“…for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy”
Psalm 63:7
If allowed only one adjective to describe my favorite bird, flower, or mammal, I would choose “majestic”. Today, I’ll focus on the bird and I’ll get to the others in a later writing.
Birds of prey fascinate me and grab my attention faster than any other. Topping my list is the majestic Bald Eagle. The folks at Webster define “majestic” as being stately, large, and impressively beautiful. Majesty implies authority and grandeur.
The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973. The Bald Eagle was further protected by that legislation. Interestingly, I saw the first Bald Eagle I had ever seen in the wild in November of ’73 as it was soaring high over the Yellowstone River in Montana. This was also my first visit to Montana and my first time to hunt elk. A few days later, I laid eyes on the first elk I had ever seen in the wild. What a trip!
Things that are scarce and rare, in turn, become special and valuable. To many people, seeing a Bald Eagle and getting overwhelmed by the sight may seem ridiculous. But here’s the deal–I really never dreamed of seeing one of these majestic creatures outside of a visit to the zoo. They did not exist where we live in Alabama, nor could I even imagine they would in my lifetime.
So, with a million photos I can access of Bald Eagles, why are these very special?
These photos were made with our camera, by me and members of our family. And the best part is they were all made within walking distance of our home! This includes the nest where we have observed our resident pair raise little ones. Today is Sunday, September, 14, 2014. I saw a mature eagle soaring high on this beautiful late summer afternoon– and I was standing in our front yard!!!
These birds are truly majestic. They command the sky. To see an eagle as part of our everyday living is a conservation success story. Seeing the eagle today reminded me of several personal attributes I need more of: patience and optimism!!! It’s been 41 years since I saw the first eagle, and that was 2,000 miles from where I sit today.
“…but they who wait for The Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”
Isaiah 40:31
Eagles are not perfect hunters. This reminds me of most of my fishing trips — “didn’t catch a thing!”
I suppose there’s a good view from dead limbs
A visit to the nest
This may be the female, which is typically larger. It is hard to tell unless both birds are side by side.
If “majestic” doesn’t describe this, then I don’t know what does!
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