the one I took before he noticed we were there. It was him watching his surroundings.
He was about an 1/8 mile from Judy but in a direct line of sight to her.
As we reached their nest we found her on top feeding on what appeared to be a fish. She was only up a couple minutes, and then she did something which absolutely, positively announced, "Baby on Board."
She walked the edge of the nest and pulled nesting material up to the center of the nest and then she fluffed up, and laid down cautiously straddling what I am sure, absolutely sure is at least one egg.
The first eaglets of the valley will be from nest 2, Judy and The Mayor, the Greenhorns of the eagles, their first offspring on their new nest. Probably their first offspring ever documented.
March 24 is the earliest due date, but it could be as late as the 31st, or April 1. History will show that is the worst week for snow so I'm hoping if the eaglets do arrive that week that God will keep his angels watching over that nest.
As we drove home several deer were already stirring and leaping across the road to get to the cornfields.
It was a wonderful day in the valley. It's always a wonderful day with Em.
I'm looking forward to Day 49.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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