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If you follow me on Facebook you know that over the past week I’ve been totally obsessed with a family of eagles in Decorah, Iowa. It all started when I clicked on a link for a live Ustream video because three baby eagles were about to hatch. Me, not knowing anything about wildlife thought, ok I’ll watch this for a little while and all three eggs will hatch and I can get on with my day. Not so much. That was April 1st. It is now April 5th. Two of the eaglets have hatched and we’re still waiting for the 3rd. It’s gotten to the point where I now have one computer on “eagle watch” at all times while I work on the other one. I can’t help myself. I am more into what’s going on in a nest two states away and 80 feet off the ground than any of my favorite reality shows (which says a lot coming from a reality tv junkie)!
I quickly learned the difference between the mom and dad and am starting to learn their personalities as well as the personalities of the babies. The more I watched the more I began to relate to these eagles from a business standpoint. Now, before you send for the men in the little white suits to put me in a padded cell let me explain.
Much like my new friends, the Decorah eagles, I too have an egg that needs to be hatched, but mine is not a tiny fluffy bird, mine is a business. The following are lessons I’ve learned from these two massive raptors over the past several days.
1. The biggest thing I noticed is that they are not merely sitting around waiting for these things to hatch. They are engaged in constant preparation. Sometimes it means one is out hunting and gathering while the other sits on the nest and sometimes, even while it seems they are just keeping the eggs warm, they are rearranging twigs and branches around them, making the nest comfy and cozy for their new family.
2. They rely on each other as a support system. They take turns sitting on the eggs and keeping the hatched birds warm. They work together to prepare the food for their babies and keep things neat and tidy. They don’t try to do everything themselves.
3. They keep a close eye on “the competition” and monitor what’s around that might be a threat to their fragile babies. They also look out for things to build a stronger foundation so their nest stays sturdy enough to support them.
4. They let nothing get in the way of their focus of hatching healthy babies (in this case, 3). They send out regular warning signals that no one dare come near their domain. They also constantly get up to check and make sure everything is going ok and according to plan.
5. Finally, they are nurturing. These incredibly powerful birds are, loving and gentle when it comes to feeding the two tiny mouths that rely on them for everything. They gently move the last egg around to make sure it’s getting just the right protection and warmth. They know these babies aren’t going thrive on their own. They have to constantly feed and love them to make sure they grow, big and strong.
My “baby” will be emerging very soon from the egg and I’m grateful to these beautiful creatures for reminding me of what I need to do to have a successful hatch!
