This picture was taken after a courting event that hits close to home. Eagles have exquisite courtship rituals and sometimes they come to naught. The male tends to perform aerial loops before the female perched in her tree. She is appreciate and signals for more. Eagles chirp/talk a lot. This time the male was quite proud of his performance and came in for a landing just above the female.
The branch broke, and both it and the male landed on the female below. She took off and so did the male --in opposite directions. By then I got out my camera and waited. Only one eagle had returned. Was it the male, or the female, returning to give him another chance? It certainly was not a seven eagle day!
I can relate to that event.
This old moose, once sat next to this beautiful gal from Newfoundland. It was at an American Rock Garden symposium. I made small talk, and finding out where she was from I gallantly added some Newfie comments. Jeesh what do you grow, ice flows, moss and primroses? Just then my friend John edited my brilliant commentary, by kicking me in the shin. Sharply, I might add.
In the next moment the Creator chimed in -- The speaker announced his great privilege in welcoming the curator of the Newfoundland Botanical Gardens. I felt much as the following creature I found in my garden. What am I?
Today, "IT" and I live right across from the raptor center and listen to their talk all the time. I also work in the Dungeness area and this garden is right across from an eagle’s nest. It is quite a show!
Footnote: Eagles are not the bravest or most noble of birds. On the same Meadow brook home I witnessed an amazing attack. Near the same tree an eagle swooped down to snatch some baby geese. The mother launched herself upwards from a dead start and put her body smack into the Eagle. It was major CRUNCH time. Both were of equal size, but her body weight was much greater. The mother won and the eagle flew off in a crooked and puzzled daze.
© Herb Senft
