Jordan Lake. Oh my! A bald eagle CHICK! This is the first chick I have seen this season. The 4-5 week old chick is located at the Mystery Nest. For a long time we were not sure if this new nest was going to be occupied. To locate the chick: go to the right from mom eagle until you run into the big branch sticking out at you, then look for the black beak of the chick above the nest brim. I think there may be a second chick just to the right of that big branch.
Jordan Lake. Still no eggs. Gate is open. The photo is a four-year-old bald eagle. It is one of a couple of juvenile eagles that have been testing Loblolly and Pitch’s territorial limits at their nesting site. This is a normal behavior for immature bald eagles. These youngsters will quite literally raid a nest of eggs or chicks if they get a chance. Loblolly and Pitch are having to defend their territory against these intruders and also cope with visitors in the parking lot.
Jordan Lake: two-year-old bald eagle / eyes hinting at brilliant gold to come / flight feathers replenishing / realm of heaven ripe for claiming / scoop the wind / fly onward
Jordan Lake. I was sitting quietly listening for loons. From the trees across the lake from me came this 2-year-old bald eagle. My congratulations to her! She had beaten the roughly 50% odds that all eagles face in their first year of life… She lived to fish at two years of age. Oh, the intensity on her face!
Jordan Lake. A field ID mark on a fledgling osprey is all of the white points at the end of its feathers. They are quite distinct. I have also noticed some of this on fledgling bald eagles, and fledgling hawks. Not near as definitive but it is there. I keep asking the experts do they know why. So look at the neck and head ruff on the eagle and osprey and on the wings and see what you think.
Jordan Lake. A pair of adult bald eagles were perched quietly. One suddenly jumped up and flew over the peninsula. Then bald eagle screaming began on the other side of the trees. Captain Doug got us around the cove to find a fledgling bald eagle who was apparently in the adult bald eagles’ territory. There was about three minutes of fast and furious chase time. All three eagles seemed to be fine at the end of all of the chasing.
doc ellen's journey 