eagle families of Jordan Lake

Category

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle nest report, 2 photos 12/056/2018
First Nest
 
The bald eagle breeding season has started at Jordan Lake.
The parent eagles have begun repairing the nest and getting it ready for the hoped-for new family.
 
Petruchio, the father of First Nest, weighs about 9-10 pounds. A male bald eagle stands about 30 inches tall.
That repair branch that he is hauling up to the nest, brings to mind just how powerful a bald eagle is.
Here you can see the grip of his talons around the branch.  The branch is roughly 3 times longer than the eagle is tall.
Petruchio lifted the branch all the way into the nest – more than 90 feet above the ground.  The nest is unseen to his left.

By Jordan Lake, Bald Eagle nest update: First Nest, 3 photos 11-12-2018
First Nest update
 
Yesterday, I was standing on top of the dam when a bald eagle appeared, flying up from the south end of the lake.
I got my lens on the eagle, and suddenly realized I knew her.
Kate is the mother eagle at First Nest.
 
 
 
 Kate turned her head and looked at me, changed her direction, made a single loop over me and headed back up lake.
I haven’t seen her in about 5 months.
 
 
 
 
This morning, I went by the First Nest cove.
The nest looked okay and I could hear an eagle calling.
I finally found Petruchio, the father eagle of First Nest, sitting up high on a favored perch in a pine.
While I was watching, he made a long swing down almost to lake level and I thought he was going fishing.
Turns out he wanted to investigate what the crows were doing.
 
 
 

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest report: H&G nest 11/07/2018
H&G Nest
 
This morning, while waiting for the fog to lift, I could faintly hear a lot of eagle chatter way down the shoreline.
I couldn’t yet see the eagles, so I got distracted by a huge flock of red-winged blackbirds.
I turned back to look down the shoreline and the sun peeked through.
That is Godiva sitting in the sunshine and Hershey below and to the right.
Good seeing the parents of the H&G nest watching over their territory.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nests post Hurricane Florence, 3 photos 10/09/2018
All 3 of the Eagle Nests we have been monitoring together are mostly intact.
There is some damage to 2 of the nests.  Please see my notes on each nest as to my best guess for future use.
We will know by the beginning of December if the parents decide to repair the nests.
Now to hope that Hurricane Michael doesn’t cause more damage.
 
First Nest – home of Kate and Petruchio
The surrounding trees and the nest tree appear to have lost some small branches.
I cannot see any major damage to the nest and its tree. 
 Remember, however, that I can only see one side – that is always true.
 
 
H&G Nest – home of Hershey and Godiva
Their nest, its tree and surrounding trees seem to be just as they were before the storm.
 
 
Ranger Nest – home of Mom and Dad Ranger
 
This nest and its tree had the most damage.
There had been a long branch to the left of the nest; it had fallen before the hurricane.
Some of the left edge of the nest appears to have been disrupted.
Some of the smaller branches of the nest tree have also dropped.
There will need to be a lot of repair by the parents and I will be watching closely starting in December to see if the nest will be reused.