Susquehanna Meditations: Eagle's Nest

Bald Eagle’s Nest

It is best that it is best seen by boat, lest the nesting area be overrun by tourists and our Bald Eagles decide they’d prefer a quieter neighborhood.  Although, once you move in to a place you become less inclined to want to move on.   Eagles too.  If you’ve ever had to pack up the china and dishes, you know it’s a pain and headache to have to move. 

Besides, they started constructing their nest long before they moved in, set up housekeeping, laid those eggs, hatched those eggs.  It’s a serious investment:  Bald Eagle sweat equity (even though eagles don’t sweat).   Hundreds of sticks, some grass, some moss, soft stalks to make if comfy inside.   It took months.  After all, it also is water-front property.   After all, shopping is convenient and you don’t have the leave the little ones all alone for too long.  A quick swoop, talons at the ready, and, presto, a wiggling smallmouth bass for all the hungry eaglets opening their beaks and screeching, cheeping.  Me, me, me. 

Of course,, familiarity and comfort also have their attraction and appeal.  Right?  Nest familiarity, it is called.  Foxes have dens and birds their nests.   It’s home.  You settle in, get into a routine, only when forced to move do you accept moving on.  Home gets destroyed.  A bigger bird arrives and wants to take over your territory.  Can’t stand your mate any longer.  Got a new opportunity to chase.  Or if the fish supply runs out.  Or too many bird watchers below are fussing, giggling, shouting, and snapping photographs and scaring away the loons, rabbits, house pets that you and your eaglet enjoy for a meal. 

Then off you go.  You must.  Another refugee, another family forced to move on.  Will someone please help me protect and feed my little ones?  Can’t even call it a migration because when you migrate at least you are heading somewhere.  Can’t even call you an immigrant because nobody’s saying you can come here. 

One of the curses of becoming homeless is having no one to talk to. 

Naturalist Van Wagner points out how some Bald Eagle nests can weigh two tons, even break trees for they are heavy and coarse, built of thick sticks, located very high above in the trees.   How it is rare for them not to reuse the old nest, how male and female fabricate the nest together for rearing their eaglets.  Every year they build onto it, try to improve it.  A little higher, a little thicker, a little softer inside.

Bears have their dens.

Rabbits their warrens.

Mountain lions their lairs.

Cows their barns.

Horses their stalls.

Bees their hives.

Foxes their logs.

Groundhogs their burrows. 

Beavers their lodges.

Skunks their woodpiles.Owls the hollow of their tree.

And eagles their nests.

Nesting.  The nesting instinct.  Time to paint the nursery.  Time to can more tomatoes than we can eat in a year.  Time to scrub the bathroom.  Time to iron the sheets.  Time to stitch the quilt.  Time to wash the jamies for the sixth time.  Time to outfit the crib.  Time to snuggle with your mate and dream of what will be soon.

Pretty nice to call someplace home and cuddle up there awhile. 

No fun having no place to call home.