bald eagle

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By JL Eagle nest Report: Human Disturbance at First Nest 3/2/2018
Human Intrusion at First Nest
 
Innocent life, whether human or animal or bird is precious.
Disturbing such a life, in any way, just because you want to take a picture is wrong, in oh so many ways.
A person with a camera showed up this morning at the lake – 
 inside the Federally mandated limits and conditions for any bald eagle nest and proceeded to wander through the eagles’ territory.
Both Kate and Petruchio were instantly up in the air.  Tracking the person.  
The parent bald eagles circled over head.  Fearful to return to their nest because they might lead the human to it.
For more than 5 hours both parents were off the nest.
This meant that the chick(s) went unprotected that long in very cold temperatures and without food to use to try to stay warm.
Another eagle monitor and a birder and I watched.  Our hearts aching for the eagle family.
Hoping the parents would return to the nest because sometimes disturbed eagles abandon their nest/eggs/chicks.
Both parents finally came back to the nest.  Neither brought food.  They didn’t stay long at the nest.
It will be a few days before I will know if the chick(s) survived the human intrusion.
Please hold the bald eagles warm in your hearts.
 
Kate is below Petruchio during one of their anxious circles.  Note how hard Petruchio is looking downward.

By JL Eagle Nest Report H&G nest HATCH!!! 3/3/2018
H&G Nest  HATCH!!!
 
Godiva is feeding a new chick(s).  She is on left side of the nest and her head is pointing to the right.
 
 
to show you the distances between a favorite perch for the parents and their nest; and the distances for my camera
 
 
I managed to get a few seconds of Godiva feeding the chick. Her head is to the left – watch for the tearing motion as she shreds the food.

By JL Eagle Nests Reports 2 nests, 5 photos 2/20/2018
First Nest
 
 Petruchio brought in a fish for supper.
 
 
 
Kate watches as Petruchio heads upwards with his fish.
 
 
He watched Kate feed the chick(s) – I still don’t know how many chicks.
 
 
The chick is still small so I added an arrow.
 
 
H&G Nest
 
Godiva is still incubating.  Her egg(s) should hatch in about 9 days.
 

By Study in Bald Eagle Size, First Nest, 4 photos 2/14/2018

1) Petruchio came flying in, talons full of nesting material – a fair sized load.


2) 8 minutes later, Kate arrived with her talons also full of nesting material – a rather large load. Petruchio is capable of carrying large limbs and often does – but it is Kate that makes the large cargo runs of wet heavy nesting materials.
Notice too her large neck compared to her mate’s. She is overall about 30% bigger than Petruchio – this is true of all eagles.


3) There was a difference too in the final approach to the nest.
First, here is Petruchio. He easily lifts the materials high up over the rim of the nest in his approach to the nest.
4) Then here is Kate. She is going to barely make it over the rim with her heavier load.
Sorry about the “fading” on the left of this photo: I was shooting in a hurry through tree limbs and pine needles.

By First photo of Bald Eagle Chick and an Osprey too 3 photos 2/11/2018
First Nest   CHICK!!!!!
 
first photo: see if you can find the chick: look for a white fuzz ball with 2 black eyes …
and if you have trouble, go to second photo
 
Chicks at this age are white going to grey, have bright black eyes, and bobble because they have trouble holding their heads up.
It didn’t help me that the wind was blowing at 14 mph and the sky was totally overcast,
it was drizzling rain and all was dull grey so I hope the photos are ok.
 
 
The osprey has returned!! and at least 3 weeks early.  I usually see them start to arrive about March 3.
While watching the eagle chick, I heard the osprey before I saw him.
I thought I was hearing things in anticipation of warmer weather, and there came the osprey around the shoreline.