The Rand Aid retirement villages are not just sanctuaries where older folk are housed.
These villages also provide safety, comfort, companionship and various forms of entertainment for the residents.
Recently, several residents witnessed the amazing early morning spectacle of Long-crested Eagles (Lophaetus occipitalis) soaring in the sky above the villages of Elphin Lodge, Tarentaal and Inyoni Creek.
The eagles have also been spotted, perched in the tall bluegum trees alongside the Jukskei River.
In the late afternoon before sunset, the distinctive, shrill, drawn-out ‘keehee’ call of the eagles is often heard.
Sometimes, they call while soaring in the sky above.
Inyoni Creek resident and environmentalist Mrs Ria Milburn said the Long-crested Eagle (Langkuifarend) is a bird of Southern Africa.
It belongs to the family of Accipitridae that includes Raptors, Old World Vultures and the Osprey.
She added that although the Long-crested Eagle appears brownish black in colour from a distance, the head, throat and back have a distinct purple sheen when viewed in bright sunlight.
The bill is black, the eyes are bright yellow and the feathers on the legs are usually black and white or plain white, especially in male eagles.
The feet are yellow.
In flight and the wing tips show white ‘windows’.
However, the feature that distinguishes this eagle from other true eagles in Southern Africa is the unusually long crest of black feathers on the top of the head.
The Long-crested Eagle occurs in various habitats ranging from light to dense forests, savannah grasslands, bushveld, coastal areas as well as urban areas with parks and gardens. It was reported that Long-crested Eagles have even been found in old, derelict buildings.
“In the open veld surrounding the Sizwe Hospital area, these eagles hunt for rodents, snakes and terrestrial birds.
“They also attack other birds in the air and they are known to eat the eggs of other birds. The powerful bill and strong claws are useful weapons when killing prey,” said Mrs Milburn.
The Long-crested Eagle’s large, platform nest is built high up in tree canopies where the branches and the leaves protect and conceal the nest.
The female usually lays one or sometimes two eggs, which are whitish in colour.
Like many large birds of prey, the Long-crested Eagle is monogamous.
It has only one partner and they mate for life.
“How fortunate and what a privilege to see an eagle fly and to share the taste of freedom, balance and beauty,” said Mrs Milburn.
