Early Monday in Bird World

4 April 2022

It is a great morning – feedings at Dale Hollow, Ervie at the barge, and the romance continues at The Campanile.

The morning started out with real positive energy in terms of an intervention to get the monofilament line off of DH 15 Little Middle and remove any other line off the Dale Hollow Nest. Approval has come down from the top permit officer so we wait to see if the local officer will assist. Jessica Halls and her team from the AEF are prepared to leave and help the eaglet. We do not know what the tree is like – that is the one very unknown in all of this. But however this turns out, it was a real ray of sunshine to connect with the people who love eagles and move into action when there is a problem.

If you missed the earlier posting with the letters from Ron MacGill who helped get me in touch with the USFWS head permit provider, they are here:

https://wordpress.com/post/maryannsteggles.com/44638

The adults at the Dale Hollow nest have not fed Little Middle since 2 April. Big continues to intimidate – more than twice this morning at 10:17:29 (just got up close and LM went into submission) and wings out at 12:04:20 and again at 12:05:44. There is plenty of fish on the nest – 2 have been delivered.

This morning, very hungry, Little Middle self-fed and in the second video stands on the fish and pulls and tugs developing good neck muscles. This eaglet is a survivor. I sure hope it gets the chance out in the wild.

Really proud of how well Little Middle is feeding itself. At one point the crop was full but, because he had not eaten for so long, he dropped that food rather quickly.

River has not fed Little Middle any of the fish this morning. Big is always threatening.

Big is full. At 12:23:53 Little Middle begins to move over to the piece of fish left to self feed.

As I write this, Little Middle is self-feeding. Hunger and the will to survive are driving this wonderful little eaglet. These are great skills for the wild.

An adult returned to the nest and Little Middle moved and then began to go around the rim to be fed.

Little Middle was being fed and then…Big noticed.

At 12:33, the adult is feeding Big. There is plenty of fish. Stay up there Little til Big leaves. That is all you have to do!

Big’s crop is big enough to pop.

In another golden moment, the adult got between the two eaglets and is turned and feeding Little Middle. If the adult will stay there, Little Middle will really be able to have a good feed. There is plenty of fish.

An adult brought in more fish at 12:48:54. There has been lots of fish on the nest. I wonder if the weekend leisure boat traffic, etc. in any way impacts the fishing for the eagles?

I cannot promise you that the rescue and intervention will happen. What I can say is that the removal of the fishing line is in the hands of the USFWS and the AEF. If it is possible, I believe we will have a good resolution. It clearly depends on many factors including the tree the nest is in. I have not been able to get a proper height for it other than very, very, very tall.

There is also good news coming out of The Campanile and the Cal Falcons. Annie’s ‘new man’ – please give him a great name Cal Falcons – brought her a large prey item which she accepted last night. Despite his lame foot, this fellow is a good hunter and provider. Annie how lucky!

The two changed incubation duties just a few minutes ago! Courting ritual in scrape. Seriously, can there be a better written romance?

And in the midst of everything, Ervie was at the Port Lincoln Barge begging Mum for a fish! I want to thank ‘A’ from Japan for alerting me to his presence. The Port Lincoln Osprey folks did a close up of Ervie’s foot so that they can see how that talon is growing. It is growing in slow.

You might be able to rewind to the times above and get to see Ervie! Here is the link, Ervie is still on the barge!

As I mentioned yesterday, Dale Hollow can be mentally exhausting. The intervention and removal of the line is in the hands of those who have the opportunity to help. I am going out for a long walk in the forest because waiting and watching is agonizing.

Take care everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures and video clips: Dale Hollow Eagle Cam, Cal Falcons, and Port Lincoln Ospreys.