guardiansofthehudsonvalley

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Tundra’s Christmas Gift...

Storm was shivering up in his perch observing his charge with great interest. Although eagles were built for all types of weather, this was his first winter. He had never dealt with anything like the polar vortex that had descended along the Hudson River.

Below him, Tundra was reveling in the cold weather. This was the kind of day a Siberian husky was built for: frigid with fresh snow on the ground. She was chasing sticks and balls and play-fighting with her best friend, Hudson.

Tundra was well aware of Storm’s presence. She had become accustomed to the fact that she had recently acquired a feathery shadow. Why he was there, she did not know but she understood that her new companion meant her no harm. She even missed him when he was not there.

From Storm’s perspective, Tundra was easy to observe. Even in the snow, his eagle eyes made observing a white Siberian husky like Tundra, a simple matter. The fact that her side-kick was a 140 lb black Newfoundland made things all the easier. Tracking something like this was child’s play for a bald eagle, even a very young juvenile.  

Tundra pretended she didn’t notice her raptor shadow in the distance, but Storm knew well enough that Tundra knew he was there. It was a game they seemed happy to play together. He pretended he wasn’t watching her and she pretended not to notice that he was. Some day, when the time was right, they would be friends. But that was in the future. For now, they were both content with the way things were.

As a ball toss went high in the air Storm watched with admiration as Tundra leapt in  the air. He wondered how any animal could defy gravity like that without the help of wings. It was like she was on springs. “Score!” Tundra thought to herself as she caught the ball mid-flight and landed gracefully on the ground. Hudson barked with approval. Even Storm let out a small “Squee!” He was supposed to remain silent and watchful, but he simply couldn’t help himself.

The view over the Hudson River was spectacular. The cold wind rushing off the river made the park along the shore seem several degrees colder than anything even a few blocks inland. Storm knew it was time for him to hunt. The river was right there and soon Tundra and her companions would be leaving. He would be compelled to follow them, but he was having more difficultly in this cold weather getting his catch. Part of him didn’t even want to try, but he knew what he needed to do.

Tundra and Hudson noted that their shadowy friend had left them in favor of a fishing expedition. They both watched as Storm tried in vain to get his catch of the day. There was ice on the river making things all the more difficult. Tundra and Hudson exchanged glances. They were concerned for their feathered friend. After all, everyone needs to eat. It was painful to watch as Storm tried and tried again to make a catch. Neither Tundra nor Hudson knew much about eagles. But they both admired his tenacity.

Tundra sensed an awkwardness that can only come from youth and inexperience. Tundra wasn’t a bird, but she understood well enough that the severe cold was making fishing difficult even for experienced hunters. He just needed a break in the temperature for a few days.  That would melt the ice…

As the sun started to set, Tundra and Hudson left the park with their owners.  Tomorrow was Christmas day and their humans needed to have time to prepare. Tundra always loved Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was a festive season and the house smelled like pine, decorations were everywhere and there was food galore. She got more than her fair share of human food treats during the holidays. People were different during the holidays as well. It was a refreshing change.  During this short month, many seemed to take a step back and appreciate what they already had rather than than getting overly caught up in what they had yet to achieve.

When she got home, Tundra went to her favorite sofa in her owner’s home office. As she curled up for a nap, she happened to glance out the window. Sure enough, there was Storm, perched on his favorite branch. He couldn’t hunt for fish here. it was too far inland.

Suddenly Tundra was filled with worry for her mystery companion. He hadn’t eaten all day, she was quite sure of that.  There was food everywhere in the house…but how to get it to him? She wandered into the kitchen where Antonia was preparing the fish and the meat. The less desirable parts were being thrown into the garbage. Not prime pickings for people, but what about a hungry bird? Tundra was certain that Storm could make good use of these scraps. She also noted that her own bowl was being filled with a few tasty tidbits.

Tundra licked her chops, but realized that her raptor shadow probably needed these treats more than she did. The food going into the garbage was just going to be wasted.

