Thank you to the eagle, turkey and veterans

Country Notebook

By Rogene "Jeannie" McPherson

It was exactly 12:45 p.m. on a Monday east of the Mine Creek Battlefield when it appeared another national battle might take place.  To be exact, it was the day before Veterans Day, making the sighting even more symbolic. If the deer lying dead about 6 yards away had only been maimed in one leg, it might have had strength to take on the American bald eagle as the bird revealed the intent to gather meat for its next meal.

The majestic look of the bald eagle is its most positive characteristic. Behaviorally, it’s not so nice. Just like the turkey vulture with its red bald head, an eagle eats road kill although will take on a live animal if the situation involves hunger and opportunity.

The bald eagle is rarely viewed and usually only around water sources. Assuming Mine Creek still has running water in this season of drought, it makes sense it could be seen near this historical waterway.

The morning had been consumed with attending a commissioner’s meeting, an exercise class, and checking on the status of my soybean payment when I decided I wasn’t ready to go home to laundry, cutting bittersweet brush, or vacuuming. Thus, I came up with an excuse to run an errand from Mound City to Pleasanton. I kept wondering why I was being stubborn about going home when suddenly I had my reason. Perched on the ground watching for an attack opportunity, the eagle revealed why he is the national bird.

The easement on Highway 52 near 69 Highway is narrow so it took at least three round trips to stop long enough to take a photo, assuming my friends would think I made up this story.

In 1782, the eagle was designated as a national emblem. In 2024, it was designated the national bird of the United States of America partly due to the bird being near extinction and then coming back with increasing numbers. The bald eagle is primarily seen as a symbol of strength, courage, freedom, independence, majesty, and resilience, all reminiscent of the qualities we hope to find in Americans.

From the start, the choice of the eagle was controversial. It was rumored that Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey as a national symbol, arguing the eagle was lazy, often stealing its food away from other birds like hawks. Both are native only to North America.  Some American cultures see the eagle as sacred.  Sacred or not, laws protect the eagle with stiff penalties for killing or harming this national emblem and now national bird.

Sorry, Mr. Tom Turkey, but it appears you do not have such federal protection. Actually, quite the opposite except those few pardoned by the President of the United States just before Thanksgiving. The turkey, however, does its part by reminding us to be thankful for living in a democracy.  All of this hopefully leads to expressing gratitude for the many freedoms we have, like driving on safe roads, voting, and having equal protections.

I promise, Mr. Tom, to raise the level of your importance in hopes we remember what is good in this country, like freedom to celebrate our traditions.  And, let’s remember to honor our veterans who fight to maintain our many other freedoms. Look for the symbol of the bald eagle on the Great Seal of the United States, on flags of some branches of the military, and incorporated into military funerals and national monuments. Life is generally good in America.