Jordan Lake. H&G nest. You would think that with a fish that big, which Dad Hershey had just caught, it would make quite a meal for his two chicks. Hershey dropped the fish into the nest. The two chicks fought over it. Within three minutes it was apparent that the fish was all gone because the two chicks separated to each end of the nest.
Jordan Lake. H&G nest. Brother Eaglet looking down at his sibling, “I asked mom if she was certain that she should just be sitting there and not bringing us any food“. The two eaglets pouted a few moments longer. Finally they both stomped off to the other end of the nest where they could have a royal bald eaglet pout.
Jordan Lake. H&G bald eagle nest. I heard dad Hershey yelling. Looked up to see dad go right over the top of his nest. I couldn’t see any chicks in the nest because the alarm called by their dad had sent them down to hide. Dad Hershey was chasing another bird. I blinked. The bald eagle was chasing a red-tailed hawk. That red-tailed hawk is smaller than the eagle chicks are at this point and is no danger to them. Dad was simply agitated and wanted to make sure that the hawk stayed out of bald eagle territory.
Jordan Lake. H&G nest. First photo: bald eagle up top is a 1-1.5 year-old bald eagle that got way too close to Dad Hershey‘s nest. Dad Hershey promptly told the youngster that it could not stay in his space. Didn’t take long for that youngster to turn around and head out!
Jordan Lake. H&G nest. Dad Hershey had been repairing the left-hand end of the nest. Rearranging sticks – nest upkeep is a never-ending task for most parent raptors. I did not realize his chick was supervising until dad got distracted and jumped up and out of the nest. Now, like the chick, I am wondering just what did Dad Hershey see!
Jordan Lake. This morning the bald eagle chick in the nest was doing what I call wing wapping. In another words starting to work on all of the muscles, tendons, ligaments in its wings and body. Takes a lot of strengthening to get to the point where the chick can eventually fly. The last photo shows the chick in the nest just behind dad Hershey … I do believe the chick is saying “hey dad did you just see what I was doing?”
doc ellen's journey 