Sitting at my computer tonight working on testimony for tomorrow’s public hearing related to mining in Maine. (More on mining shortly.) Got up to get a glass of water and noticed an eagle soaring toward the open field opposite our house. After watching the eagle I then notice my friend the owl on her usual spot on the power line in front of the house, watching that same open field. Decided to take a picture of her from my bedroom window and when she flew down to the base of a near by tree I ran outside to see what she was up to. (Or, frankly, to see what she might be eating.)
Had a lovely exchange with her while she hunted and I watched. I chatted a bit with her (Bernd Heinrich uses this technique wonderfully, and if anyone is a bird-charmer it is he) and she didn’t mind much that I was six feet from with my zoom pointed at her for twenty minutes.
This is her watching and listening to food, an owl calling from the woods, and me creeping closer.
She eventually got her meal.
By the time she stood erect to swallow dinner in one gulp, my fingers were so cold that I was pushing the side zoom button without realizing it, knew my camera was struggling to focus but couldn’t understand why, and so missed those shots.
This last shot was taken immediately after she swallowed her meal. I have never seen this particular expression on her face. Suggests satiety to me.
How lucky I am to be this close to nature. I am just dumbfounded that our President wants to cut the EPA’s budget by 30%. Closer to home, the Maine State Legislature’s Environmental and Natural Resources Committee takes up several pieces of proposed legislation related to mining tomorrow. The bottom line is that mining certain areas poses incredible risks to the environment and what is at stake with this legislation is the health of Maine’s waters, woods and wildlife. I need to get back to working on my testimony so I don’t have time to explain it. See for yourself what’s happening in your state and to your state – and take action tonight or tomorrow by emailing your local representatives. Follow this link for a super easy way to make this minimal effort: http://www.nrcm.org/take-action/
Feel free to email me or message me with questions.
The Nature of Maine 