Sunday, January 12, 2014

The Eagle

During childhood we are often asked lots of silly questions. Like, "if you could be any animal, what would you be?"

I put some thought into this question, and once I came up with an answer I never changed it. I would be an Eagle.

The thought was that I wanted to be something that traveled. Something that could see all the beauty God has to offer. I couldn't think of any single bird that migrates across the entire globe, so I settled for the next best thing. I needed a bird that could scale desert canyons (like The Grand) and nest in upstate forests (like Watkins Glen). I needed a bird that flew with grace but that wasn't the weak victim on the bottom of a long feeding line.

I needed the Eagle. I would be an Eagle.

For two years now I've traveled a few dozen miles north to an Eagle nesting ground. Each winter Thousand Island Conservancy Area hosts dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of migrating Eagles. After watching these birds in all their natural glory, I still have not changed my answer.

I would be an Eagle. Tough, majestic, and perched atop breathtaking views.

Bald eagles gather in large numbers along the Fox River at 1000 Islands Environmental Center, Kaukauna, to feed on winter-killed fish, waterfowl and other prey. Here, an eagle feasts on fresh fish in a tree overlooking the Fox.
Photo Courtesy The Post Crescent

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