Branching

Those little nimble musicians of the air that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art. --Izaak Walton

As another Friday rolls around, I am preparing for a quiet weekend.  Rain showers are headed this way so it sounds like a good weekend to sleep in.  I've nothing planned so it will be pretty much a play it by ear weekend.  We had some heavy storms during the night, but they are pretty much cleared out of here. 

This morning as I walked to the train station, the world around me was alive with song.  It's such a blessing listening to the sounds of the birds trilling their songs.  Such a delight to hear them chirp, sending messages to each other through the air.   Everyone has heard birds sing, but not everyone pays much attention to them. Try it for a moment.   Listen to the sounds.

This year I have been blessed with a bird's eye view of nature at her best.  Yesterday I watched as one by the little eaglets branched.  Branching means going from the nest to branches, then back to the nest.  The next step is fledging, and by next week they will be gone.  Watching them grow has been has been quite the experience watching mommy and daddy as they took care of their young.  It's exciting for them to do this, and I knew this day was coming, but I'm not ready to lose them yet.  I'm happy and sad at the same time.

The other day I was watching, and they had a nasty storm.  The tree and the nest were blowing back and forth.  The eaglets had been in the midst of prancing about and exercising their wings when from a distance they heard mom's call.  The three of them immediately stopped what they were doing, moved towards the middle of the nest, and hunkered down to ride out the storm.  Nature truly is amazing.  

Yes, it has been quite an experience, and through the great mods on both the Decorah Eagle site and Phoebe's Place, I have learned so much about eagles and hummingbirds...the smallest of birds to the largest of birds.  Life truly is amazing. I am so thankful that  I had this opportunity to witness this miracle of life.

Fly free my feathered friends and enjoy the world that is awaiting you.

HE clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ringed with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

--Alfred Lord Tennyson--

May you all have a beautiful, joy-filled weekend.