Event to honor eagle's memory in Norfolk

Posted to: Attractions News Norfolk Visitors
Login or register to post comments

By Cherise M. Newsome
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 30, 2011

NORFOLK

Native American drum group Four Rivers Drum will play a memorial concert Sunday in honor of the Norfolk Botanical Garden's female bald eagle that was killed Tuesday. The event will be 10:30 a.m. in the Matson Garden area at the garden, 6700 Azalea Garden Road.

The bird died after being struck by aircraft heading into the Norfolk International Airport. Three eaglets that remained in the nest were later moved by biologists to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Scientists were concerned the male bald eagle would be unable to keep up with the baby birds' care.

During the ceremony, the first performance will be an "Eagle Calling Song" followed by memorial songs to the female eagle and other selections to honor the male eagle which still lives in the area.

"It seems appropriate that we as Native American people should pay honor to the eagle family that resided in our midst," event coordinator Vincent Schilling said in a news release. In Native American culture, the eagle is believed to be a messenger of prayers, the release said.

The event is open to the public and is included with garden admission. For info, visit www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org

COMMENTS ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here; comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its websites. Users must follow agreed-upon rules: Be civil, be clean, be on topic; don't attack private individuals, other users or classes of people. Read the full rules here.
- Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the report violation link below it.

Memorial on the runway

Submitted by RLS on Sat, 04/30/2011 at 10:34 am.

I want to see them put a memorial of stuffed animals and flowers on the runway like our cities let people do on our streets. And see what happens. All animals die...this is not a big deal.

Birds of Prey Fly Closest to the Creator

Submitted by Bugga25 on Sat, 04/30/2011 at 8:21 am.

Used to tell my sons, hawks, raptors, other birds of prey flew closest to the creator when one would pass. Most of those fowl are honorable and serve a distinct purpose in life. The eagle, is not such an honorable bird. Living mostly on carrion (dead), the eagle will also take the short path to a meal and steal it from others. By direct observation while surfing at north end, an eagle was observed taking a fish from an osprey after the osprey had spent over an hour trying to get a meal for its nestlings. The larger eagle had its way with the smaller creature. Penned an editorial noting that this may be how the rest of the planet views the U.S.of A.-a larger bully, thief. Ben F. had it right-the wild turkey a better fit for national symbol.

Pass the peyote, let the

Submitted by self ed.opine on Sat, 04/30/2011 at 12:26 am.

Pass the peyote, let the drumming commence.

Comment deleted

Submitted by admin (staffer) on Fri, 04/29/2011 at 10:34 pm.

Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Racial, ethnic, group attack

Song

Submitted by Donkeyottie on Fri, 04/29/2011 at 4:05 pm.

Will they play "Fly Like an Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band?

Comment deleted

Submitted by admin (staffer) on Fri, 04/29/2011 at 3:31 pm.

Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Post in ALL CAPS or bold

Admission Fee

Submitted by 1dumbblonde on Fri, 04/29/2011 at 2:43 pm.

I for one am glad to see that there will be a memorial honoring the eagle family. I am not ashamed to say that I shed a few tears when I heard what happened. I actually wondered if there might be a "funeral" of some type but feared that folks would think I was going a bit overboard. I do not know what the admission fee is but I do wonder - couldn't the Gardens forgive the admission fee just for this one event?

Waive the fee? Why?

Submitted by helpothers on Sat, 04/30/2011 at 1:14 pm.

So people who have had no interest whatsoever in the gardens or the eagles in the past can be entertained? So fools who claim "it's only a bird" can come for free and ridicule those of us who cherish the Botanical Gardens & it's residents? There are people whose every day revolved around this eagle family. I am not one of them, but I have been a season pass holder for many years & truly enjoy my visits. I'm glad they didn't waive the fee. People will say anything when it costs them nothing. The rude & disrespectful will not spend their money to publicly express their opinions.