SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
by Louis Sahagun
For much of the spring, a constant flow
of people arrived at a dirt pullout on a mountain road a few miles above Azusa,
each craving a glimpse of 10-pound celebrities with 7-foot wingspans and the
charisma that politicians can only dream of.
These were bald eagles, after all, the
bird that spreads its wings on every dollar bill and U.S. passport. And their
nest atop a pine tree overlooking a reservoir on one side and Highway 39 on the
other offered a full picture of home life for these majestic raptors. It was
the first time bald eagles had nested in this part of the San Gabriel Mountains
in 70 years.
Voices oh-wowed. Cameras clicked. Faces
smiled, and photos and video footage immediately spread on Facebook and
Instagram of two energetic fledglings braving their first flights out of the
brown bundle of sticks, and shrieking like high-pitched, neighing horses when
their parents returned with fresh fish for dinner.
The fledglings and their watchful
parents are part of a new breed of "urban eagles" moving into
Southern California and throughout the nation, displaying an unusual tolerance
for the clatter and commotion of city life.
No comments:
Post a Comment