Godiva

Tag

By Jordan Lake: Bald Eagles; Godiva Challenges Hershey

Godiva was speeding down the lake when she suddenly pulled up vertical.  Her mate Hershey was headed her way, also in a hurry.  Godiva decided to challenge Hershey, possibly to a death spiral, but he wasn’t in any mood for the high stakes aerial.  Hershey streaked over Godiva.  Godiva was so mad she about stalled out of the air in her turn around to chase her mate.  They both were quickly out of my sight.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagles Playing in the Wind 09-05-2019

Hershey and Godiva are one of the mated pairs of bald eagles at Jordan Lake. This morning, while Hurricane Dorian was still off SC and we were just starting to get some good gusts, Godiva called out to Hershey, challenging him to a chase in the strengthening wind. By the way, Hershey is the light brown eagle (he is named after the chocolate bar) and Godiva is the normal dark brown of a bald eagle.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest: H&G Nest, 10 photos, 05-30-2019
H&G Nest
 
Mom Godiva had been lurking on a high perch when she jumped and streaked to just above water level.
Her direction was taking her straight down the shore line.
I heard a great blue heron give its grumpy annoyed don’t-you-dare-disturb-me yell.
Floating behind the heron was a dead fish.
I realized that the eagle’s flight path was straight for the heron.  Both birds wanted the fish.
I wondered if a collision was eminent.
But, no.  Godiva lifted up over the heron, glanced down at the fish and kept moving past.
I continued to track Godiva and when I looked back to the heron, it had flown almost out of sight, fish dangling from its beak.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Fledge: H&G nest, 9 photos 05-28-2019
H&G Nest
 
I found Godiva sitting to the far left.  One chick on the rim of the nest.  One chick to the far right on a branch.
Mom Godiva flew out and I tracked her only to realize that one of the chicks had flown too!!!
I don’t know if the chick had fledged yesterday or today, but I am happy for the new flier.
The fledgling flew, circled, got tired and even though about 500 feet from the nest, dropped his feet for landing.
All fledglings make controlled crashes for landings.  This fledgling almost forgot to put on the brakes!
He was still going full speed when he disappeared from sight behind the main trunk.

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest report: H&G nest, 9 photos, 05-16-2019
H&G Nest
Dad Hershey had walked out on a big branch to the right of the nest to check on one of the chicks.
I heard an angry alert call from both Hershey and Godiva (unseen).
A two-year-old bald eagle was headed toward the nest.
Juvenile eagles will try to steal chicks from eagle nests and Hershey and Godiva knew this.
Hershey launched and the two-year-old eagle quickly saw it was in trouble and it turned and fled the cove.
Hershey returned to a tree near the nest and the two chicks went back to branching.
Mom Godiva showed up and took over guard duties while the two chicks watched the world.
Hint: to find branching chicks, look for their feet first then look for the beak!

By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Nest report: H&G Nest, 4 photos 03-12-2019
H&G Nest
 
The high lake levels have kept all of the bald eagle nest monitors from checking the nests as often as we usually do.
I got to the nest of Hershey and Godiva to find that their chick(s) have hatched!
That is Hershey at the lower left as Godiva is watching from behind the main truck of their nest tree.
 
 
Godiva leaning over to feed an unseen chick.
 
 
Hershey on his favorite outlook post.
 
 
After the chick feeding, Godiva settled in to enjoy some of the morning sunshine.