I am blessed with so many friends among all of you.

One of my friends, who is one of the nest monitors,

went out today to check my nests while I recover from knee repair.

He sent me this video from First Nest and said he hoped it would help with my healing.

Oh, it did!  Watch as one of the chicks surveys the world and the other practices wing wapping.

I added 2 freeze frames so you can see expressions better.

And yes, that is poop shooting over the nest edge at the end of the video.

All eaglets instinctively do this to help keep the nest clean.

I had to have my knee repaired.  Ouch!  Sometimes I have to remember that I am not 12 any more….but, wait…I DO believe that I am 12, at least at heart, and in spirit  The surgeon was very happy with the procedure.   I am up and rambling about, slowly, but my steps are getting longer and that is a good sign. Sun bright and tempting here, but I have to be patient for a few days then back to the lake, the eagles and comfortable walking!  And right back to being my 12 year old – long into several decades – self.

peace and grace and on the mend,

doc ellen,
the photo is my cat Grayced doing his best to keep my healing knee warm
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There are 2 chicks in the First Nest!
See the fuzzy light grey head and eye of the chick just to the right of Kate.
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One of the chicks is just to the right of the big limb between it and Kate.
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Kate is holding a big shiny crappie fish.
Look in the area between the fish and Kate’s legs and you can see a chick in the shadows.
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 Way over to the right you see a chick right at the edge of the nest –
I think it is the smallest of the 2 chicks
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Carefully watch directly in front of Kate as she feeds 1 chick.
Then she feeds the second chick which is just past her head to the left.
Both chicks vie for bites of fish.
Video is courtesy of one of the other nest monitors.

Petruchio the dad was on the nest brooding the chick(s) when an immature turkey vulture tried to invade the nest (see its wing tip at the very top of the first photo of the slide show; the nest and Petruchio are at the very bottom right). Mom Kate was almost out of sight out near the main lake when she heard Petruchio’s calls for help. Kate quickly dashed across the lake and cove and there began a terrific chase across the sky. Kate routed the vulture and soon chased it out of my sight and down behind the trees. Kate returned some minutes later. All the eagles were safe. A slide show of the chase can be seen at https://youtu.be/QpOE-eX2gjU

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WooWee!!! There is a CHICK at the LL&H nest.
As I have noted in the past, the nest of Lady Lake and Heritage is difficult for me to get to.
This afternoon with the help of State Ranger McMurray, we got a look at the nest.
I think the chick is about 2 weeks old.
Lady Lake in the nest.
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The dad, Heritage, coming into the nest.
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Just to the left of the main tree trunk, at the rim of the nest,
you can see the light grey form of the chick.
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You can make out the eye of the chick, as it warms in the sun at Lady Lake’s feet.
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Several times Lady Lake looked behind the chick we can see…
I wonder if there is a second chick? Bald eagles usually have 2.
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Eagle parents spend a lot of time simply watching their chicks.
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Kate proudly sitting on her chick(s).

It will be a couple of weeks before the chick(s) get big enough for me to see them.

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Kate is on the upper limb, glaring down at Petruchio who is standing in the nest.

Petruchio quickly left to go fishing for food for the chick(s).

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Kate is looking down in the nest – apparently admiring her chick(s)!

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Petruchio is standing on the edge of the nest, shredding a fish

and feeding the bites to the unseen hatchlings.

video is courtesy of Scot, one of the other eagle monitors