Fledge at Captiva…other quick news in Bird World

16 March 2025

Greetings Everyone,

I was so busy watching our little bobbleheads and poor Bodie that I missed a double fledge. Dasher and Dancer flew out of the Captiva nest on Sunday morning together! Stunned parent looks on. No doubt there will be footage posted on FB.

They have not returned to the nest yet. 80 and 82 days old.

Sylvia posted a video of the fledge: https://youtu.be/iqEAN_ZhI1k?

At Big Bear, Shadow fed the chicks and then removed the deceased chick to the pantry area before brooding the two survivors. Do not be alarmed by this behaviour. They are carrion eaters. This is not what we saw at the NCTC nest with Scout last year (infanticide/cannibalism). Shadow is cleaning the space and they may or may not consume the dead eaglet. Sometimes they are left to become part of the nest. Other times they are removed from the nest or eaten.

I was worried about the wee ones earlier but Jackie was back brooding quickly.

SC1 is so cute peeking out of that deep bowl. As someone noted, Jak had better start building those cot railings.

Dr Sharpe will be on Santa Cruz Island repairing the signal next week.

Feedings at Duke Farms. Little one gets some!

The trouble with the juvenile intruder at Gabby and Beau’s nest continues. Gabby and Beau got rid of it again so that they could feed Bodie!

Bodie had a great meal and even did some self-feeding. Relief.

Ferris Akel found Arthur on the scaffolding at Cornell on Saturday. (No bands on leg. BR has federal band).

Thank you for this quick check in. Congratulations to Dasher and Dancer and to Connie and Clive and everyone at Window to Wildlife for a great year at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams: Window to Wildlife, Sylvia, FOBBV, NEFL-AEF, Ferris Akel Tours, Duke Farms, IWS/Explore

Published by maryannsteggles

I went to the UK as a Commonwealth Scholar in 1990 and received my PhD from the University of Leicester in 1993. After three decades of university teaching, I retired to devote my time to the study of raptor behaviour. I am particularly interested in Ospreys and am working on a long term project on third hatch survival and siblicide in these raptors. My blog is a result of a fascination with my local wildlife and the desire to encourage others to love and care for birds! I live on the Canadian Prairies and prior to the pandemic travelled a lot. I am questioning the use of aviation fuel at the moment as we all strive to help our planet. My early research was in politics and art including British public statues exported to Southeast Asia and Vietnam Resistors that contributed much to Canadian ceramics. Books and articles were published on those subjects over a period of 3 decades. Now I am working on books for children so they can learn about the challenges our raptors face.

2 Comments

  1. Alison says:
    11 thAmerica/Winnipeg-05:0031America/Winnipeg03bAmerica/WinnipegMon, 17 Mar 2025 03:00:45 -0500 2021 at 03:00

    Seriously, have a look at the size of Bodie. Surely this has to be one very big girl – she absolutely dwarfs Beau. It is wonderful to see her self-feeding but I do hope she hangs around a bit longer.

    Reply
    1. maryannsteggles says:
      11 ndAmerica/Winnipeg-05:0031America/Winnipeg03bAmerica/WinnipegSat, 22 Mar 2025 18:43:05 -0500 2021 at 18:43

      Bodie is a BIG girl!!!!!! She is wonderful, too.

      Reply

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