Writer, Conservationist, Activist, Bird Lover
11 February 2022
I am reflagging this because it is not clear what is happening at the SWFlorida Nest. I thought it was Harriet that had returned with M15 on the branch but it appears it was M15 in the nest feeding and a female intruder on the branch above.
I am sorry if I gave everyone a joy and now a fright.
M15 flew in with a rabbit.
Female intruder above M15.
My apologies for jumping the gun in my enthusiasm.
Thank you to SWFlorida for their streaming cam where I took these images.
10 February 2022
Good Evening Everyone,
Like my friend ‘A’ I did not immediately jump up to see if E21 and E22 had been fed. Why? Because I completely trusted that M15 had already been out hunting and had fed his babies well before I even had my first cup of coffee. And he had!
I am writing this at 1441 CDT. There have already been six feedings – and I presume, with a nice fish (just missing a bit of the head for dad) on deck for dinner that there will be at least one more feeding for these babies. They have had fish and rabbit today.
The first feeding was around 07:51:56. E21 ate first. By 08:08, E22 is moving around the nest counterclockwise to get up to Dad’s beak. He gets some fish at 08:09:56. There was some fish left. M15 leaves the nest at 08:14:19.
08:01:
By 08:09, 22 is around by Dad.
08:13. E22 is eating. 21 is finished.
The second feeding with a new nice fish came at 08:19:08. Yes, you read that right. Less than 5 minutes and Dad is back with another fish! He feeds 22 who winds up with a very nice crop.
08:19.
08:33. 22 is eating up a storm and 21 decides it might like some more breakfast.
By 08:42, there are some scraps but it is 22 that gets the food.
08:49. Look at that crop on 22!
M15 is very distracted and we will learn that there is an eagle intruder that will even come and land on the nest tree! The feeding finishes at 08:49ish.
Both eagles have been well fed early this morning. Both have crops. Dad did manage some bites. A tail piece and some scraps are left on the nest.
The third feeding is at 09:38 and this appears to involve some left overs to 21 and yet another new fish.
One noticeable change is 1) the quickness of the prey to the nest and 2) the amount of time that Dad is spending with the eaglets in the nest. So thankful that the Pritchett’s stocked that pond and M15 is doing everything he can to protect those babies. I do not want him to engage with an intruder. That could be catastrophic. M15 looks a little tired to me today.
At 10:34, the eaglets are watching Dad in the tree.
At 10:35:47, M15 is back in the nest to feed and eat from the fish brought in at 09:38. Then, all of a sudden, M15 takes off. He is back with a rabbit at 10:40:44 and he feeds 22. There is still a headless fish and rabbit remains on the nest at 10:57.
Feast your eye on 22’s crop…this is before he begins to get fed the rabbit.
At this time you can see people on the church property looking towards the nest tree. Are they also spooking M15? Yes, he is maintaining his hunting and feeding but, he seems agitated and stressed. M15 goes back and forth and back and forth.
On the nest with the babies at 12:02.
He is gone again at 12:42 and back to do some restorations at 13:17. The headless fish and rabbit are still on the nest.
At 14:44, M15 begins feeding the rabbit to the eaglets for their sixth feeding of the day. E21 gets some bites first but 22 is there snatching and grabbing. M15 adjusts himself and feeds 22. At 14:52 E22’s crop is so big it is a wonder he can move. M15 eats some. They love their rabbit!
E22 might have been shy earlier but, he is becoming very bold – at least when there is rabbit to be eaten!
It’s 16:46 and E22’s crop is still about to pop.
Cuddle Buddies…17:14.
Shortly after, at 17:21, Dad is in the nest with the last feeding of the day. It is rabbit dinner. Both 21 and 22 are so full that eating seems more like a chore. They are definitely not ravenous. Let us all hope then that M15 will eat that entire rabbit. He needs to eat himself! And he is.
At 1730 M15 moves over to the fish and again attempts to try and feed his two eaglets who are already full.
M15 ate the tail. Yahoo….and there is still fish left! It is 17:41.
M15 looks around…the rabbit has been eaten, the scraps of fish on the nest are eaten and there is still a fish without its head. Tomorrow’s breakfast or a late night snack?
Can you see 22’s crop? This eaglet is so full it simply cannot move…well, OK, it can hardly move.
As you may be able to tell, I am simply overwhelmed with the care that M15 is giving to these eaglets. He is ensuring that 22 gets to eat often to the point that we might worry if 21 needs to have some more! I have not seen any animosity. This nest is thriving and the eaglets are growing before our eyes. There is still a headless fish on the nest and some scraps!
M15 flies off at 17:44. Is he still hunting? is he chasing intruders? Stay safe Dad, those eaglets need you.
Sleep well M15, E21 and E22.
Thank you to SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett where I took my screen captures.
8 February 2022
It is difficult not to be over excited about the good things happening on the Southwest Florida Bald Eagle nest. By the time that E21 and E22 fledge, I will probably have called M15 ‘extraordinary’, ‘tremendous’, ‘life saving’ more than a few hundred times. This morning, Wednesday 8 February, six days after his mate Harriet went missing, M15 shows us precisely what a male Bald Eagle can do as a ‘single dad’.