Finally, her owner left the kitchen. Tundra hopped on a chair and was able to carefully pluck some tasty scraps out of the garbage. She ran to the dog door carrying a tasty piece of fatty beef and returned to the house to raid the garbage of some discarded pieces of fish, chicken and more beef. By the time her owner had returned she had made about 5 trips outside with food scraps. It was quite a generous haul that would make for an excellent meal.

Storm was shivering in the tree. He was cold and really hungry. He saw his friend going in and out of the dog door. This was a new behavior for her and he no idea what she was up to.

Tundra went outside one last time. This time she needed to signal to Storm that this meal was intended for him. She tried to signal to her silent companion that the food was for him. “Awooooooo! Awooooooo!” she howled gently. Storm was startled. She was looking straight at him. Was she trying to communicate with him?

As she stood by the food, she noticed a few pine cones in the brush, she added them as an embellishment and gently howled one more time “Awooooo! Awooooo!”.  Then she almost winked at him and looked directly at him and then at the food. Tundra then quietly slipped into the house and went to her vantage point on her sofa. She watched as storm silently landed in the back yard.

Storm couldn’t believe his eyes. This was all for him? Really?  He looked through the window and saw Tundra staring out at him. Who was watching who now? He finally realized that this was her gift. He took the leftovers back to his perch…Tundra watched as he flew towards his favorite tree with her gift in his talons, she thought “Merry Christmas my mysterious friend…”

The next morning, Tundra went outside to enjoy the cold Christmas day. It was bright and sunny, but very cold. Suddenly, she noticed that there was a fish in exactly the same place where she had placed her gift. It was even embellished with pine cones. Storm was back in his perch, but at some point his hunting skills had finally paid off…and he was giving his catch back to her in thanks. “Merry Christmas Tundra!” he thought to himself.

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Hawk Takes Refuge in a Taxi Before Hurricane Harvey...

Animals really sense changes in the atmosphere more than we do. This clever raptor took refuge in a taxi cab before hurricane Harvey hit.  He just looks so scared!  Poor thing.  Animals are smarter in many ways than we are and they are more in tune with their environment.  I wish this little guy and the taxi cab driver - as well as everyone in Houston - well. America is thinking about all of you!

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Tundra’s dream...

It was a beautiful but hot morning and Tundra’s day was just getting started. She had just had her short morning walk and was now enjoying her meal while her owner was brewing a big mug of coffee for herself. This was their morning routine and she found it quite satisfying. There was something calming and serine about the predictability of it all.

Antonia, Tundra’s owner was  a medical researcher/writer who worked mostly from home. The coffee mug meant that a long day at the computer lay ahead for her companion. Tundra would spend most of her day quietly by her owner’s side in the home office.  Although long work days could be a bit boring, a great outing in the park or walk along the trails was generally the reward she could look forward to at the end of the day. Tundra also realized that she was far luckier than most dogs. Antonia mostly worked from home, so she wasn’t left alone for most of the day like many of her friends.

As they moved into the home office, Tundra had to admit that she loved the room where they spent most of her work day together. It was a warm and cozy place decorated in warm golds and greens. It had a big bay window which faced west, perfectly set up to capture the afternoon sun. There was also a fireplace that the both enjoyed during the colder months. The corner lounging area was designed for comfort and entertainment  with a television and very comfortable couch and coffee table .  Tundra had her own special bed near the foot of the desk although she often favored the deep cushions of the sofa to relax and snooze in while Antonia worked.

If boredom got the better of her, Tundra would run around the house and collect her toys and play by herself or try to engage her workaholic companion in a quick game of tug-of-war.  But today was different, Tundra was looking forward to a nice long nap.

