Bald Eagle Messengers

December 12, 2012

Nesting Bald Eagles

It is always special to see a Bald Eagle. They have an incredible wingspan and if you see them up close, you can see the feathers on the wingtips curl up with the wind – like fingers. I have seen an eagle hover over a flock of ducks or coots trying to frighten an individual bird into making a fatal mistake and have seen them feeding on “truly gross” carrion along with ravens or vultures. I have also watched them trying to bully an Osprey into dropping a fish.

Some First Nations’ stories talk of the eagle as a messenger between the worlds. I had a close friend who was fascinated with eagles. We were traveling through the interior a few years ago and stopped somewhere close to Kamloops. A fellow walked over to my friend and handed her an eagle feather and said something like “This feather was meant for you”. She, in turn passed the feather on to a friend.

Looking for coots

I often think of my friend when I see an eagle. Her journey here is over, but I think of her often. The eagle is indeed a messenger between the worlds, at least for me at those moments.