Tuesday Ann and I enjoyed a day-long birding trip on the Hennessy Ranch near Refugio, Texas, thanks to the generosity of Bob and Jimmie Box.Seventy-nine species of birds were seen as we rode about this 3,000 acre ranch in South Texas in an old Swiss army vehicle. It was fun! Hard to say which birds were the most beautiful. Painted Bunting is a wonderful mix of color. Scarlet Tanager of brilliant red and black is a beauty. All kinds of warblers came into view. The show-stealer however were the bald eagles. There is a nest with one chick. It is in the top of a huge electric powerline tower. It must be eight feet across and equally as tall. We had to look at it from a half mile away and that was okay. With a spotting scope and binoculars we could see the distinctive white head of this symbol of our country since 1782!
Did you know eagles numbered about 100,000 pairs and were reduced to a frightening small number. DDT was the biggest culprit. Today they are coming back. More than 1,000 migrate to Texas in the winter. Many of these winter on the lakes of north and east Texas. Not too many come south.This pair we saw may be the fartherest south for all we know. One of the parents had a skirmish with a vulture high in the sky. Apparently the vulture soared a bit too close to the nest, These were two giant birds in a brief dogfight. The eagle won! The bald eagle stands about three feet tall and can spread his wings to about seven feet.They pair for life.
The Bible mentions eagles. They are not the American eagles, but would have some of the same characteristics I imagine. Isaiah wrote:" Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.".(Isaiah 40:31a). Are you soaring on eagle's wings?
