Eagles

[phkrause]

American bald eagles are having a moment, ecologically and culturally

WEST ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — Along the long road from American icon to endangered species and back again, the bald eagle — the national bird of the United States, often seen against a clear blue sky — is having a moment.

https://apnews.com/article/bald-eagles-national-bird-endangered-symbol-efd7f0360b5b027178a9c69e4d245f07?

[phkrause]

Two bombshells exit their eggshells

The hottest show streaming right now follows the lives of a celebrity couple as they weather storms and raise their young in the public eye. Oh, and did I mention that the stars of the show are bald eagles?    Welcome to the world of Jackie and Shadow, a bald eagle couple in Big Bear Valley, California, whose relationship has been documented in a livestream over several years. Longtime fans of the eagles were overjoyed earlier this week when two chicks finally emerged from their eggs — a major triumph for Jackie and Shadow, whose eggs haven’t successfully hatched in three years.   Regular readers of this newsletter know how we feel about bald eagles around here — they’re perhaps the most majestic birds with which we share a planet. Their babies, though, more closely resemble used cotton balls — these helpless little hatchlings barely resemble the confident raptors they’ll grow into.   And regular viewers of Jackie and Shadow’s 24/7 reality show have delighted watching the couple’s dynamic shift now that they’re parents again. The birds bicker over who gets to incubate the eggs — Shadow will attempt to nudge Jackie out of the way by placing sticks on her back, while she’ll just hover over him and nudge him until he makes way for his lady.