Jordan Lake. First Nest. Yesterday there was only a little wind so I managed to get a much better video of Kate and Bard at the nest. Watch as Dad Bard very carefully shows us his feeding behavior with his chick(s).

Jordan Lake. HATCHED! Yes at least one egg has hatched. The way I know that – because obviously I cannot see down into the nest – is by the parent’s behavior. When the parents begin bringing in fish, then stand on the edge and pluck off bites of the fish and reach down to feed it to the chicks, we call that “feeding behavior”. That’s how we know that there’s a chick in the nest – mouth wide open wanting that bite of fish. Yay!

Jordan Lake. First Nest. Dad Bard was incubating the egg(s). He stood up, rolled the eggs and promptly nestled down again on them. Hatching should occur this coming week. Captain Doug and I were finally able to cruise yesterday – lake levels had fallen just enough.

First Nest had a visitor … one of last year’s triplets! I matched the plumage markings to the fledgling photos of last spring. The visitor was the smallest of the triplets. I have seen three times at the lake when a yearling showed up and visited its home nest and was tolerated. This is the first time I’ve seen one get closer than 50 feet to the nest! My goodness!!!

Jordan Lake. First Nest. An immature bald eagle tried to invade First Nest in hopes of stealing the eggs. Dad Bard was the one incubating the eggs. The youngster – about a three-year-old – came barreling in straight at the nest and realized it had made an error. A very very fast encounter – all of about 30 seconds! Everybody was fine … including the youngster who I saw pop out on the other side of the tree line and go barreling up the lake. Whew!

First Nest. Mom Kate had flown in to take her turn in incubating the eggs. Dad Bard had been fidgeting – even while he was incubating – with a stick. So when Mom Kate came in he decided to do something about that stick. It becomes rather comical. Ah the foibles of being parents!
Music is Excusez-moi by Roo Walker.