OKC Pets Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

November/December 2020 • OKC Pets 29 COVID sucks and is going to suck for a while. We’re all nervous about the coming weeks, exhausted from the past months and fresh out of ideas for entertainment, education, life-enhancement and pretty much anything to distract us from the realities of 2020 (admittedly, those problems are for the fortunate ones of us, but we all seek mental health regardless). Families are desperate for something else to do that’s safe and inexpensive. Holidays add stress to an already stressful existence; gift-giving feels mechanical and limited considering the risk from crowds while shopping. What to do? I have one word: binoculars. I’m not going to play “Consumer Reports” on brands here. Binoculars are much like anything else with lenses: the sky’s the limit, so do your own research within your own budget. What I am going to launch into is something very cool that happens during the winter months here in northeastern Oklahoma that could be enjoyed at many levels by many ages and walks of life—bald eagles. October and November are commonly the months of flirtation and courtship for these famed raptors. The weather gets cold, and their interest warms up; males will fight for territory by locking talons high in the sky and plummeting downward in a conjoined spiral. But males and females will also enact the same death dives, called “cartwheeling,” as they connect in the ether to spin hundreds of feet toward the ground before breaking apart. It can be a spectacular display and is widely sought by eagle aficionados when filming or documenting behavior. Other phases of courtship can be seen when they do a combination of ups and downs in flight, where the male chases the female to follow a roller coaster pattern of steep drops then sharp pull ups as a means of testing for compatibility. They may then begin calling to each other, perching closer and closer, in an avian form of “getting to know you.” Some experts believe these are all trust- building exercises. Once the female accepts the proposal of the male, she sits on a branch, and he delicately lands on her back to mate. Being as how eagle feet can grip up to 400 pounds per square inch, this, too, is an act of trust, especially since their toes are equipped with knives (aka talons). Allowing another animal to hold onto you with a physical weapon able to crush skulls certainly lends credibility to any phrases relating to their courage, loyalty or steadfastness, doesn’t it? At least for the ladies. I can’t imagine what kind of handshake that grip would translate into, probably something from a monster movie. The female has to believe her future fellow will be skilled and gentle during mating and that these traits will continue, for as they become parents together, they will both share in the care of their eggs and young. For eagles, this extends over winter months threatening bitter winds, hail, rain, sleet, ice WRITTEN BY: Kim Doner PHOTO CREDIT: Gary Siftar Flights of Fancy, Dances of Death and Other Reasons to Own Binoculars A juvenile eagle Eagle talons