Hello Eagle Friends,
As I type these words the freezing rain is still pelting my studio windows.
It was 34 degrees when I reached the valley today with wind advisory warnings. I was aware of the rain and sleet storm heading our direction, but after 4 years in the valley, not much surprises me anymore weather-wise.
I hiked out to nest 1, Daedee and Dancer's nest area and spent the windy morning there. It began sleeting around 10:30 AM, and the winds grew stronger forcing Daedee deep into the nest. Dancer passed through around 10:40 AM, just after the rain and sleet started.
Daedee doesn't give up the nest once the rain starts usually until it stops raining. The way she kept dipping her head down in the nest I was sure that she was hearing the egg hatch, or maybe it already has and she was keeping her little one dry. She got up once and I thought she was going to feed, and I waited for that miracle to cry out or show its head, but she only repositioned herself and laid back down.
I left around noon, as I was soaked to the skin as I only had rain bibs on and a down coat. My mittens were soaked, my hat was drenched, my hair in long knots, and rain-sleet dripping from my rain curls, but I wouldn't have missed those few hours for anything.
The anticipation, the waiting and watching every second, the expectation that the eaglet will sit up at any moment only happens once or twice a year on each nest, and I have waited 93 days to get to today, to have this chance. It looks like I'll get that chance again tomorrow, too, since I can't say there was a hatching.
The weather is supposed to get worse tonight, 1-2 inches of snow mixing in with the freezing rain. I don't know how those eagles survive this weather. Presently it's only 36 degrees and still raining.
I moved on to nest 2 and found Judy on the nest. She was as soaked as I was, but I didn't have a little one under me to keep warm and my heart just went out to her. It may seem silly but I prayed that all the eagles had angels to watch over them through this two day storm.
Everyone has the same question, "Where is spring?"
I try coming back every day with new glimpses of the spring life, but it seems the dark clouds and constant flurries or downpours are creating a river of doubt that we'll ever see the warm weather of yesteryear. I look around and as I do the grasses turned from drab brown and golds to spring greens in a miles distance. Spring is here folks; spring is rain that brings us the colors.
At nest 6 Linda was on the nest, and Dick was flying around the first marsh. There was handsome great blue heron tilting his head up watching where Dick flew, curious, and cautious of this black and white bird riding the wind currents.
The goose on the island laid peacefully on her nest while her mate swam around guarding her. The goose in the nest box, day 8 was shaking the rain drops from her silky black head. She was as surprised as I was to see the purple martins come diving by her nest box, up and down, at speeds of the winds.
By the time I reached nest 5 the winds howled so wildly I could barely see the eagle on the nest.
Nest 3 and 4 were almost impossible to see and the shallow end of the marshes had 5 to 8 inch whitecaps on them. The winds and sleet cut into my exposed hands and face, and my camera gear was all soaked, every inch of glass, every grip, every viewfinder, even LCDs were water soaked.
The winds only grew worse. I tried to open my truck door, but the winds forced it back into me. That was when I really began worrying about these eagles. I've seen too many trees blow down or snap in half in these winds and I won't ever forget Tookie, the first eaglet, the nest 3s eaglet who died in a rainstorm like this when his nest tree crashed. Or so they say.
I guess I have my own story and instinct to follow. I promised that eaglet I would find answers if there were any.
I stopped at nest 2 again and Judy was shaking the water off her body. I asked the Lord, "How do they stay warm? How is she supposed to keep that eaglet warm when she is soaked like that?"
I drove back to Rochester in the downpour.
I'm looking forward to day 94.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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