Last night had been a very strange night. Tundra kept being wakened by a series of the most unusual dreams. Every time she woke up, she felt that she felt the need to sort out what she had seen and felt. In the first dream she found herself in the company of many pairs of prying yellow eyes. They were penetrating, perhaps a bit frightening in their strangeness. It seemed as though the eyes were trying to delve into her deepest thoughts. She resisted the penetration and suddenly found herself wide awake. She was in Antonia’s bedroom, sleeping on the bed as usual, her owner fast asleep beside her. The moon was full outside and all was peaceful. Who were those creatures and why did they want to know what she was thinking? Silly! It was only a dream, she thought.

She went back to sleep readily enough, but this time she found herself in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, a place where she and Antonia sometimes went for a walk. Only this time the grave stones had come to life with the souls of those who transitioned to the spirit world. They were whispering about the history of Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson River Valley. She barely understood the whispers, but it seemed that they were all swirling around her trying to tell her something. The face of one man emerged from his headstone speaking of things that had happened long ago and the honor she was being given. Once again, Tundra was wide awake. What honor was she being given? She didn’t understand. But once again, she thought, it was only a dream. It was harder to get back to sleep this time, admittedly because she was a bit concerned about what she might dream of next!  

The final dream was the most amazing of all. She was in the sky looking down over the Hudson River Valley, flying at amazing speed. She couldn’t believe the view below and around her. She was surrounded by eagles, owls and other birds of prey. She was apparently seeing their world through her eyes and what a world it was! It was almost intoxicating as she raced through the night sky seeing the lights dotting the landscape, the great river and roadways. In the distance was the great city of New York, alive with light even at 3 AM. The wind ruffled her fur and she felt the thrill of flying through the air wild and free. It was as if the prying eyes of her first dream were returning the favor and giving her  a private look into their own world. Something they didn’t often share with a mere mammal. When she woke up the final time, Tundra was too exhilarated to go back to sleep. The experience had seemed so real…but of course, it wasn’t.

But by 9 AM, when Antonia’s work day was starting, Tundra was definitely feeling the lack of any real sleep. She curled up on the sofa and had a nice long nap. It was only when  Antonia called to her to go for their mid-day stroll that she finally woke with a start.  “Come on girl friend! Let’s go for our quick walk!” Tundra happily followed her owner out the door. “Boy, you were really out cold Tundra! Did you have a good sleep?” asked Antonia as they strolled around the block. The sun was shining and it was a hot day. Almost too hot for a Siberian Husky and Tundra was glad to get back home into air-conditioning. Huskies aren’t at their best in high heat and humidity.

More alert now, Tundra started watching Antonia at work on the computer. This was nothing new. She watched her all the time, fascinated by the activity. Her fingers flying over the keyboard, numbers everywhere and charts all over the place. But this time she was starting to understand bits and pieces of what her owner was actually doing. It had never captivated her in this way before. She felt as though she was looking at a large puzzle. Previously, the puzzle had held little interest for her, but now she wanted to understand more. She felt little bits of her mind starting to crack open as she slowly took in more information. The more she watched, the more she learned. The charts, she realized, were were made from numbers. The charts revealed patterns more clearly than numbers by themselves.

Tundra didn’t fully understand what was happening to her, but she choose to think of this new ability to understand the human world as a  gift. She wasn’t at all sure if her strange dreams of the previous night had anything to do with what she was experiencing today, but she felt somehow that these were things she wasn’t ready to know just yet.

Eventually, she could take in no more information and she settled in for another nap. When she woke up, she felt refreshed and ready for her favorite part of the day. It was time to go out and play. Antonia was waiting with the leash and they both headed out along the aqueduct trail. Happily, Hudson made an appearance along with Sam and Ray. While the human’s chatted, Tundra told Hudson about her strange dreams. Hudson had always wondered what it was like to fly. When he was playing in the river, he would often see geese and birds land with such precision. He had often considered what the world looked like from the bird’s point of view high in the sky. Maybe someday he would have a similar experience. But of course, Tundra was only describing a dream. It didn’t really happen…

The five of them walked together until the sun was low in the sky. As they turned and walked back towards their homes, Tundra saw a large eagle high in a tree.  He seemed to be watching her with great interest. It was as if he was almost greeting her as a friend.

