When I was in the service, about the time spring had arrived, I received a letter from my girlfriend back home. She said that she had been walking past the living room where her father was listening to the baseball game on the radio, and that it gave her the feeling that in spite of all of the turmoil and trouble in the world, everything was in its place, and all would be well.
This is kind of like that. Without regard to the economic situation, or the wars taking place around the world, the beautiful mated pair of Bald Eagles have returned to their nest in Pittsburgh. And amidst the noise of passing trains, a nearby recycling facility, and the bicycle trail below where eagle watchers squeal and point and gaze up at them with binoculars, this drama is being played out once more. It's the promise of spring in all of its natural glory... and, it's seeing old friends return.
I vowed that I wouldn't get all caught up in it like I did the last time. I wouldn't get all mushy about it and stay up all night watching the webcam as the female bravely stood guard during a rain or snowstorm until morning when I would count the eggs along with the male we call Dad. I wouldn't worry about the raccoons that would try to raid the nest in the middle of the night when the infrared camera allowed me to see the female fending them off with her razor-sharp talons. I wouldn't again be moved to tears when learning of a nest in a different location being turned over in a windstorm, and of the heart-breaking reaction of the female as she helplessly witnessed the falling chick. Yet, there I am, once again.
It's the greatest nature documentary you'll ever watch. It's the ultimate reality show taking place live and in this very moment. It's the most exciting sporting event ever telecast, and you're there with your fellow fans, cheering on the home team, crossing your fingers, clutching your good luck charm, praying to God that all will be well.
Last year the pair raised three eaglets to the time when they fledged, a feat the eagle experts in the chat room tell us is a rarity. Can they do as well again?
Right now, we're watching the reinforcement of the nest, a task the pair don't always seem to agree upon, but it's fun to watch. Sometime within the next month, the first egg is expected, and maybe as many as three. And then, the real fun begins, watching for signs of the first egg hatching, seeing the pair switch responsibilities and take turns hunting and sitting on the nest, seeing what's been brought home for dinner and trying to identify it... and commenting on every nuance of the experience.
Come and join us, along with people from all over the world, and partake in the miracle that is the Pittsburgh Bald Eagles.
