Monday, May 12, 2008

Brown Beauty: Joy turns to loss

Bob La Trémouille reports:

Brown Beauty has had two surviving broods.

In 1999, she had five babies, three males and two females. Two of the males were shot in the ensuing years. One died rapidly. The second possibly died a year later.

In 2005 or 2006, she had one surviving baby, a male, a white beauty with a black hood.

Last week, I saw two babies huddling up to her under her wing. This was under the vegetation toward the tracks, but near the historical nesting area.

This week, they were no longer there. I found Brown Beauty under the vegetation near the river and not that far from the bridge. She was by herself, no mate, no babies.

She looked bedraggled.