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By Jordan Lake Ranger Cove nests: 3 photos 03-18-2019
Ranger Cove: Bald Eagle nest and Osprey nest
 
I was finally able to get to Ranger Cove!
 
Bald Eagle Nest
Ranger Mom was sitting on her eggs/chicks.  The eggs may have hatched but I couldn’t be certain yet.
Ranger Dad did a fly-by, but was too quick for me to catch a photo of him.
 
 
 
Osprey Nest
 
The autumn and winter weather took down the osprey’s old nest.  No problem. 
The parent ospreys picked another tree and are hard at work on a new nest.
Here Dad Osprey supervises the delivery of a new nest stick by Mom Osprey.
 
 
I am not sure that I really want to know what Dad Osprey is saying about Mom Osprey’s apparent landing point!

By Jordan Lake Dam: Osprey Dive, 6 photos 03-16-2019
Osprey dive at somewhere between 30-50 mph on average.
 
The dive goes like this:
 
Fish spotted and instant flight path changed from horizontal to vertical.
 
 
Picking up diving speed by becoming completely vertical.
 
 
Preparing horizontal attack path.
 
 
Plow into the water.
 
 
Climbing out of the water.
 
 
Heading home with breakfast.
 

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest reports, 2 photos 03-15-2019
 
Lake levels are still high and I got to 2 of the nests.  Sure hope to get to third nest in a couple of days.
 
H&G nest
 
Hershey watching over his unseen chick(s) in the golden hour light.
 
 
 
First Nest
 
Kate waiting for Petruchio to bring home a fish for their family.
Because of water levels, I still cannot see into the nest.  Hope to soon!!

By Jordan Lake Dam: Osprey Shake 03/13/2019
Ospreys go in, I mean often way deep under water when fishing.
The dive picks up a lot of water on the body of the osprey.
Water weighs 8.35 pounds per gallon.
Flight calls for a bird without an excess load to haul into the air.
Ospreys do a shake to shed the excess water. The shake is just like what a wet dog does.
The shake starts at the beak and twists through to the tail.
Here you can see the osprey is ahead of the spray and the shake has gotten almost to the tail feathers.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest report: H&G Nest, 4 photos 03-12-2019
H&G Nest
 
The high lake levels have kept all of the bald eagle nest monitors from checking the nests as often as we usually do.
I got to the nest of Hershey and Godiva to find that their chick(s) have hatched!
That is Hershey at the lower left as Godiva is watching from behind the main truck of their nest tree.
 
 
Godiva leaning over to feed an unseen chick.
 
 
Hershey on his favorite outlook post.
 
 
After the chick feeding, Godiva settled in to enjoy some of the morning sunshine.

By Jordan Lake Dam: Osprey 4 photos 03/11/2019
Osprey Fish Dance in 4 Steps
 
The osprey is superb at hovering over the water, watching a fish.
 
 
The twist in midair to track the fish.
 
 
The impact into the Haw River, which is running at 10,000 cubic feet per second. 
See this morning’s FB video and realize this approximately 3 pound bird is fishing in FAST moving water.
 
 
Fish caught.  Now to make a run for the nest before the bald eagles realize the osprey has a catch.