Teena Ruark Gorrow

I read this book yesterday in honor of the passing of Valor or DC7, the 7th hatchling from the DC Eagle nest. This event is unprecedented and everyone who watched this nest is grieving. He was euthanized because he had West Nile Virus and wasn't expected to recover. This book documented the successful fledging of Freedom and Liberty, DC 2 and DC 3. I'm hoping there will be another book on Honor and Glory, DC 4 and DC 5. This loss has hit me hard. As I get older, losses are more difficult to manage.… (mere)

An endearing and educational book that tells the story of one full nesting season with a family of bald eagles within a suburban setting.

Striking photography guides you through the daily life of this eagle family that is within view of a home just outside of Washington DC. With the eagle's unique placement of their nest, we get an insider's peek at nest activities not normally seen. Daily activities for the eagles nesting season are presented such as building a nest, hunting, laying eggs and hatching are explained well and follow along with beautiful photography.

Clearly presented information and amazing images make this book a good read for children and a good resource for professionals.
This book was received for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.… (mere)

On the 22nd of February 2011, a fierce storm snapped the crown of the pine tree across the creek from us. When we woke up, we saw the damage; the eagles’ nest was gone. The eagles were circling widely, clearly furious. They had lost everything, including several eggs. They were so angry they had trouble deciding whether to start over or give up, it seemed. One finally decided they had to go on, and brought a stick to the tree directly across the street from us. It fell to the ground, but it kept bringing more, until limbs stuck in place and eventually they could land on it and arrange the sticks. They managed to mate again and have three chicks. We see that nest every day. It’s now about 8x12x5 feet deep. It will eventually cause the tree to snap, but in the mean time, we are awakened by eagles every day about 5:30. We see them perched on their fishing branch over the creek. We can tell the meanings of every one of their songs, which vary with the situation and the time of year. We watch the chicks grow and fledge. They live right at the street, over the streetlight. We joke that we should nail a street number to the tree, so they have an official address, since they are at least as permanent as anyone else here. So this book was of particular interest.

Inside A Bald Eagle’s Nest takes you on a breathtaking trip. Excellent photography enables you to see close up and in magnificent detail, the annual cycle the eagles live by. There is just enough text in this coffee table book to provide color commentary, but the photos do most of the talking. What we cannot see from across the street are the eggs, the eagles rolling them (so the unborn chicks won’t stick to one side), or the newborns. So we are grateful for those shots that fill in the blanks. We delight in the aerial combat photos, the swooping fish-catching photos, and the magisterial flight photos. We are privileged to see it all live. This book brings that privilege to all, in permanence.… (mere)