There is a second nest on the burn schedule. At this nest, more than at the first of the burn nests, one of my concerns has been the age of the chicks. The Wildlife Resources Commission has stated that their “safe” chick age parameters for prescribed burns is 2 weeks to 10 weeks old. I cannot find peer-reviewed journal papers that say this is true. By 10 weeks in age, in a panic because of the prescribed burn, chicks of a certain maturity will try to fly and they fledge too early. They try to fly out before they can actually fly and fall instead 70-90 feet to the ground. I have been saying for more than 2 weeks that the chicks are older than WRC says they are. The valid papers that I have seen (research done before the eagle was taken off the endangered list) say that a bald eagle chick at 8 weeks of age (not 10) will try to “pre-fledge”. My best guess and it is only a guess (because no one knows when the mother started incubation) is that the chicks are between 9-10 weeks of age.
I am greatly concerned that 1 or both of these chicks might try to fledge early if they panic. The video below was taken this morning.
bald eagle parent
Tageagle UPDATE burn 04/18/2016
I checked the nest this morning. I saw both parents. AND one of the parents was feeding a chick!!!! Yes! I still have not seen both chicks at the same time. Most likely I am seeing each of the chicks, but just don’t know when I am seeing one or the other. I will keep monitoring. Still worried about possible respiratory problems for the next week.
Two of our news programs were very interested in the eagles and burns and have interviewed me. The WRAL interview will air at 5:30 PM this evening. The 101.5 FM Gene and Julie Show will air tomorrow morning at 7:25 AM
In the photo below it is fairly easy to see 1 adult – see the white head centered in front of the main trunk. The other adult is harder to see. Look to the left of the white head of the first adult and it is mostly a black shadow. I couldn’t catch a photo of the chick when it briefly appeared.
eagle UPDATE prescribed burn 4/17/2016
Update on Eagle prescribed burn, Sunday April 17 7:41 PM
Late this afternoon I saw an adult, perched at the nest. I also saw 1 chick. So we are all still waiting for the second chick to be seen along side of the first one. Both the adult and chick appeared to be calm and acting like eagles should act. That is great to observe. I and the other monitors are keeping a close eye on the nest. I am also still worried about possible respiratory problems from the smoke that lingered for more than 24 hours over the peninsula. But at the distance (1 mile) I am watching from, that is going to be difficult to spot.
In this photo, the parent is on the “Sentinel” perch to the left and above the nest – again with its back to us so look for the white head and tail. The chick is almost centered in the nest. It looks like a black shadow shaped like the upper half of a long necked bottle. Wish I had a longer lens so we could all see more detail.
There is going to be a second posting somewhat later tonight because there is possibly going to be a second burn this coming Wednesday.
peace and grace
doc ellen
eagle burn update: April 16, 2016 8:45 PM
We watched the nest again this afternoon. There was still some wisps of smoke arising about the peninsula. We saw one parent at the nest for a while. It left. Watched 1 chick do some wing flaps. We saw a parent fly in to the nest but could not see if it was bringing in food and did not see feeding behavior. Have yet to see both parents together or both chicks at the same time. So, what we know is that at least one of the parents is flying about and returning to the nest and that there is one chick being active – both observations make me happy. What will make me happier is to see both chicks at the same time. The photo was taken this afternoon about 3:45 PM. If you look closely above the nest and to the left, you can see an adult eagle – it has its back to you so its tail is the easiest way to identify it. No chicks in this photo.
UPDATE on burn at Jordan Lake 4/15/2016 9:18 PM
I was at the lake all day today, along with several other people, monitoring the prescribed burn. I saw both parents and at least 1 of the chicks prior to the start of the burn. We were watching from almost a mile away and cannot tell the chicks apart – so we may have seen both chicks but didn’t know that we did. It was obvious that the parents noted the humans under their nest and one would sometimes stay in the nest while the other parent circled closely above the nest. The fire was started late in the morning. During the burn we could sometimes see one or both of the parents on limbs above the nest or in the nest. I was pleased to see that the parents were staying close to the nest and not wanting to just fly away. Once the burn was well started we could not easily see the nest. By late evening a lot of the smoke had dissipated and we could see one parent at the nest. Please understand this does not mean that something had happened to an adult or a chick just because we could not see them. From our long distance it appeared that the nest and nest tree was intact. There will be a eaglet/nest check tomorrow and in the following days. I’ll be there tomorrow very early. Will continue the updates. The photo is of the peninsula early this afternoon. THANKS to all of you for your thoughts and calls and emails – thanks from the EAGLES especially.
Peace and grace, and I need to get some rest!
doc ellen
eagle family report: 4-6-2016
Kate is ignoring Quizzical.
He plays with a piece of the nest while Kate feeds herself.
to see the 3 minute video go to
doc ellen's journey 