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Top photo - Jade at age 3.   Bottom photo - Tundra at 6 months.

In my story, the dog I named Tundra is actually a combination of these two Siberian Huskies.  The personality of Tundra in the story has some of the mellowness and sensitivity of Jade along with more of the spunkiness of Tundra. As someone who lives with them both, I can attest to the fact that they couldn’t be more different from each other.  

These photos were taken at the dog park in Sleepy Hollow on a cold December day.

Since they are young in the story, I am showing photos that are 10 years old. Jade is now 13 and Tundra is now 10. 

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

This eagle outsmarted the shutter bug. The photographer just wanted a few close ups, so he set his GoPro in a likely spot. The eagle cooperated, but turned the tables by flying off with the camera. 

What is truly amazing is the eagle’s view of land from the sky. They see the world very differently than we do! Of course, the camera doesn’t “see” exactly what the eagle sees either. 

But it gives one some idea of what eagles see and experience while in flight and what Tundra gets to see first-hand in her “dream” in the next chapter.  

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Tundra...

The dog park of Sleepy Hollow was located right on the banks of the Hudson River in Kingsland Point Park. The Hudson River dominated the view and ran along the western bank of park. The trees created ample shade from the sun when needed. The breeze coming off the river rustled the leaves above. During the summer months, it was an ideal place to relax and unwind at the end of a day.

Tundra was already there when when Ray, Sam and Hudson arrived. Just a few minutes earlier she was happily enjoying the company of her other friends. They had been running through the park, chasing squirrels and catching up on their gossip. But just now, she was taking a break under a large maple tree. When she saw Sam and Hudson enter the park, Tundra howled in happiness and ran to greet them.

Sam watched as Tundra galloped full speed towards them. There was something about the way she ran. She was fast and graceful at the same time and almost seem to glide through the air. Light on her feet, there was a precision about her. No wasted movement whatsoever. It was as if she was planning her trajectory with mathematical precision.

Sam threw his arms open and called “Tundra! Are you ready to play?” Tundra leaped into his arms and accepted his hug. For the next half hour, the two dogs frolicked together in a game of frisbee.

As the game progressed, Sam noticed that Tundra was holding back a bit and “letting” Hudson catch some frisbee tosses. When it came to frisbee and catch, the advantage was clearly Tundra’s. Hudson was massively strong and powerful, and he was also a decent runner, but the bulk that made him strong, also kept him closer to the ground. Sam enjoyed watching the two of them together. So alike and so different all at the same time. Such close friends.

Tundra was almost flying after Sam’s latest toss. It was too long a toss for Hudson. So she let go and just enjoyed the experience. As the frisbee started to come down to the ground, she almost defied gravity as she vaulted herself into the air to catch it. “SCORE!” she thought, as she caught it mid-descent. In celebration of her amazing catch, Tundra threw her head back  in the air let out a long howl. “Aaaawoooooooooo!” she declared to no one in particular. Hudson did a small victory dance in her honor, jumping up as far as he could and wagging his large tail. It was quite a catch.

Sam was pleased that Hudson seemed to relax. He had seen how hurt he was about the boy on Main Street and wondered who he was. Since they were about the same age, Sam would certainly have known him if he lived in the area. Hudson took the fear response that some people had for him very much to heart. But this time the reaction was so dramatic that Sam really hoped they wouldn’t have another encounter like that again.

After nearly over 30 minutes of Sam’s vigorous frisbee tosses, Tundra and Hudson settled under a tree to relax and cool down. The sun was just starting to set along the river. The cool breeze coming off water ruffled Tundra’s thick coat. She loved that feeling and closed her eyes to better take in the sensation.

It was during this quiet time that Hudson decided to confide in Tundra.The incident with the boy on Main Street was still on his mind. He wondered why some people were so afraid of him.

