All those who think the eagle parents should be DU's unofficial mascots, check in.

[nolabear]

We've been watching the eagles raising their young for days now, feeding them, keeping them warm, and this afternoon sitting in what looks to be a miserable, driving rain, wings outspread, shielding those chicks so they'll be safe.

Would that this country could be as faithful, caring and nurturing to its "children" as its symbols are. We need it so.

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. Not if they're replacing Oscar. n/t

[Scuba]

2. I like the way you think. n/t

[Brigid]

3. I have a better idea.

They should be our official mascots. :)

[Ian David]

4. Thought our mascot was THIS guy...

[tnlefty]

5. "as faithful, caring and nurturing to its "children" as its symbols

are" wouldn't that be refreshing?

The wind has been blowing so hard the past couple of days I feel as if I almost need dramamine to watch.

[nolabear]

6. Me too. I get cold just listening.

[virgogal]

9. I can barely look at it today,and the weather forecast for the next

week is not so hot.

I hope the little guys make it through this.

[tnlefty]

15. It's getting ugly down here in red state hell, and has been for

hours...these parents are successful parents, and I think they'll be okay, as the wind is howling here and slight hail. I truly think that they'll be okay, hoping so!

[Curmudgeoness]

7. I think that they already are our mascots, from the number of DUers

who are following them. I love your analogy of this country/faithful parents.

[elocs]

8. I think the eagles should have their own forum, and get them off GD.

Other threads like the gushing eagle threads end up in The Lounge or elsewhere. They don't belong here.

I know I am not the only one here who feels this way.

[nolabear]

10. Oh for Christ's sake. Is there a curmudgeon quotient in GD that I didn't know about?

[anneboleyn]

20. Apparently so. It flares up from time to time like hemorrhoids.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. No, not the Eagle Forum

That's the name of Phyllis Schlafly's group. We can't have that.

[tnlefty]

16. Okay, while checking in on the nest the past couple of days, with

the high winds making me want dramamine, anything related to the crazed Phyllis makes me want to hurl. :puke:

[quinnox]

21. I agree

Honestly, the eagles "saga" here in GD is mind numbingly dull. It reminds me of a group of people sitting around babies, saying "Isn't he cute" for hours.

[elocs]

28. I have a freeper friend who gushes about the eagles constantly.

He has them on his laptop nearly all the time. There sits an eagle on the nest and a couple of times an hour something happens.

This definitely belongs in the Lounge, or elsewhere.

[Canuckistanian]

11. Can we send them some pizza?

Just give me a phone number.

[tnlefty]

12. Fish, crows, rabbits, squirrels, other mammals..

the phone number would be 1-800-dial-nature. :hi:

[Canuckistanian]

18. What toppings do they like?

Fish guts, rodent skins? Extra cheese?

[tnlefty]

22. I wouldn't think cheese, as a cow is too large, they can't

milk it, then process it...perhaps they top the rodents with fish to make it more favorable to the young'uns! Yum, yum. not for me.

[tnlefty]

24. I just checked, and the wind is strong, but it seems that Mom

is getting some much needed rest.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. It's a good idea

Check.

[bertman]

17. I think we should make them the national bird.

[tnlefty]

26. *snort* and that's not why I'm trying to watch...

my family has a thing about raptors. We have the privilege to watch ospreys, occasional eagles, turkey vultures, red tailed hawks, red shouldered hawks, and the occasional falcon...we miss the owls as we're usually inside, trying to go to sleep when they're out.

Today my oldest and a friend of his and I witnessed a vulture flying low, right above the roof line of the house, and we were in awe of that ugly bird. I've already witnessed a falcon coming around to mess with the songbirds that we have feeders out for.

I suppose I should change that to a love of raptors and birds, nature in general.

[bertman]

31. Glad you 'got it', tnlefty. Raptors are magnificent creatures. We have

a pair of red-shouldered hawks who often feed and even mate in our back yard. The barred owls that live within a quarter mile of our house are very vocal and we occasionally catch a glimpse of one during daylight hours. We even have a great horned owl who shows up every now and then.

My wife is a wildlife rehabber. She has helped heal and rehab several red-tailed hawks and owls. Once they had a turkey vulture at their wildlife clinic. She said it smelled to high heaven.

Just the last two weeks we have had a nest of Carolina wrens who had five babies on our carport. We kept the cats indoors during the day so they wouldn't get eaten like the first batch (bummer). Four days ago the young ones were getting flight training from the parents. They were unbelievably cute little fuzzy balls trying to fly around. By day three they had all moved from the nest area on the carport to a thick brush pile on our property.

Yep, all birds are fun and interesting.

[tnlefty]

32. Hey bertman and kudos to your wife for rehabing wildlife!

Please thank her for me.

About three years ago, when our youngest cat, who had to have her tail amputated (her tail was run over by a school bus and we were supposed to be her foster family until she recovered and she's still here)...anyway she basically looked like a rabbit to some red tailed hawks who were nesting in a cedar tree at the back of the back yard.

She didn't go outside without me and our older male cat during that time.

The problem we've had with songbirds is when one of the fledglings on a first or second attempt to fly smacks into a structure, i.e. fence, tree and is stunned. When we see it, my family makes a circle around the downed bird although we're being strafed by the parents until we locate the cats and get them in the house. We're not rehabbers, but we try to be helpers. :hi:

[anneboleyn]

19. Great post, and great idea. I vote to support the eagles. They are everything our country should be.

[Blue-Jay]

23. Really?

Call me crazy, but why does DU need a random webcam animal as a "mascot"?

[Contrary1]

25. Nah, there's a kitty here that begs to differ...

and I have a 3 inch jagged scar on my neck/chest area to emphasize that.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

29. YES! The eagles have captured my heart!

and fed it to the chicks...Just kidding. I vote for the eagles!

[Countdown_3_2_1]

30. oops! meant to reply to the OP.

sorry.

[Autumn Colors]

27. Checking in

K&R

Poor little family. The nest is covered with snow.