The Eagles have Landed

Linda Bilodeau is the author of The Wine Seekers and Stepping Through Seagrass. She is an MFA student at Spalding University and has just completed her latest novel, The Reluctant CEO, which will be out soon. Her books are available at www.amazon.com.

The Eagles Have Landed

It’s a sure sign of fall in Southwest Florida when we see pictures of bald eagles returning to our area. These magnificent birds can be found in most states but they return faithfully to southwest Florida to nest. And we greet them because signs of changing seasons are subtle here.

We don’t have crisp cool days; we don’t have golden yellow, red or orange leaves. Trees hang onto their leaves here. We have no raking to do, no taking in of a grill, the lawn furniture or buckling down for winter. A sign of fall approaching means noticing subtle things; shorter days, a different crop of flowers blooming, and seeing birds returning to winter over and of course the human kind too. The snowbirds as we lovingly call those folks who winter over here are also coming back.

Yesterday on the front page of our local paper was a picture of a mother eagle readying her nest. These magnificent birds are our national symbol and have in Indian culture been a symbol of fertility and strength. No longer endangered they are still protected as they should be and offer us a look into the wonders of nature.

I have had the pleasure of seeing these birds fly overhead, gliding on the thermals, and coming to rest on a nearby roof top. The head of an eagle is always searching the ground for prey, to feed itself and it’s young. Life happens all around us here. One only need glance in the right direction.

Eagles are so like us. They mate for life, care for their young until it’s time to let go and they live by the rhythm of time, always supporting, always nurturing a younger generation so they might be continued.