Tundra wondered as well. At first she thought he might be too sensitive, but this sort of thing had happened to him several times before. Hudson was the friendliest of dogs. His best feature by far were his sweet almond shaped eyes. They showed the gentleness of his disposition to anyone who bothered to look.

The other dogs certainly had no fear of him. He had the reputation of being a playful, but easy-going. He didn’t even seem to have the ability to get angry. He loved to play with other dogs, but was careful not to be too rough since he was so large. Truly a gentle giant. There was no reason for humans or anything else to fear him.

Since Tundra didn’t understand why this was happening, she didn’t know quite what to say. Instead, she just listened as they lay on the soft cool grass together looking out towards the water. Hudson loved Tundra because she was playful and yet quiet and calming all at the same time and he found himself relaxing and forgetting that scene on Main Street.They watched together as the sun started to sink lower in the sky and change from a bright yellow sphere to a fiery red ball that lit up the water and the horizon. It was one of those peaceful scenes that was a nightly gift from the Hudson River Valley to all those fortunate enough to see it.

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Photo Credit: https://www.123rf.com/profile_Fotofront69

The Saga of Humphrey:

The character of Hudson was taken from a dog that was in my life during college. It was a period where I was living at home and doing double duty as a school administrator and student. 

I wish I had a photo of the real “Hudson” whose name was actually “Humphrey”. But I don’t. He was a massive dog and probably weighed in at about 145-150 lbs. Like most Newfie’s he was sweet and gentle natured. 

Humphrey was our neighbor’s dog. The family had three children and Humphrey had appointed himself nursemaid and protector of the youngest who was about three years of age. “Tray” used to ride on Humphrey, pull his hair out, and crawl all over him. Humphrey was totally un-phased by all of this. He just lovingly cared for his charge, played gently and was perfectly content. 

For all his bulk, Humphrey was and escape artist. One night I came home from work and found him on the wrong side of the fence. It took me an hour to get him back into his own yard. How something so large fit through such a small fence was amazing. 

Another night I came home late and pulled into the garage. All of a sudden, I was grabbed by the throat from behind. I started screaming! Upstairs, my mother woke up and started calling the police. Next door the lights went on. All of a sudden, I realized that the hand that held me had CLAWS???? “HUMPHREY! IS THAT YOU?” Sure enough, one big bark told the story. He was delighted to see me and covered me with kisses. His owners from next door came over and took him home. 

After Humphrey and his family moved away, I learned that Humphrey had led a double life. Apparently, several families had “adopted him’ and he had a route to those homes which he followed every day he wasn’t looking after Tray. 

He was a gentle giant with a spirit all his own. He may have seemed almost bland, but he obviously enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest. 

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Hudson...

It was a warm summer afternoon. The sky was just starting to get that late day golden glow. Hudson was walking walking down Broadway in Tarrytown NY with Sam, his 9-year-old human companion. Sam’s father Ray, was lagging a few steps behind.

Sam and Hudson looked like a mismatched set, even though they were almost inseparable companions. Sam was a somewhat small and slender for his age with dark chestnut hair and light brown eyes. He was athletic in the way a marathon runner would be. In contrast, Hudson was a massive black Newfoundland mix with just a touch of labrador retriever. Apart from the white spot shaped like a star on his chest, he was completely black. He had a massive head and thick shaggy coat and a very large rudder-like tail which seemed to be constantly wagging gently. Weighing in at nearly 140 lbs he was more than twice the size of Sam and his heavy fur coat made him seem larger still. His eyes were  dark brown, almond shaped and sweet. For all his size and power, Hudson was a gentle giant.

