Eaglets

I have just checked in with the Eva & Albert blogger to see what he has seen of our eagles. He reports that the oldest one, the one Seattle's eagle lovers have dubbed 'Beatrice', apparently took off from the nest one day early in August and that was that, folks. No messing around with 'learning to hunt' (let alone 'learning to fly!'), and is likely a natural at 'eagleness'. Eaglet #2, however, seems to resemble that one child in the family who just isn't quite sure s/he can walk, so waits until just before kindergarten to take a step. This one, named 'Eleanor' by the locals, finally fledged about a week ago. But unlike its precocious sibling, this eaglet has been seen returning to the nest at dusk on many evenings and still enjoys being fed by the 'rents. Having not seen hide nor feather of Ethel or Ernest for a couple of weeks myself, it is good to catch up on them through my compatriot blogger. He reports that both parents remain in the area, and continue to hang out around 'The 520' quite often. I hope to catch sight of them, and of their home-body offspring one of these days soon. Other 'wild life' reports. We have a very destructive (our mowed to the ground veggie garden as proof) family of cotton tail rabbits in the yard. There were at least two baby bunnies, but sadly the runt of the litter turned up dead recently. A cat or raccoon or even our elusive neighborhood coyote had done quite a job on the poor little thing. In spite of my better judgment I have begun setting out a bowl of water for the little family, as we have just passed 40 days without a drop of precipitation, and absolutely none in sight. (A reverse of Noah's flood?!) The all time record number of consecutive days without precip stands at 51, and we may very well eclipse that mark. So, I couldn't bear to see the remaining baby bunny valiantly trying to pull a bit of water out of the watermelon rind I disposed into our back yard compost heap. Thus the bowl of water.