SNN (ScrollingNetworkNews) ✿ ✿ Our Mel and Sydney returned to their nesting box with plenty of bonding occurring..but after 2.5 months of Sydney in the box from Dec 2013 to mid Feb 2014, the lack of prey gifts from Mel ( perhaps due to the severe and historic drought underway in California)and they have forgone the nesting process this year as many other raptors ✿ Compared to other owls of similar size, the Barn Owl has a much higher metabolic rate, requiring relatively more food. Pound for pound, Barn Owls consume more rodents – often regarded as pests by humans – than possibly any other creature. ✿ We remind viewers that sometimes owlets may not survive - the parents will dispose of things in "The Owl Way" -viewer discretion is advised, this is nature and the "Owl way". ✿ ~ ✿ “Animals, like us, are living souls. They are not things. They are not objects. Neither are they human. Yet they mourn. They love. They dance. They suffer. They know the peaks and chasms of being.” ― Gary Kowalski, The Souls of Animals ✿ Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius." ~ E.O. Wilson

Friday, December 30, 2011

Challenger

Named in honor of the lost space shuttle crew, "Challenger" has performed free-flights during the USA's National Anthem at hundreds of events coast to coast—raising substantial public awareness for the Bald Eagle protection cause. He is the first Bald Eagle in American history trained to free-fly during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and has flown in front of 4 American Presidents.
He has helped educate millions of people about the need to protect the USA's National Bird.

Challenger's nest was blown from the tree (in Louisiana) about 20 years ago -- a fisherman happened by in a boat, saw the nest down with the parents flying up above. At that time, Challenger was about 5 weeks old. The fisherman rescued the baby, cared for him and then tried to release him when he was old enough, but Challenger did not know how to take care of himself because he was human-imprinted.

Osceola is one of the birds at the American Eagle Foundation. Challenger and Osceola live at the same facility (the American Eagle Foundation) in Pigeon Forge, TN along with many other non-releasable eagles and other birds of prey.



http://www.eagles.org/aefsplash/