As Sam and Hudson turned the corner onto Main Street, they suddenly spied a young boy with his parents.  They were just a few feet away. The youngster was just about Sam’s age with large expressive hazel eyes and a haunted expression. Hudson had seen that look before. It always upset him. The boy was afraid of him. The fear that he saw this time was particularly strong. Hudson thought it might be because the boy’s eyes were closer to his eye level than those of an adult. Or perhaps it was something more than that. He couldn’t be sure. Sam called out to the family “It’s Ok, he’s very gentle!” But they didn’t appear to hear him. The boy immediately huddled up against his mother and the entire family crossed the street in order to avoid both of them. It seemed an extreme reaction. Hudson tried not to let how much this hurt him show. Deeply upset, his tail went down and he hung his massive head in sadness. Why were some people so afraid him?

Sam knew his companion well enough to sense how this hurt him. “Hey Hudson, don’t let people like that upset you. Everyone who gets to know you, loves you. You know that don’t you?”  Sam sighed as gave his large friend a big hug and Hudson wagged his tail gently.  Hudson knew he was loved, but it was obvious that no matter what, some people were always going to be afraid of him.  

Their errands done, Sam and Ray decided to head out to the dog park in Sleepy Hollow. There were a couple of hours of daylight left and Ray was almost certain that  Tundra would be there. There was almost nothing that made Hudson or Sam happier than a play date with Tundra.  

From high above the streets perched on a the branch of the tallest tree he could find in the town proper, Zeus, watched carefully. He had been quietly keeping his eagle eye on Brian since the evening of his nightmare. Minerva was a wise and ancient owl and her instincts were rarely wrong. Zeus himself wasn’t quite as certain but thought the boy’s interest in eagles could mean something. His obvious fear of that one dog struck him as odd. 

For the moment, though, the river beckoned and Zeus decided to head in that direction where the other boy and his large dog were going. Was instinct pulling him there, or was it his desire to go fishing before it got dark? Zeus couldn’t honestly say. But he knew he was both hungry and curious about Sam and his dog Hudson.

© 2017 - RGHicks - All rights reserved. 

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

This photo came from a FB group dedicated to the EagleCam of a mated pair of eagles that have taken up residence in Washington DC’s Arboretum.  

What is interesting about this photo is that the eye placement between the genders is quite different. The female has a more “binocular” eye set which is typical of predators. The male has  more of a side placement which is more typical of prey. Bald eagles are considered predators, so I was wondering what the relative advantage of this variation this is...???? Curious....

BTW, for those who are interested in the intensive care that mated bald eagles give to their young, you should check it out! Here is the link to the DC EagleCam Watchers Club. 

The “couple” are known as Mr. President and The First Lady (MrP and TFL).  They have been lovingly nurturing their two eaglets, Honor and Glory, since their hatching at the end of March. 

For those would like to watch the live EagleCam in DC. here is link. It’s on live 24/7 until the eaglets leave the nest and will be turned on again when MrP and TFL return next year to raise a new generation of bald eagles.

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

“Eagle Eye” or “Zeus” is one of the prime inspirations for this story. I was at the dog park at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow. The park lies right along the Hudson. It was an extremely cold day in early winter. Jade and Tundra were playing with their pals in the dog park. 

It was while I was playing with my dogs that spied this large eagle perched high in a tree watching over the Hudson River Valley. Like a sentinel or guardian. He seemed like a spirit to me with almost supernatural gifts. 

I quietly went to my car where I (fortunately) had my DSLR and a 300 mm lens. I didn’t have a tripod and the cold made it nearly impossible to hold the camera steady. But I did get this one good shot. 

The bird patiently waited while I took my photos. It was only after processing that I saw that “Eagle Eye” was observing me far more critically than I was looking at him (or - more likely - her). 

But suddenly, like a spirit on the wind - he was gone. “Eagle Eye” took off quickly and silently heading towards the river with a wing span so wide, it scarcely seemed real. 

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

Brian...

It was the same nightmare again. Brian woke up screaming in pain and fear and it brought both of his parents rushing to his bedroom.

Wide awake now, with his Mom and Dad at his side, he saw all of his familiar things in their proper place. His baseball and mitt were in the chair near his bed. His shelf of science and math books including his well-read collection of books about eagles and other raptors were all tucked away on the shelf over his desk. Seeing the familiar objects calmed him. It was just a dream.

