"I hope you understand, I just gotta go back to the island..."

Bald eagles have taken up nesting where the Great Blue Herons always had their rookery. Freeway traffic (that's I-5 buzzing by in the background)

and development everywhere else--the shy symbol of Portland has no option but to adjust to a changing river environment.

"But the time is past, for living in a dream world,

Lying to myself, can't make that scene

Of wondering if you love me, or just making a fool of me,

Well, I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island.

 

and watch the sun go down, hear the sea roll in,

but I'll be thinking of you, and how it might have been.

Hear the night birds cry, watch the sunset die,

well, I hope you understand, I just had to go back to the island.

 

Well, all the fun has died, it's raining in my heart,

I know down in my soul, I'm really gonna miss you,

But it had to end this way, with all the games we played,

Well I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island...

...from one of my favorite tunes by one of my favorite musicians,

"Back to the Island" by Leon Russell

 

Done