E-14 R.I.P.

While I was recovering from my accident in Naples, Florida two years ago, I learned
about a website that streamed a video 24/7 of a nest of two Bald Eagles within a few
miles of the hospital in Fort Myers.  Mom and Dad eagles had hatched two eggs
and for 24 days in the hospital and in a rehab facility, I watched the babies eat, grow,
fledge and finally leave home,

Last year, I started watching again in December and watched two eggs hatch and
continued watching the eaglets until they left the nest area in April.  I would check in
with them at least a couple of times a day.

This year, I watched in fascination as cracks appeared in one egg, and a cute little
eagle emerged, so tiny, barely able to hold his head up.  Mom and Dad brought tons
of food and fed him every hour or so. But the second egg never hatched. This year,
they only had one baby to take care of.  It was named E-14 and thrived, consuming
enormous quantities of food, growing rapidly.

Yesterday evening, a report on the eagle blog said that blood was seen on the
baby's foot, on his left-wing, and on his left side.  The blog didn’t make it sound that serious.

This morning I checked in and Mom was standing next to E-14, looking down at it.  The
images are so clear that normally I see the baby breathing. Not this morning.  Mom
pecked at its foot and the baby didn’t move. Dad came and stood next to her, looking
down at their baby.

An announcement a few minutes later confirmed that baby E-14 had passed.

I am so sad.  Goodbye, little eagle.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com