07/03/2026
TEN YEARS OF 250
Here is a transcript of my lead story for the July 4 edition of the Carmichael Times. See this issue at www.carmichaeltimes.com
UNITED, WE PREVAIL:
For the bald eagle family I have been documenting for a decade, America’s big anniversary year has been traumatic. Yet, like the nation they symbolize, Mama and Papa Bald have soared above challenge and tragedy.
I first discovered the couple in 2016. The Balds’ presence on the American River was the nearest to Sacramento in recorded history for their species, so they caused a regional sensation.
From below a leaning bluff tree I watched their nest take shape. The massive eyrie became a riverside landmark. Over 10 seasons, 19 eaglets would take flight from this pine.
Success contributed to the eyrie’s downfall. With each storm, the old tree bent further. Roots loosened by rain and branches tossed, a gigantic sodden nest was its final sentence. Just after New Year, Mama and Papa clung to a neighboring tree and witnessed their pine -- the center of their world – as it finally cracked and tumbled.
Though unharmed, the couple faced a huge challenge. The 2026 breeding season was starting; their ten-year nursery had to be replaced in weeks.
Locations in their territory were limited. It takes a rare tree to support a cartwheel-sized nest weighing up to a ton. After several false starts, the Balds settled on another bluff-side pine.
A dubious choice. The site was overlooked by a public trail and, as a miracle of rapid construction began, the eyrie became a tourist spot. Ignoring streams of observers and desperate to breed, the eagles delivered talon-loads of lumber.
Two weeks later than in previous years, Mama and Papa produced eggs. Seven weeks of incubation began.
Eaglets number 22 and 23 hatched in early April. Two bobbing heads were soon visible. But that was all we would ever see of the kids. On a cold May afternoon, with no parent feeding or warming the fluffballs, a friend and I concluded the nest no longer contained living offspring.
The dismal parents sat in near darkness below. By the next day, they had abandoned this ill-fated eyrie.
Nature can seem cruel: infant mortality is common among wild animals. But our national bird is a resilient creature that regenerated from near-extinction in the 1970s. The parents were now hauling lumber to new locations. Though it seemed too late in the season for another clutch, their nesting drive was undiminished.
Perhaps desperate after back-to-back tragedies, they made desperate decisions. I found them furiously working on nest #3 above a boat-ramp parking area. Giant raptors carrying branches are hard to miss; gawping crowds were already assembling. After a week and ton of hauling, the couple abandoned this ill-considered site.
Weeks later, I spotted winged industry a mile downstream. At last, the Balds had found a more concealed tree that overlooked abundant fishing waters. This home is now solidly established. As always, I will not identify the location.
It will be an empty nest this year. But, prevailing despite tragedies and challenge, the Balds face the future undaunted. They exist simply to be free, happy and to provide for the independence of future generations.
Like the nation their species has represented for 250 years, Mama and Papa have eagle eyes on the future. God Bless these beautiful American River parents. And God Bless America!
