Jordan Lake. First Nest. Oh, oops! Dad Bard is persistent! Bald eagles and ospreys both tend to snatch limbs for their nests right off of a standing tree. Bard did that trick and you can see why his choice of branch got him into trouble this time.
B. Everett Jordan Lake
TagFirst Nest Repair Work
First Nest. This morning started early with Kate bringing in a small stick to begin repair work on the nest. Every year the parent bald eagles have to make sure the nest is repaired and safe for egg laying and then the chicks. Kate and then Bard bring in sticks and then begin the work of weaving the sticks into the nest. Bard gets rather frustrated and it shows. I have to hand it to him … he does work hard. The last stick brought in is a gloriously long one – twice the length of Bard!
Pied-billed Grebe Moving On
Jordan Lake. The pied-billed grebe has very specialized “leaf” feet. They are shaped like elongated tree leaves. These feet propel the pied-billed grebe efficiently and quickly underwater chasing fish as well on the surface when he is moving on. Watch closely: you can see the water boiling out from underneath the tiny tuft of his tail as he and his reflection swiftly pass by.
Song Sparrow Sings
Jordan Lake. Out of the fog I heard the distinct chirp of a song sparrow. It took me a while to find him. He looked at me and gave forth a trill that was beautiful. The fog rolled back across and the delightful singer was gone. Sigh. You might want to increase your volume as some of his single chirps are very high pitched.
First Nest First Fracas of the Season
First Nest Update. Mom Kate was a half mile away from me when she realized a 3-year-old bald eagle was too close to her nest. Watch what happens. A wild beginning to the 2023 – 2024 bald eagle breeding season at Jordan Lake.
Killdeer Song
Jordan Lake. The killdeer took center stage and brightly sang and danced. He was accompanied by the rattle of the very cold bass wind.
doc ellen's journey 