Tag Archives: bird of prey

Watching: SOL22 Day 3

On a too many Zoom meetings day my walk begins at dusk. I notice the clouds gathering tinged with the deep pinks of the setting sun. Winds are picking up and temperatures are heading down. Some much needed rain is in the forecast.

If one good thing came from the pandemic it is the daily walk that has now become a regular habit–one we seldom miss. It is also a time for looking, noticing, watching…paying attention to whatever presents itself. The neighborhood walk is not my favorite. Manicured lawns, tract homes, and family cars feel mundane and routine. The occasional snail, lizard, or dandelion add interest and some variety.

Some days I notice birds. The most common are of the corvid species–crows and ravens who converse raucously from the treetops. Today I spied a small bird of prey perched on the lamppost…watching the world while I watched it. I always wonder what those wonderful wild bird think from their suburban perch. Do they notice the carefully groomed yards, the small dogs in cute sweaters on reel-in leashes, the tweens on electric bikes buzzing down the sidewalks?

A hawk? A falcon? Something else? I don’t think my iphone photo offers enough clues for identification. But it did add interest to my walk.

Snack Time: SOLC 2019 Day 8

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It was windy today as I headed down to the beach. Not ocean breeze windy, it was stand your hair on end windy. I zipped my jacket up to my chin, grabbed my camera and set off down the hill.

The winds stirred up the whitecaps like frothy whipped cream and the surfers seemed to have taken the afternoon off. The skies were blue with billowy clouds in the distance. I walked briskly, scanning the shoreline for interesting photo possibilities.

As I walked further south a bird caught my eye. I watched the bird–seemingly in suspended animation–riding the wind current, but staying in place. It seemed almost to hover high above me. I kept watching and took a few photos, knowing that my lens was not powerful enough to really capture a good picture. After watching it hover and adjust, and then spread its wings a bit further so that it caught the light just right, I realized that this wasn’t a gull or tern. This was a large raptor…an osprey!

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I kept watching in wonder at the strength it must take to fly in place, when suddenly the bird appeared closer, and much larger. I kept taking photos as the bird seemed to fall from the sky! (I’m thinking of you and your duck, Molly!)

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I continued to watch and snap photos as the osprey dropped into the sea and then rose…with something gripped in its powerful talon. I watched it swoop and circle and rise, snapping all the way. I continued to watch as it flew down the beach, fish in hand, away from the way I was walking. I didn’t stop to look at my photos, but I was hoping I had taken a photo that somehow captured my experience.

A couple of miles later when I returned to the car, I was still thinking about the osprey and its snack. I sat and looked through my photos–and gasped when I saw this one. It’s far from perfect, but it does capture some of the magic and majesty I witnessed! (All photos are unfiltered and unedited…for now!)

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On the Ground and in the Air

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For most the year I walk on the beach in bare feet. Calloused skin against the warm sand and cool water, alerting my senses from the bottom up. My feet feel the changing contours of the reef, sometimes sinking deep into soft sand, conjuring quicksand, shifting my balance, reminding me to pay attention. Other times I carefully pick my way across piles of stones, some smooth and rounded while others pick and poke at the soft skin of my arches, pulling my attention downward where I notice shells, seaweed, and bits of colored glass glinting in the sun. Walking barefoot on the beach grounds me, literally pulling me to the ground, my feet a conduit between the earth and the sky.

And the sky calls me to look upward. Shadows catch my eye as birds fly overhead, wheeling and gliding, soaring and floating. I’ve learned to recognize the calls of seagulls and terns…and more recently the voice of ospreys. Today, with my feet firmly on the wet sand, ospreys played above me. These magnificent birds are fast, large and graceful…and today a pair seemed to be engaged in an intricate dance. Watching this performance in the sky, I noticed two more osprey on the periphery.

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In the last week I have seen six ospreys and a hawk (you can read about my earlier sightings here). So why have these powerful birds of prey become so prominent in my life? The more I read about osprey–both as a bird and as a spirit animal, I am starting to see some messages coming my way. Here is a small sampling:

In this case the osprey symbolism is asking you if you are feeling a little out of your comfort zone. In other words, the changes in you and around you have been a bit overwhelming of late. Thus osprey meaning is here to let you know that you can put your head under the emotional water and still survive. Stop worrying about what other people think. Like the lizard, it’s only your ego that thinks they will notice anything in the first place.

Alternatively, osprey symbolism may be reminding you to appreciate other peoples boundaries. Also, in doing so, make sure your boundaries are clear enough so that others can respect you. This bird also connects you to all aspects of Solar Worship. Therefore it’s appearance in your life emphasizes the value and healing power of the sun.

The hawk is also a close relative of this bird of prey, and in this association, these two birds share the job of being a messenger. Thus, this raptor also warns you to stay alert because crucial information is pending.

So, as I stay grounded with my bare feet on the wet sand, I will also push forward, taking some risks and staying open and alert to new information. And in the meantime, I am reveling in these new-found friends, enjoying their beauty and fierceness, their fidelity (they mate for life) and clear vision. What messages have been coming your way lately? And who is the messenger?

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