Jordan Lake State Park

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By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Fledge: H&G nest, 9 photos 05-28-2019
H&G Nest
 
I found Godiva sitting to the far left.  One chick on the rim of the nest.  One chick to the far right on a branch.
Mom Godiva flew out and I tracked her only to realize that one of the chicks had flown too!!!
I don’t know if the chick had fledged yesterday or today, but I am happy for the new flier.
The fledgling flew, circled, got tired and even though about 500 feet from the nest, dropped his feet for landing.
All fledglings make controlled crashes for landings.  This fledgling almost forgot to put on the brakes!
He was still going full speed when he disappeared from sight behind the main trunk.

By Jordan Lake Dam Hawks Today, 3 photos 05-25-2019
Hawks at Jordan Dam Today; Whew, 3 species!!!!!
I had spent all winter trying to get a photo of the first hawk in this group of Buteo hawks.
Buteo hawks are all called broad-winged hawks which is confusing because in the group there is a Broad-Winged Hawk!
This morning a medium-sized hawk appeared from the hill above the dam: it was my elusive Broad-winged hawk.
Broad-winged Hawk
Often confused with the red-shouldered hawk and even though it is fairly common,
is dismissed as a red-shouldered hawk and we don’t look twice.
Note the broad white tail stripe and the distinct black band that edges the trailing edge of the wing from wing-tips to body.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Looks very similar doesn’t it! But this hawk doesn’t have the broad black band lining the trailing edge of the wing.
BTW this is a juvenile; the other 2 hawks in this group are adults and that can add to the identification problems.
Red-tailed Hawk
All 3 birds are similar, in part because of the body shape and broad-wings.
Look back at the wings of all three hawks.
Note just how much distance there is from leading edge to trailing edge of the wing: BROAD WINGS indeed!

By Jordan Lake Neighborhood: Woodpecker and Flicker, 8 photos 5/23/2019
Jordan Lake Neighborhood
 
The red-headed woodpecker often drills more than one nest cavity before deciding which one to use.
The northern yellow-shafted flicker can chisel out its own cavity but is not adverse to stealing a site.
The red-headed woodpecker had made 3 holes on one side of the tree and 1 hole on the opposite side.
The flicker didn’t care which one she got, she was just determined to take a cavity for herself.
I don’t know who won the dispute, yet.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest report: Ranger Cove nest, 6 photos
Ranger Cove Nest
 
Ranger mom showed up with food.  I couldn’t decide just what the food was.
The two chicks got into a fight over who was going to eat and mom was stuck in-between them.
Extracting herself from the melee, Ranger Mom quickly went down east in the cove and glared at the world.
It didn’t take long for the chuck of food to be consumed and the chicks went to waiting for the next meal.

By Jordan Lake: Osprey, Bald Eagle and a Fish Crow, 10 photos 05-17-2019
Sometimes the Victory Goes to the Bird with the Most Attitude
 
A female osprey went cruising past me with a large fish and she disappeared around the next bend.
I heard the osprey scream and she came tearing back around toward me with a young bald eagle chasing her.
The young eagle had almost caught up with the osprey when a much smaller bird changed the chase.
Both the osprey and eagle had crossed the territory boundary of a fish crow.
The fish crow went for the eagle and managed to turn the bigger bird back toward the way it had come.
Last I saw of the eagle it was still yelling and trying to get the crow to leave it alone.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest report: H&G nest, 9 photos, 05-16-2019
H&G Nest
Dad Hershey had walked out on a big branch to the right of the nest to check on one of the chicks.
I heard an angry alert call from both Hershey and Godiva (unseen).
A two-year-old bald eagle was headed toward the nest.
Juvenile eagles will try to steal chicks from eagle nests and Hershey and Godiva knew this.
Hershey launched and the two-year-old eagle quickly saw it was in trouble and it turned and fled the cove.
Hershey returned to a tree near the nest and the two chicks went back to branching.
Mom Godiva showed up and took over guard duties while the two chicks watched the world.
Hint: to find branching chicks, look for their feet first then look for the beak!