"Spoon Fed"

Spoon Fed

Spring in Maryland is breathtakingly beautiful. It was even more magical this past year when a pair of bald eagles raised their eaglets along the shores of Lake Bernard Frank, located in Rock Creek Regional Park. It was such a treat to hike through the woods and take a moment to admire the parents as they dutifully guarded their treetop nest. Since bald eagles build some of the largest nests of any bird, it was not hard to find!

When I was asked to create scenes to inspire young campers at Meadowside Nature Center as they painted storm drains, I knew immediately that one of them had to feature the eagles.

While doing research for the paintings, I was surprised to learn that two types of eagles can be seen in Maryland. The most common is the bald eagle, the symbol of our nation’s strength and independence. Adult bald eagles are not hard to spot, with their dark brown bodies and contrasting white heads and tails. These magnificent birds often live along or near the water because fish are a major part of their diet.

The other species seen in Maryland is the golden eagle, although it is much rarer here. Golden eagles are mostly brown, without the bald eagle’s distinctive white head and tail. They generally prefer open and mountainous areas and eat mostly small mammals. Bald eagles, on the other hand, are found along many of the waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay and are plentiful around the Bay itself.

Sadly, these raptors—and many other birds—can be harmed or even killed by litter and plastic pollution. Plastic bags, fishing line, and other human-made materials can end up in birds’ nests. The birds may become entangled and unable to move or feed, or they may mistakenly swallow pieces of plastic.

Bald eagles build nests to raise their young, usually returning to the same nest each year and adding layer after layer of new material. Sometimes they also maintain an alternate nest nearby. Their nests are generally four to five feet wide but can eventually grow as large as ten feet across and weigh thousands of pounds! They are made with large sticks and lined with softer materials such as moss, grass, and other plants.

Unfortunately, pieces of plastic, bags, fishing line, and lures can also become part of the nest. These litter items not only get tangled in the nest’s structure, but may be mistakenly brought to the eaglets by their well-intentioned parents. This inspired the shocking title Spoon Fed for the painting.

As we saw last spring, eaglets, though kind of awkward, are still adorable. They are sparsely covered in feathers, skinny, and have beaks and wings that look way too big for their bodies! The campers were so excited to paint them on the storm drain, doing their part to spread the word that litter from our parks can wash down the drains and into Rock Creek and Lake Frank—and may eventually become part of an eagle’s nest.

Our hope is that these eaglets will inspire all of us to take better care of their world. So, if you’re in one of our parks, or simply out for a walk, take along a pair of gloves and a bag. Picking up trash—or “plogging”—along the way will help keep our waterways clean and protect vulnerable eaglets and other birds.

If you’re visiting Meadowside Nature Center, take time to see the two storm-drain murals at the end of the parking lot. I hope they inspire you, just as they inspired the young artists who painted them, to help protect the inhabitants of our parks—especially those living along our waterways. Thank you!