Four Corners

 

 

          Golden eagles are known to be monogamous and along with their mate they’ll maintain a territory of up to 60 square miles.  The golden eagle is the national bird of Mexico and is found along the whole western continent of North American from Alaska down to Mexico.  Some that live in the colder climates like Canada and Alaska migrate south in late fall but most maintain the same territory year round (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Eagle#Heraldry). Golden eagles are more aggressive than bald eagles and will not allow bald eagles to coexist in the same area (correspondence with staff at the Sonoran Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ.)  As we moved past the eagle, its mate could be seen watching intently from the canyon wall. The high walls of the canyons provide the perfect place to make nests safe from predators.  The female lays an average of 2 eggs once a year that are white in color or occasionally white with small cinnamon color blotches. Both the male and the female help incubate the eggs for about 40 to 45 days until they hatch (http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/Search/Display.asp?F lNm=aquichry).  This unexpected, close-up sighting of wildlife was one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. I will always remember the beauty of this majestic creature.

 

 

          The San Juan River wasn’t the only place we saw evidence of this animal in the Southwest.  The golden eagle is represented in artifacts from different cultures on the Colorado Plateau, specifically, the Native American tribes.  Golden eagle feathers are still used in some traditional ceremonies, and significant places are appropriately named for the birds. On our last day of our journey through the four corners region, we visited the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, on the back side of Mesa Verde.  Marshall, our Ute guide, not much older than ourselves, was incredibly knowledgeable about so many aspects of the area-history, culture, and flora and fauna. The last cliff dwelling we visited in Mancos Canyon was accessed by climbing down four wooden ladders, hiking along a ledge for approximately a mile, then up a fifth long ladder, not suitable for those fearing heights, and finally we had to duck under an overhang for approximately 15 feet to reach a well preserved ruin in an alcove sitting half way up the canyon wall.

 

 

This remarkable site, more easily reached by eagles than humans, was aptly named Eagle’s Nest.  From our first day to our last, the eagle, in one way or another, welcomed us to the Southwest, and for me became symbolic of our trip.

 

 

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