Since the eaglets have fledged from the Ranger bald eagle nest, the ospreys have been playing “king-of-the-eagle nest”.
That is until Mom Ranger stopped by to make sure the neighborhood ospreys remembered the nest was hers!
photography
CategoryJL Bald Eagle Nest report: Ranger nest 3 photos 06/22/2018
Ranger Nest
Ah, ha! This morning the smaller Ranger bald eagle fledgling came flying in, angry and hungry.
After pausing in the nest and yelling his discontent, he made a short flight hop to a nearby pine tree.
The fledgling sat there, disgruntled, before soon flying back out in search of a parent.
At this point, the parents bring an occasional fish to the nest with the intent of keeping the fledgling alive but less dependent on them.
They are pushing the fledgling into going fishing on his own.
Ranger Nest Cove: Dad Osprey 06/20/2018
Ranger Nest Cove
Dad osprey dove steeply into the water, feet first.
Alas, he missed his fish. Ospreys succeed in about 1 in 5 tries.
The spray from his wings and the impact of his body flung water far and wide.
He managed to soak two dragonflies.
I commiserated with the dejected look on his face.
JL Raptor: Ranger Nest Cove, again! 06/19/2018
JL Raptor: Ranger Nest Cove 2
Yikes!!! I think the heat (100 degrees) today got to me …
I left the last photo of the osprey vs eastern kingbird series out.
So here is Dad osprey getting to the nest and the eastern kingbird heading to his nest.
Sorry about the omission!!!
JL Raptor: Ranger Nest Cove 4 photos 06/19/2018
Ranger Nest Cove
So, the ospreys have been harassing the Ranger bald eagles.
Turn about happens.
Dad osprey was trying to get a fish he had caught to his nest.
As ospreys sometimes do, he had removed the head from the fish.
On Dad osprey’s way from his perch to the nest, the eastern kingbird found the osprey.
The eastern kingbird is showing a red alert patch on his head because Dad osprey is in the kingbird’s nest territory.
And, oh yes, the eastern kingbird landed on the osprey’s head!
Satisfied with the aerial landing and peck, the kingbird zipped off and Dad osprey got to his nest.
Whew!
Jordan Lake Bald Eagle 06/16/2018
An Unplanned Gift!
At the end of today’s lecture at the Jordan Lake State Park Visitor Center, all of us went out to the ramp behind the center.
We looked and looked for bald eagles, but the only ones were tiny little dots across the lake and over the causeway.
The heat and humidity was fierce and we all finally turned to go back inside.
The flash of a white head caught my eye and I sang out.
A beautiful bald eagle soared over the tree line and right over our heads.
Oh my, what a sight and jubilation as some of the attendees got to see their first ever bald eagle, wild and free.
I captured her passage and am glad I can share it here.
doc ellen's journey 