Eagle wants to go home

Author: Shen Zhenzhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-05-01
Features: Shen Zhenzhong is a person who keeps a diary for eagles. When the spring breeding season begins, he dashes around to several nest sites, meticulously recording who courts whom, how they court, which family builds nests where, and when they do so. He invests countless hours and physical effort, leaving no detail unclear. Later, he faithfully documents every aspect of the process—from incubating eggs and raising chicks to learning to fly, even being forced to abandon nests or falling into traps. This level of precision and detail can only be achieved through year-round, all-weather observation.
Content of the Book: On an afternoon in August 1993, I set up a 25x telescope on the moat of the Jilong Daweiun Fortress, scanning the surrounding ridges, high-voltage towers, and sea surface for the presence of eagles. Several large cargo ships were anchored in the sea, waiting to enter Jilong Port, while nearby small fishing boats moved about in search of fish schools. With my binoculars sweeping across the scene, I noticed a line of garbage drifting naturally in the sea currents, arranged in an orderly manner in the same direction. Occasionally, a few terns would rest on pieces of wood or plastic foam in the garbage piles. At that moment, an eagle flew into the field of view, and I turned the telescope to follow its movement.