immature eagle

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By JL Bald Eagle Nest: Ranger Nest report 1 photo, 1 video 05-08-2018

Ranger Nest:  Fledgling Landing

Landing are the difficult part of flight – whether you are bird or pilot. The fledgling came back in from his first flight.  Dad Ranger had brought a fish to the nest.  No way was the fledgling going to let his sibling, who hadn’t fledged yet, have a single bite of the fish.  Only, oops, the fledgling misjudged his landing by several feet and ended up on a branch below the nest.  Even an adult eagle would have trouble launching from underneath the nest and flying upwards.  So, what to do?  Well, if your wings aren’t going to get you out of the fix, climb…yep, climb back up to the nest.

 

By JL Raptor report: Ranger Nest 7 photos 05-04-2018
Ranger Nest:
 
An unknown fledgling flew over the Ranger nest.  
Interestingly enough, neither parent bird saw this foreign youngster as a threat.
 MARK0121 WO East 01-05-18 15-26-1-1-1-Edit
Mom Ranger had been preening when something way down the cove caught her attention and she dashed off to investigate.
My human eyes could not see what had caused the eagle to take flight.
 MARK0215 WO East 01-05-18 15-51-1-1-Edit
Both Ranger chicks – note how shiny black the baby’s beak is – this is normal for this age.
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That is dad Osprey, from the neighborhood, flying above the eagle nest.
He certainly caught the attention of both bald eagle chicks!
The osprey is an annoyance but not a threat to the eagle chicks.
 MARK0376 WO East 01-05-18 16-42-1-1-Edit
Mom Ranger is staring down at a red-headed woodpecker that had landed about 20 feet below her.
I couldn’t get both birds in the photograph.
MARK0447 WO East 01-05-18 17-09-1-1-1-1-Edit
 
As the day got hotter, the chicks instinctively panted and dropped their wings to get better airflow around their bodies.
 MARK0703 WO East 01-05-18 18-37 1-1-1-1-Edit
This 4-year-old bald eagle is a threat and grave danger to the Ranger chicks.
Both Ranger parents came screaming in to protect their chicks.
The juvenile bald eagle ignored everybody and calmly flew across the cove and out of sight.
 MARK0271 WO East 01-05-18 16-04 1-1-1-Edit

 

By JL Neighborhood 8 photos 4-30-2018
My ramble in the Jordan Lake Neighborhood!
Ranger Mom and the Osprey
Had a disagreement: Uh oh.  The osprey started it.  Dove on the bald eagle several times.
Eagle yelled but didn’t go anywhere.  Having thumbed its beak at the bigger raptor the osprey flew back to its nest.
Eagle went back to glaring at the world.
Female hooded merganser – they always have a bad hair day.
Carolina chickadee – do you see the legs of his breakfast insect hanging out each side of his beak?
Solitary sandpiper. These are usually found in our coastal areas. There was a pair of them visiting the Ranger eagle nest cove.
Rusty blackbird. This is the first one I have seen at Jordan Lake. I usually find them on the Outer Banks.
Wood duck drake. Isn’t his eye a startling color! This is normal for an adult male.
A pair of snowy egrets were escorted across the cove by a red-winged blackbird.
An immature male summer tanager. A summer visitor. When he matures he will be feathered in solid orange plumage.