This morning, less than a day and a half after the mother eagle from the Norfolk Botanical Garden nest was accidentally killed by an aircraft, her nest is empty and her longtime mate is likely trying to make avian sense of his losses.
Virginia wildlife officials decided to remove the eaglets for care at the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro, VA. It was feared that the father eagle's solo burden of feeding himself plus three fast-growing offspring would be an insurmountable challenge, and that some would perish. The eaglets' removal to an expert wildlife facility increases the likelihood of survival for all. The eaglets will now be raised for release to the wild as a family unit, barring any unforeseen complications.
Earlier today, as I read through the Eagle Cam website discussion, I was struck by this insightful comment from Robyn in western NY:
This morning it occurred to me that this eagle family has brought so many people together and today we're mourning together without thought of religion, nationality or politics. What a legacy for Mama Eagle!
What a beautiful legacy, indeed.
In a world that is so often bitterly divided for one reason or another, people from around the globe joined together to celebrate and learn from this magnificent wild family.
And now, united by loss, we mourn together.
Imagine our world if only we could find such compassionate common ground in other aspects of our lives.
