That is what the sign says on I-70 near Canyonlands and the border of Utah and Colorado. I look, as I always do for wildlife. And as always I laugh, because I see no wildlife, eagles or sméagols. I have seen a few duck crossing signs on the roads before but this is the only one I have ever seen regarding eagles. Then I search the skies for one and maybe see a buzzard circling in the desert. I speculate about eagles on my cross country travels and those thoughts make me smile.
I did not used to consider myself a birdwatcher but after many miles of driving America’s highways I suppose that I do now. I was seduced by the majestic birds of prey….those large predators that line the highways on tall trees, usually the bare trees that overlook the highway; watching, searching, peering, with their yellow eagle eyes. Are they watching me go by? They are silent sentinels that seem so salute as you in snow, rain or shine while trucking on down the highway.
When I think of eagles, I always think of the bald eagle, that great symbol of the United States, so noble. But come to think of it isn’t the golden eagle with a snake in its claws a symbol of the country of Mexico as well? The golden eagle must be the kind of eagle seen on the Utah highway which is desert country that includes snakes as prey.
Being curious about birds of prey, I took the opportunity to stop at The World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, ID when we had a layover there. It is an amazing place and one that I would recommend that you visit. (They do have parking for your tractor, but not a trailer, in their parking lot at the top of the hill.)
I wondered how there was a world center of anything in Boise (no offense to you Idahoans) but it turns out that along 81 miles of the Snake River is 484,873 acres of The National Conservation Area. The ecosystem there supports an extraordinary number of predators along with their prey; more than 700 pairs of raptors, 15 different species that nest on the high canyon walls. Nine additional raptor species use the Snake River area during migrations or as wintering areas. So it is a logical place to springboard birds of prey conservation efforts and education. After I took the tour and saw the movies, learning more about these amazing birds, I signed up to support the conservation cause at the Peregrine Fund and you can too.
It is astounding how many kinds of eagles and other birds of prey are represented there. I then asked and answered the question: How many kinds are there? I discovered that there are actually 59, learning that the bald eagle is primarily a fish eater, while the golden eagle eats the road-kill on the highways and that is why they are seen on the road looking for food. The hawks look for rodents that run across the road unprotected. I liked it better when I imagined they were watching for me…still I search the trees and sky for them and give a silent salute as I go by.
Life on the road presents new experiences, questions and things to learn about every day. So drive safely and keep watching those roads for wildlife.
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