Of course the dream was more than a dream. The large scars on his left arm were proof enough of that. What he was dreaming about had actually happened to him long ago. He was so young when it happened that the memory was vague and yet very vivid at the same time.

The large black dog had attacked him for reasons he didn’t remember and could only imagine. The attack went on for seemingly forever ripping apart his upper arm. The next thing he remembered was finding himself in a room with people covered in caps and scary masks trying to put a mask over his face forcing him to breathe in a strange smelling gas. Later he woke up in a room with machines beeping and adults in strange cloths scurrying around with hushed voices. He remembered the pain. The months of recovery, and the strenuous and painful therapy that eventually gave him back the full use of his arm.

At the age of nearly nine, Brian was old enough to know that though his body had recovered, his mind refused to forget. Though very balanced in every other way, he realized that this one incident had created a terror of dogs that was probably going to stay with him forever.

It impacted his life in little ways all the time. In his mind, he knew that this didn’t make sense. Like people, most dogs were good, but a few were bad. But the nightmare kept coming back in the dark of night. By restoring the memory to its most vivid, the nightmares made it impossible for he to put the past behind him.  

Brian was now sitting on the bed with the lights on, his Mom and Dad on either side of him. “Will these dreams ever go away?” he asked his parents. “I wish I could just forget.”

The three of them sat together for a while on the bed while Brian’s Dad, read aloud a couple of chapters of Brian’s newest books about the bald eagle. Listening to his father’s voice calmed him and diverted him from his fear. He had always been fascinated by bald eagles. They seemed so majestic and free of all fear and care, living in the treetops flying with tremendous ease and speed. What touched him most was how they almost went extinct but were now recovering and starting to thrive. To him, it showed that there is great hope in life. Things that are broken can be made whole again.  

Neither he nor his parents noticed the small wise owl quietly observing them from the tree just outside Brian’s window. She didn’t know much yet, but she knew that something important had happened. The boy was important. It was just a phantom feeling, like a wisp on a breeze. But time had taught her to trust her instincts, and so she did. His interest in eagles might be a piece of the puzzle. Her companion with his eagle eye would help her sort these questions out. She would ask him when he reappeared at dawn, which was just a few hours away. Meanwhile, she listened carefully as Brian’s father read to him details about nesting eagles.

© 2017 - RGHicks - All rights reserved. 

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

The Cathedral of the Tall Trees...

Their meeting place had to be secluded. A place where prying human eyes could not wander. Such a place was difficult to find and even harder to keep secret. For the past few decades, that place has been on the main trail circling the lake at the Rockefeller Preserve.

It was a clever solution, sort of like hiding in plain sight. People would walk by their secret place every day, and there would be nothing unusual to see. But at dusk, when the gates close, ownership of the Preserve is turned over to the wildlife until the following day. The raptors cleverly took advantage of that fact and arranged their monthly meetings during these hours. It took some adjusting for the hawks and eagles who were not, by nature, nocturnal, but the price was a small one for the privacy it ensured.  

As a group, they met only on the occasion of the full moon just after dark. They call their meeting place the Cathedral of the Tall Trees. It was named by Minerva, a small screech owl who managed to get herself stuck inside a gothic church one night. She remained captive until someone opened a window the next day. The “cathedral” consists of two long lines of maple trees flanking both sides of the main trail around the lake. The trunks of the trees rise towards the sky, (like the columns in the gothic church) and the leaves create a leafy canopy roof down the center of a trail. The place always reminded Minerva of her strange indoor adventure and the name she gave it had stuck.

Far from being a grim, cold, or solemn place, the atmosphere was warm and friendly. In the summer months fireflies would graciously come out and provide ample lighting creating a warm friendly glow of blinking lights around the gathering. Nevertheless, their convocations had a serious purpose and it was a place for sober discussion as well as fellowship.

