Aquila Rises Again

Twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, we are blessed with the opportunity to see humans pleasing nature rather than the other way around. Today we attended a release of rehabilitated raptors as part of our involvement in the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. Back to the wild we sent two bald eagles, a peregrine falcon, a merlin, a broad-winged hawk and a kestrel. With every stroke of each of their wings, I found my heart lifting higher.

Little is known about this American Bald Eagle except that he was found a year ago in the forest and he was unable to fly. Additionally, his internal organs were under siege. Based on his markings, the center knew he was found he was at least five years old. Without the center's intervention, he would have been dead in a week. As is the case sometimes, his admittance to the center was not the result of a collision with a car or man-made structure. Rather, he was suffering from effects of the environment.

When we first became involved in the center, it was all about the noble cause of helping beautiful birds take back to the skies. Two decades later, we realize that this center is much more than that....but it is at least that for sure.

The studies conducted at this center tell us as much about humans as they do about birds. If these birds could talk they would kindly ask us to use fewer pesticides, to burn less fuel, and to build buildings using stone or wood rather than mirrored glass. They would tell us to remember that they were here long before us and, but for us, that they will be here long after we are gone. They would tell us that we are foolish to think that we can continue to live like we are living and expect this Earth to move on.

I snapped perhaps 500 frames today and many likely better than this. Yet my heart went out to this eagle......I adored his spunk. He was full of piss and vinegar from the moment he was removed from his cage up and until he flapped his powerful wings and flew away from the humans that had delayed his life a year. The light was far less than perfect (and this image was nearly cropped to its death), but this photo captures him during the thrush stroke of his wings were they are at full articulation just before he draws them back into flight. Oh my, what power.

I hope you are having as wonderful a weekend as we are. And thanks for your kindness on my Look Up blip. Bonnie and I are off to a conference in Las Vegas and we would both rather visit the dentist without Novocain.

Please do not miss Bonnie's kestrel or LaBella13s version of this eagle.