But it wasn’t on the moon. The eagle that has been swooping in over and over for quick airborne ‘grab and goes’ changed his tactics. On March 25 as Donna and I were unknowingly driving out the WRI driveway on our way to Duluth for my carotid surgery, the eagle settled down on its food spot outside the WRI window and efficiently ate ham fat for 40 minutes without having any of the meat slip away in flight or while he was eating it on a branch. Peggy Stubbs was "The Eyes of the Day" who captured the moment the eagle landed, stood regally looking at her in the window, and turned to his purpose of eating ham fat. I hope he keeps doing that.
Bald eagle eats
Then, back from successful surgery today, I was writing the preceding sentence when he swooped in with his usual ‘grab and go,’ providing startling action for a welcome back, even though it was not the landing I’d wished for. Instead, he flew up to a high branch in a dead white pine just 65 feet away, followed by a male raven that sat with his face inches from the prize the eagle was eating. It was a good return to the nature that gives life to the view out the window. The picture of the eagle and raven together did not turn out, though. It is the first time an SD card didn’t work for me.
It is good to be back, feeling thankful for the prayers and good wishes from so many for the success of the much-needed procedure. A few weeks of healing are needed, but the surgeon said everything went fine.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center