Of birds and dogs

Late Sunday afternoons and evenings I slide into a funk knowing the rush of Monday morning is just a blink away. So last Sunday when the sun was out and a stiff breeze blew in from the ocean my husband and I decided to go for a walk and take the dogs.  One little white dog and one big hound dog.  


For several weeks, while driving out of my neighborhood I'd seen people on a corner focusing their bulky zoom lenses up into a tree on the edge of our  park. I could see a substantial nest in one tree from my car.  So we decided to walk ourselves and the dogs over to the park to look at the nest and improve our Sunday.  Being bird aficionados, we were sure it was a large bird, maybe an egret in the nest.  We didn't get further than the busy street that runs behind our house when we heard the high-pitched calls of a raptor.  It swooped and soared overhead after some smaller birds.  This wasn't  surprising since the park is large with a lake and lots of critters including red-tailed hawks, kites, and turkey vultures flying overhead.  


However, on this day, we walked just to the corner where tall eucalyptus trees grow at a busy intersection when we heard the calls even louder.  Looking up into the tree we could see an enormous hawk well camouflaged by his mottled brown feathers.  Amazingly, we had remembered to bring binoculars since our goal was to look at the nest.  Dragging the dogs behind us, we trudged into the ice plant growing under the tree to get a better look and found ourselves looking up at a golden eagle! A huge bird with a golden breast, hooked beak, and shiny black eyes.  Imagine a golden eagle in suburbia, what an incredible sight!  


The eagle was magnificent perched in the tree, his feathers ruffled by the wind.  He didn't move just looked down on us with an expression of disinterest (we didn't look anything like dinner).  We traded  dogs' leashes and  binoculars back and forth for at least 15 minutes and the eagle never left his perch.  What an unexpected and rare treat to see such a beautiful bird practically in my backyard. We were entranced, standing there in the bushes with the dogs, craning our necks to see up into the tree. One person rolled down their car window and asked if it was an owl in the tree. Otherwise no one stopped or asked what we were looking at.  The dogs waited patiently wondering what on earth we were doing.  After all, when you're a dog and you've  got your collar and leash on, you're supposed to be WALKING not standing around in some boring old bushes.


 We eventually walked over to observe the nest.  It was empty but solidly built at the top of an eucalyptus tree. A good home for eagles.


With the dogs out in front leading the way, we continued around the park.  Crossing the street, we could see the eagle still perched on the same branch, almost invisible unless you knew he was there.


But I did know he was there and it transformed my Sunday. Monday was forgotten in the excitement and wonder of an eagle.