Spider alert! Besides a spider alert there is also a computer alert… As I am prone to say, computers are fine until they are not. Currently my computer set up is in the midst of a recovery so I don’t have any bald eagle photos to share. However I do have a video of one of my southern house spiders. I do like spiders. Very much. They keep all kinds of other insects out of my kitchen. Usually at night, I leave a wooden spoon leaning in a corner of my enamel kitchen sink. It is there to help the spiders get a drink by climbing down and gathering up moisture that is around the drain. All spiders need moisture/ water. In these dry winter conditions, spiders often get very dehydrated. Late this afternoon I found the house spider that lives above my sink thinking about going down into the sink and I had not put a wooden spoon in the corner for her to use as a ladder. So I got a few drops of water on my fingers and dripped them on her web. You can see that she gets very excited and runs up to the largest droplet. She instantly drops her palps into the droplet and inhales the moisture!
photography
Categorynature photography
Bald Eagle Nest Construction
First Nest Bald Eagles: As I was getting journals and itinerary ready for this breeding season, it occurred to me that perhaps you would like to see the changes in the nest itself. The 1st photo was taken in the first breeding season 2011-2012. Note that it is wide, straddling the main branches, but is relatively shallow, top to bottom (no bald eagle in the nest). The 2nd photo was made during the 2024-2025 breeding season and Mom Kate is in the nest … note that the nest is considerably deeper (parents add to the top of the nest every year and during any needed repairs) and that a lot of the original nest has fallen out and you can now see the anchoring tree branches. Home reconstruction is never ending for breeding bald eagles! #baldeagle #firstnestbaldeagle #firstnestbaldeaglenest #jordanlake #chathamcountync #hawrivernc #DocEllenImages


Guarding the Nest
Bald eagles keep an eye on their nest all year. This pair will not get into the whole breeding sequence until later in the year. However, parents must guard their nest. As you can see they are very alert… That’s mom in the 1st photo and dad in the 2nd one. Eventually Captain Doug and I saw the reason for their outlook… another adult bald eagle way up high, perhaps thinking about, oh I don’t know, trying to lay claim to the nest?


Bald Eagle Pair
What a delightful surprise this afternoon at Jordan Lake: Captain Doug and I found the parents of the Heron Point bald eagle nest sitting side by side … its about time for this pair to start thinking about the next generation!


Bald Eagle Explosive Launch
The eagle was intent upon something way up in the sky. The eagle shifted it’s glance and perched thinking. Suddenly it exploded almost straight up off of the branch and into the air. Captain Doug and I both said at the same time “I haven’t never seen an eagle launch straight up like that”. The eagle hovered then leaned over on its right wing, bent around the tree and was gone. FYI the flight sequence occurred in less than two seconds.
Summer …
Oh, but how can it be that this was the last day of summer? Will I still be able to find my favorite sun patch in the kitchen tomorrow?

