They raise us up

We said farewell to a good friend of Mull Eagle Watch today. In all types of weather, from the start of incubation to the much longed for hatch, Duncan and Susan would be there on their eagle watch duties. They have been there since the beginning of this amazing project and Frisa and Skye and all their chicks have a lot to thank them for. And yet, for Duncan and Susan, as for all of us, the eagles give so much back.

We all marvel at their flight, whether soaring against blue skies or battling against winter storms. We admire the tender care for their chicks - that amazing cleaver of a beak, slicing tiny morsels of food for tiny eaglets. We respect their faithfulness to each other from one year to the next, from one decade to the next. And we sometimes dream what it must be like to be up there with them, soaring over mountain peaks and gazing to the distant horizons.

For many of us who help on the Mull Eagle Watch project each year, we feel like we're giving something back to the natural world that we take so much from during the course of our lives. For some, it's a couple of hours of peace and quiet in a beautiful place watching stunning birds; for others it's a chance to re-connect with nature and a great excuse to have a walk with the dog. For others it's just an extraordinary privilege to do something constructive and positive for a rare and threatened species. Maybe it's all of these things at different times. Whatever the reason, for volunteers like Duncan and Susan who work to protect our white-tailed eagles every year, come together in this unique way to safeguard the future of this remarkable bird for the generations to come. The fact that Mara and Breagha are flying  wild and free today is a fine legacy.

Remembering and thanking Duncan Hall.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer