Meet "Mr President and the First Lady"

[L Verge]

(03-19-2016 05:53 PM)BettyO Wrote:  I'm definately an animal lover and have for years kept up with watching "Pale Male" - a New York Central Park Red Tailed Hawk and his various mates, as well as watching the FalconCam in Harrisburg, PA. I have also worked from time to time with local wildlife rehabers. It's a wonderful and fulfilling hobby.

Now DC has it's own Eagle Cam. "Mr. President" and "First Lady" are a Bald Eagle couple who have taken up residence on the grounds of the US Capitol. They have started a little family, one of whom has already hatched. The second egg will hatch soon and hopefully, both fledglings will survive. You can watch them here:

http://dceaglecam.eagles.org

The DC news stations have been following them closely each morning and evening. It has been quite a learning experience for me, especially now that one eaglet has emerged. They are actually on the grounds of the National Arboretum, which is right across the street from Mt. Olivet Cemetery, where Mrs. Surratt, Anna, her husband and several children, and brother Isaac are buried -- and about fifty yards from the primary witness against Mrs. Surratt, John Minchin Lloyd.

About 4-5 years ago, D.C. also had another eagle couple who nested near the famous Woodrow Wilson Bridge and not too far from Mount Vernon. They were named George and Martha. Unfortunately, there was a love triangle; and a wretched hussy did battle with Martha and kicked her out of the nest. (Here, I refuse to make a comment about her being named Sally Fairfax...) Martha did not recover, and the last that I remember, George took the hussy into his abode. I guess there is not much that separates human needs from birds' needs. Especially in D.C., it is sometimes hard to distinguish a wild life from wildlife.

I should also mention that, last year, we had a Red Tailed Hawk residing at Surratt House. We named him Harry Hawk (get the connection??).