birds

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By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle, 3 photos 12-13-2018
I was out checking nests today.  Didn’t see any parent birds.
But, in one of the coves this 2-year-old bald eagle showed up.
He came zooming out of a bend in the cove, made a low pass over the water, but didn’t fish.
With a lot of momentum, he headed for a landing up in a tree.
Oops. He grabbed the branch but hadn’t lost enough speed and couldn’t stick the landing.
My next shot of him was very blurred as he fought to stay on the branch but ended up flying away. I deleted that photo.

By Jordan Lake Neighborhood, 6 photos, 12-12-2018
Well, grump, I have not been able to get to Jordan Lake since Saturday – even my truck with its 4-wheel drive is not up to navigating ice. 
So, I thought I would gather some of my photos of the week prior to the storm and try to bring some lake good thoughts to all of us!!!
Here is an edition of my doc ellen’s Jordan Lake Neighborhood where I share some of the smaller, but as adored, birds with all of you.
I  surely hope to be reporting on eagles from the lake tomorrow!
This pine warbler leaped toward me from the pinecone below him where he had been tearing pine nuts from the cone for a meal.
 Eastern phoebes are slim flycatchers, but the cold wind had made this one fluff his feathers up into a warm layer.
 I grew up calling this bird a rufous-sided towhee – very appropriate for his plumage.
But, a few years back his name was changed to eastern towhee and this bird and the spotted towhee became a single species.
Quite a glint of sun on a cold morning in the eye of this white-throated sparrow.
This eastern bluebird seems to be guarding the locked cap that secures one of the test vents for the dam.
There is another great blue heron across the river (unseen in the photo).
Herons are ever on the outlook for any intruders of their own species.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Chase 12/08/2018
The chase was on just above the Haw River.
The year-old bald eagle to the far right has a small fish in its talons that it just caught.
The 3 immature eagles behind the 1-year-old bird want to steal the fish.
There were a lot of bodies flying through the air as the one with the fish made a dash for the safety of the trees.
Alas, I don’t know if the youngster was able to hold onto its catch. 

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagles, 2 photos 12-07-2018
Around the bend from New Hope River came a 2-year-old bald eagle.
He streaked through a bright piece of blue sky at the far end of the dam.
Then he cocked his head up and to the right and I followed his line of sight.
 
I quickly understood why the youngster was in such a hurry.
The adult bald eagle looked down and to the left at the youngster.
Both eagles surged into high gear, the adult dove towards the 2-year-old eagle and they got between me and the sun.
I lost the rest of the chase in the glare of the sun, but could hear both eagles screaming somewhere down river.

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.