11/01/2026
"Grief is a testament to love, not a sign of weakness."
Our Liberty has the best taste in mates. All 3 of her mates have been so special in their own unique way. We didn't think we would ever get over her losing her 1st love, Patriot, in 2013. After raising 13 offspring together, including 2 sets of triplets, Liberty & Patriot had become an extremely well-bonded pair. I often saw them perching so close together they looked like one bird instead of two. And, I know there are some who still haven't completely recovered from that first and very painful loss we endured...
At first, it took us a while to accept Spirit as her 2nd mate. In our minds, no one could replace our Patriot. But, we did our best to follow Liberty's lead. Gradually, day by day, Spirit warmed his way into our hearts. He was young (5 years) & clumsy, but Spirit had such a sweetness to him. Liberty did her best to teach him & before long he became a phenomenal mate & papa to his 8 offspring. And, he was absolutely enamored by his lady Miss Liberty. And before we knew it, in early February 2019, he was gone.
And, then there was Guardian. He arrived on the scene in early February 2019 & he moved in quickly & confidently. It was egg laying time for Liberty, so there was no time to waste. She accepted Guardian so quickly that it was a bit shocking to be honest! We certainly were not ready, but apparently Liberty was! As Judy B from Hancock Wildlife explained to me when I asked her how Liberty could possibly move on that quickly, she said "Eagles are hormone-driven." Liberty's hormones were telling her she needed to fertilize her eggs so that's exactly what she did!
Unfortunately, days later Liberty's nest fell to the ground along with those precious eggs during a rare major snowstorm here in Redding, California. But, her 3rd & current mate Guardian stayed by her side through that difficult time and remains by her side to this day. And he remains just as confident & bold as he was when he first arrived back in 2019. But, he also has become Liberty's wingman who never leaves her side. As Liberty ages, her young vibrant mate has taken on the role as her protector, her guardian & it's been a beautiful thing to watch. And, of course he's the best Stickman, too!
Looking back, we realize that each & every mate Liberty has had has been the exact mate she needed at that time in her life. We may not have been able to see that at the time, but we can see it so clearly now. Trusting Liberty & following her lead has brought us all to this point, through thick & thin, whether we were ready or not.
Somehow, we each found a way to make it through those difficult losses together, in our own time. Don't rush yourself through grief, your feelings are real & your love for these beautiful birds runs deeply in your heart & soul. It takes time to heal from these devastating losses. You will find your way through it one day at a time & we will all be here waiting for you when you are ready to move on & open your heart once again.
~Terri
Liberty's 3rd mate Guardian looking up at his lady Miss Liberty before he flew up to join her...
