FOR THE BIRDS -- EVEN POLITICALLY

HUMAN EFFECTS -- on our environment.....

The Bald Eagle as the national symbol of the United States came close to extinction in the 1960’s.   A commonly used pesticide was finally determined to be weakening the eagles’ eggshells causing them to break so embryos could not even develop. Environmental pollution on the ocean floor travelled through the food chain dramatically demonstrating how interconnected creatures and human actions are.        

Thanks to Friends of Big Bear Bald Eagles referring me to this 13+ min. video narrated by Peter Coyote.  The spectacular colorful scenery features the eagles’ story of their Southern California successful reintroduction beginning in the offshore Channel Islands.  You can more fully appreciate the size and beauty of these magnificent birds soaring in flight, swooping to catch a fish, raising their young surrounded by spectacular scenery in this video.

FOR THE BIRDS -- and then some......

Mother Nature has thrown a wrench in the works with regard to the hatching of the highly anticipated Valentine’s Day pip watch at the Big Bear Bald Eagles nest. Over 5000 visitors were noted at the high point of live nest viewing, many participating in the ongoing live chat.  They were exposed to exciting egg defense from Ravens and sudden startling late-night intrusions from the mysterious Fiona, the flying squirrel, garnering aeronautic chases and wing slaps, respectively.

Disappointingly, there have been no pips (beginning egg-shell cracking initiated by eaglet inside) observed on either of the two eggs as of this writing.  Given the expired number of gestation days it is thought to be highly unlikely there will be new BB Bald eaglets this year – unless the parents attempt a second batch of eggs which has been known to occur with some eagles in a few instances. 

There are many unknown factors as to why these eggs aren’t hatching.  There’s always the possibility that the eggs weren’t fertilized, since unlike last year there was no visual verification of parental copulating, but that could easily have occurred off nest in the trees elsewhere.   Even if they did mate, eggs don’t always become fertilized or develop an embryo.  A number of theories have been suggested to explain why these particular eggs might not have developed to be viable for hatching, including weather conditions (though unlikely), but the actual reason is not known. 

Speculation is high as to how much longer the parental eagles will continue brooding by sitting on these eggs to keep them warm for the remote chance of possible embryo development, but that remains to be seen.  The eagles reportedly have no time perception to recognize their eggs viability has expired so may keep caring for these eggs, sometimes until the eggs begin deteriorating or break.  The longer they nurse these eggs the less likely the possibility they might start a second brood this season.

POLITICAL THOUGHT -- for the birds, some might think........

We must continue to seek out and support the credible Fourth Estate press reporters to bring us truth by exposing falsehoods, distortions of facts, suppression of reality.   We are challenged to exercise critical thinking in pursuit of making viable judgments as to who to trust in order to preserve our nation’s freedoms and values. 

Do we want to preserve democracy with the values and freedoms as we know them -- for the United States and the world?

Corruption continues to ooze out of this White House swamp’s septic tank with our paranoiac leader’s deep state conspiracy theories being propagated by him and some of his supporters to justify his increasing inappropriate applications of  excessive power.  Some people even believe these stories as factual which they fail to realize others are deliberately promoting to manipulate them for reasons of questionable motivation. 

Politicians with no expertise in the arena to which they’re being assigned continue to be appointed by this leader to be the top administrators of key governmental functions which can adversely affect this nation’s security and the safety of the American people. 

Increasingly individuals with views different than our leader’s are not being tolerated.  Some might wonder if discrimination and vindictive penalization is also being exercised by this leader and some of his followers.  

Overreach and possible misuse of executive power continues to occur with questionable interference in our nation’s system of law, order and justice.  Some might wonder if white collar criminals crimes are being minimized. 

Ongoing efforts to suppress facts to the American people, to shape citizens beliefs as occurs in autocratic countries like China, Russia, North Korea continues as directed by our leader.  Do we want four more years of this?