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   Last spring, when the trumpeter swans were migrating north, we noticed one swan that always seemed to be alone. Swans hang out in family groups while eating or resting. The family will consist of the two adult birds and anywhere from one to six signets or young from the previous year. While resting at our lake, family groups would be hanging out in groups. When they leave to go feed in nearby cornfields, the groups will bunch together, trumpet, and take off. The lone swan was always the last to leave in the morning and first to come back in the evening. The swans usually spend two or three weeks at our place before they continue their northerly migration. When they left to go north this spring, the loner stayed behind for a couple of weeks as though it was waiting for another swan to show up. About two weeks ago, one lone trumpeter returned to our lake. It spends most of its time swimming around, occasionally flying to a nearby cornfield. Over the weekend, two family groups also flew into our lake. When the loner saw the other swans fly in, he trumpeted and swam toward them. They chased him away and broke off into their family groups. I can only assume this is the same lone swan that was here in the spring. Swans mate for life and this one must have lost its mate. It makes a person sad to think it has to spend its life ostracized from the others.

   Sunday, my wife and Pat were in his side by side out by Twin Sluices checking the trails. I got a text message telling me to join them. It was cool and sunny as I headed across the dam and up the hill through the top gate. Driving down the hill toward Twin Sluices, I noticed something just off the main path. I stopped and backed up a bit to get a better look. I was startled to see two mature bald eagles laying in a path about twenty feet away. I took a couple of pictures and pondered what to do next. It certainly is not normal to be able to get that close to eagles in the wild. I drove down and met up with my wife and Pat. I told them what I saw and even if they did not fully believe me, they followed me back up the hill. With two vehicles and three people nearby, the eagles just looked at us. I could only think they were sick or got their talons tangled together while fighting and crashed to the ground. We got out to more closely observe them to see how we could help. I am not sure what we were going to do with no protection from sharp beaks and long talons, but we felt compelled to do something. We made a couple of steps toward them and they jumped up and flew away. There apparently was nothing wrong with them and we may have just interrupted a bit of quiet time between the pair. They may have been taking a dust bath or just sunning themselves out of the wind. Whatever they were doing, we were happy to see there was nothing wrong with them.

   We do not always understand the ways of nature. Sometimes, to us, it seems cruel and unnecessary while other times it is interesting and unusual. I guess it is not our job to always understand.

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