Magic in the Sky...the Release of Condors from Captivity...

       I believe in the beauty that takes my breath away. I believe in love at first sight and miracles that happen more often than we notice.  I witnessed such a moment tonight as I watched a year old video of a female Condor being released into the wild after a life-saving twenty-two years in captivity.
      I probably watched the video fifteen times as I witnessed what I consider, a miracle. She was a huge raptor with a wingspan of ten feet. It seemed the color of her head was black with a large chocker of white feathers around her neck. The feathers on her massive wings appeared to be black with a touch of silver slipping in and out the black feathers almost the way a woman's hair slowly turns silver. Subtle, but there in the mixture. The Condor did not know what to do. She looked at the massive expanse of canyons in Utah. Hesitating, she turned and looked at the crowd. There were probably a lot of faces she recognized.  She was unsure and tense. The crowd could feel it as well as the video viewers. Something seemed wrong to her. Then she saw other Condors soaring around and through the canyon.  She flapped her wings, flexed her muscles, wanting to fly but changed her mind. She was still unsure what freedom looked or felt like. Her gaze returned to the canyon. She looked it over from top to bottom and from side to side. She wanted to fly but was unsure and afraid. Again she turned to the crowd and scanned the people perhaps asking permission to do the unthinkable. I do not know if she found what she was looking for. She turned once again and repeated the take-off process. Once again she spread her huge wings and for a split second, I thought she would fly. Not this time but soon. The crowd and viewers became as tense as the Condor. No one knew what to do. The ball was in the Condor's court. She was the one calling the shots and the one who had to make the play.  Finally, with all the excitement and courage she could muster she stepped off the huge cliff and flew. She didn't just fly, she soared up, over and through the canyon and the sky. She was in her element and she liked it. It was an amazing sight to see. I wish I could have been there in person but I am easy going.  I take what I can get and enjoy to the maximum. This was a remarkable video. I want to thank Paul Chamberlain in England for always adding this magic to the pot from his side of the pond. Thank you, my friend