Suddenly Kate flung herself out of the nest. I couldn’t see a reason for her sudden leap.
I watched as she struggled against the gusting winds. Her head and body at an abnormal flight angle.
She regained the nest by jumping a limb that had fallen into the nest.
I think the falling limb had startled her badly enough for her to have momentarily left her chick(s).
Yes, I said chick(s) for it/they have hatched!
Everybody seems to be ok, whew!
Fish for breakfast for Kate in 4 quick steps:
1) Kate sees Petruchio catching a fish and starts hollering for her food.
2) Petruchio flies into the nest from behind Kate,
flies over her back and drops the fish.
3) He pauses for a split second at the rim of the nest.
4) He is off again for more food.
time elapsed: 17 seconds
As is my wont after the eagle fledglings get out and about,
I stop by the Jordan Lake Eagle nest occasionally to check on the nest.
I always hope to catch a glimpse of the parents or maybe the fledglings.
On September 19, having just snapped a photo of the empty nest for my files, I heard a familiar eagle scream.
Kate came barreling across the cove heading straight for the nest.
She piled into the nest still screaming. I glimpsed a fledgling on a perch across the cove.
The immature eagle was quiet and watching the parent bird have a fit.
As quickly as Kate got to the nest, she bounced out again, flew across the cove, past the fledgling and was gone.
I don’t know what started the ruckus, but it sure was great seeing Kate and one of the fledglings.
Petruchio is dropping off a fish to Kate.
Look carefully: you can see her head directly below his breast.
You can also get a feeling for how much bigger Kate is than Petruchio by comparing the two heads.
Petruchio was at the nest for 43 seconds by my time stamps on the photos.
The immature 3 year old returned after being chased off by Petruchio.
It lazily circled the nest and then drifted off to the east out of my sight.
Kate’s screams eventually brought Petruchio barreling across the nest and off in the same direction as the immature eagle.
I watched where the two eagles had gone, figuring a fight would ensue.
I had about given up when Petruchio appeared being chased by the 3 year old.
Petruchio had apparently stolen a catfish from the immature eagle and the youngster wanted it back.
Petruchio won: he zipped over the nest, dropped the food to Kate, turned on his tail and chased the younger bird out towards the dam.
There was an intruder at the New Hope nest.
This 3 year old eagle (looks like a ratty hawk) had been circling just above the nest causing Kate (the mother) to scream.
Then the intruder dropped out of sight to reappear zooming directly across the nest about 5 feet up.
You can barely see a white sliver of Kate’s white head below the intruder and to the left at the rim of the nest.
Petruchio (the father) soon showed up and chased the 3 year old out of sight.
doc ellen's journey 