A sense of fellowship was important for the guardians. They looked to each other for support since none of them would have the comfort of a mate or parent young of their own. It was quite a sacrifice, for family life and finding a life-long mate was central to the lives of these birds. It gave them a purpose and kept them emotionally grounded. However, the energy and time required to raise a family year after year would be too distracting and taxing for those taking on the role of sentinel and guardian.

Tonight was the first meeting for two young fledglings. It was an exciting time. Although owls and hawks had continued to be inducted into the community of the guardians, it had been a long time since a juvenile eagle had joined. Their population, though recouping, has remained small and most of the young have been needed to repopulate the species. But with their numbers growing, one new eaglet with particular potential was entering as an apprentice. He was a young bald eagle named Storm and he was to be paired with Agatha, a great horned owl.

That’s how the pairings worked. Daytime birds were paired with nocturnal birds. They would hand over their territory at sun rise and sun down.

The people of the Hudson River Valley owed a great deal to these raptors, even though they never knew it. They bridged the spiritual world which surrounded the region with the real world and would intervene in either, but only if they were needed.

The guardians were particularly eager to greet the new fledgling eaglet. It had been nearly 70 years since they had welcomed a new eaglet and they were thrilled that the population had recovered enough for this to be possible. So there was an added air of excitement this night. Storm, with his dark beak and eyes dressed in his juvenile feathers, was already famous, even though he was less than a year old.

[guardiansofthehudsonvalley]

The Gift...

The ancient birds, which to this day watch over the Hudson River Valley, were a gift given from the God and spirit Kitschimanitto.

In a time long ago, the original people of this valley lived in quiet harmony with each other and nature. The Indian tribes who called that special place home were part of Algonquin speaking tribes of North America. They had their squabbles with the Mohawk nations and their trials with the earthly devils which tormented them. But over the course of thousands of years, they had built a rich life of relative peace. They hunted, gathered, and planted crops. They fished the great river they called the Muhheakantuck.  With their combined skills of farming, hunting and fishing, it was a civilization of relative plenty.  

During those days raptor population which included the bald eagle, thrived in the valley. Mated couples came back year after year to raise their eaglets in the tall trees along the river. Up to half a million strong, they overlooked the Muhheakantuck from the vantage of the treetops. With their eagle eyes, they quietly saw all and appeared to know all.

But that all ended one day in 1609 when Henry Hudson “discovered” the Muhheakantuck and the world of this beautiful valley changed forever. Thousands of years of Indian civilization were upended in just a few decades. The land that the native population believed was their gift from the Gods became the subject of a land grab. It didn’t take long for war to erupt.

During this time many Indians died. First to disease brought in by the settlers (such as small pox and diphtheria) and then from the carnage of war.

The fallen from these battles who entered the spirit world looked to the great spirit of Kitschimanitto for help. They feared for this place that they had so loved and cherished. Could Kitschimanitto find a way to protect the valley that they loved so much from those who would do it harm?

For the most part, Kitschimanitto had been too preoccupied with his mate in heaven to concern himself with earthly toil. But seeing this great carnage of his people caused him to take action. Responding in violence would only beget more violence and destroy the valley. So, instead, he granted immortality to a select group of raptors who would be charged with watching over the region. They would protect the land, water and inhabitants (animal and human).

Gathering information and sensing changes in the Valley was their greatest charge. From their high perches, they had a broad perspective. To help the fulfill their duties, each was granted  unique magical gifts. The gift of time that immortality bestowed allowed these birds to grow in wisdom and strength of purpose over the centuries.

The eagles would be the watchers by day and the owls the watchers of the night. They were also a bridge between the real and spiritual world occupied by  Kitschimanitto and those from the region who had crossed to the other side.

And so it has been for nearly 400 years. Almost everything around them has changed, but the mission of the ancient birds has not. Today, they watch over what is now known as the Hudson River Valley and the current inhabitants. Their watch continues much as it has for hundreds of years.

© 2017 - RGHicks - All Rights Reserved.