Jordan Lake State Park

Category

By JL Eagle nest report: LL&H nest 2/01/2017, 6 photos
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.
walk6450-02-01-17-15-48-06-jordan-llh-nest
The dad, Heritage, coming into the nest.
walk6460-02-01-17-15-49-30-jordan-llh-nest
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.
walk6469-02-01-17-15-49-31-jordan-llh-nest
You can make out the eye of the chick, as it warms in the sun at Lady Lake’s feet.
walk6524-02-01-17-15-58-36-jordan-llh-nest
Several times Lady Lake looked behind the chick we can see…
I wonder if there is a second chick? Bald eagles usually have 2.
walk6547-02-01-17-15-59-15-jordan-llh-nest
Eagle parents spend a lot of time simply watching their chicks.
walk6566-02-01-17-16-02-11-jordan-llh-nest

By JL Eagle nest report: First Nest has hatched!!! 3 photos, 1 video

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.

walk4950-01-25-17-11-13-29-new-hope-first-nest-hatch

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).

walk4877-01-25-17-10-45-20-new-hope-first-nest-hatch

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

walk4908-01-25-17-10-46-00-new-hope-first-nest-hatch

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

By JL Neighborhood Report 1/27/2017

As most of you know, I visit many different places on Jordan Lake.
For the first time in a long while, yesterday I found myself at the dam.
The sun was wintery, and as usual at the dam, the wind was howling and it was cold, cold.
I sat down on the top of the riprap, half way between the dam and the end of the riprap.
Long hours through several years have taught me this:
going any further down river just chases the eagles further away.
Winter seems to stir eagles up and push them all over the lake.
Go to your closest boat ramp and look!
This 2 year old bald eagle appeared over my head and did a couple of what I call “sky jinks”.
He turned himself inside out, all mid-air, and then was gone over the horizon.

walk5186-01-26-17-17-52-50-jld-2-yo-sky-jinks

By JL Neighborhood Feeding Feast, 12 photos, 1/23/2017
A feeding frenzy erupted at the lake yesterday.
It was started by 4 white pelicans – yes, pelicans, you know, those warm climate birds…
that most likely for weather related reasons were at Jordan Lake.
White pelicans don’t do the spectacular fishing dives that the brown pelicans do.
Nope.  The white pelicans fish cooperatively using their feet and bodies to push fish into a tight mass.
Then the pelicans feast.  AND, the bald eagles saw a buffet open up on the lake.
Without hesitation…after all, they are Eagles… the bald eagles started fishing in the middle of the congregation.
So did the great blue herons, the cormorants, the gulls and the terns.
There were several fights between eagles.
For more than 45 minutes I watched, photographed and enjoyed.  I hope you do too.
walk3939-01-23-17-09-16-11-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk3691-01-23-17-08-41-46-ebenezer-feast
walk4106-01-23-17-09-19-43-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk3760-01-23-17-08-48-40-ebenezer-feast
walk4270-01-23-17-09-26-36-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk4076-01-23-17-09-18-05-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk3988-01-23-17-09-16-39-ebenezer-feast-great-blue-heron
walk4040-01-23-17-09-17-04-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk3999-01-23-17-09-16-51-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk3925-01-23-17-09-15-54-ebenezer-3species
walk3976-01-23-17-09-16-25-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles
walk4250-01-23-17-09-26-30-ebenezer-feast-bald-eagles