As many of you know, my current research project is actually siblicide – on osprey nests, not eagles. I am interested in the nest survivors of beaking – and so, after Harriet’s disappearance and subsequent fear of our losing 22, I began to pay closer attention to whether or not M15 could ‘right’ this nest. He certainly has and there is so much that can be learned from a single adult – a male – caring for his eaglets. We all need to focus on what he is doing and the impact that it is having on the nest.
This morning in the space of four hours there were six feedings.
The first feeding came in at 08:23:10. It looked like road kill, some fur and some fleshy bits. E21 ate all of it. In the meantime, 22 went over to check out some of the nest overs.
At 09:01:25, M15 is back with what appears to be a fish. It is very difficult to tell. E21 ate the greater portion and then 22 moves up. Was it too late? Apparently. 22 did find some fish tail and is pecking away at it. But no worries…
M15 is back at 09:25:49 with a fish and 22 got it all.
Calm on a Bald Eagle nest.
The fourth item came in at 10:13:20. M15 appears to be distracted. Are there intruders? Looks who is eating.
The fifth prey item comes in at 11:12:03.
Dad is watching and listening. 22 went up to eat first, he got a few bites and then 21 decides he wants to remind him who is dominant. 21 eats a few bites.
Now remember that 21 is actually full from those earlier feedings. 22 moves up and eats.
The item is gone by 11:20:05 when Dad leaves. 22 checks out to see if there are a few nest overs.
At 12:32:40, M15 flies in with a really nice whole fish. What was interesting was that when Dad landed with the food both eaglets paused. No one rushed up to get fed. For a second, 21 leans over and it looks like 22 will go into submission but doesn’t.
And this is where it gets extraordinary. M15 flips the fish over so that it is actually closer to 22 than it is to 21.
At this point, 12:34 you. can clearly see that 21 still has a large crop. 22 doesn’t despite eating earlier. 21 starts playing with some fish parts while Dad shares the entire fish with 22.
At 12:54, 22 is so full that he has to lay down. He still eats a few more bites, settles on the rails nest to 21, and then turns back to see what Dad left when he flew off. Looks like a bit of a tail.
M15 flies up to the branch at 12:58:20 after he has no more takers for food. He left some fish. He must be hungry but – he left it for the eaglets. Incredible.
Whenever I see a nest where there is potential siblicide – and let us not forget that 21 had placed fear in 22 so that last Sunday each of us worried if 22 would make it – this is how you prevent it. Lots of prey deliveries. Lots of them. Get the dominant one full even if it is fur from roadkill and some fish and fill up the non-dominant chick.
M15 is in charge of what is going on in this nest. He is taking advantage of everything he can find to feed these eaglets. Personally he is doing better than many nests with two adults. We should all give him a big round of applause. M15 really is Super Dad.
Thank you for being here with me. You will hear from me again tomorrow but, for now celebrate the great things that are happening on this nest. You might well never see anything like this again in your lifetime! Be joyful.
Thank you to SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures.
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6 February 2022
Good Morning Everyone.
More than 3600 people were watching. Around the world, tears of joy, amidst a strange almost disbelief, were flowing as M15 fed his youngest eaglet, E22. With each bite, 22’s crop seemed to get bigger and bigger. It was a sight that we have not seen since last week before his Mum, Harriet, disappeared after leaving the nest in the late afternoon on Thursday. We hoped for the best, prepared for the worst and when everything good came together just after 1600, none of us could hold back the joy.
The day did not start as hopeful. The pictures below are from the first fish feeding. 21 got all of that feeding but there was half a fish left on the nest. 22 managed to peck at some of the fish left on the nest.
22 even sat on it trying to get food. He is just not old enough and he was not strong enough to clasp down and pull out the fish but it did appear that he got some flakes.
That half fish was left on the nest. M15 flew in with another fish. He fed 21 til its crop was about to pop. Because 21 had eaten and eaten and eaten earlier, when it got full this time, it went over to the rim of the nest and went to sleep. E21 was watching and listening. He moved around to the bottom of the nest close to Dad. Dad leans in to offer 22 food. 22 is very frightened and he is starving. He used the technique of snatch and grab, snatch and grab in order to get as much fish into his body as he can in a short period of time all the while worrying that 21 will come over and start beaking him. But, it didn’t happen. M15 coaxes his youngest eaglet. The longer 22 is fed – and it was a long feeding in excess of 14 minutes (was it 20?), 22 begins to relax more, moves closer to Dad. M15 beams. He has done his job. Both of his eaglets are alive. Harriet would be proud.
I videotaped the first 5 minutes of the feeding. See how he has moved around the nest and how M15 brings food to his baby. Most of you will remember that M15, in the past, had always managed to help the underdog on the nest. I always wondered if maybe he wasn’t that underdog himself. Today, though, he pulled the Rabbit out of the Hat and created a miracle. E22 finished the feeding with a large crop. He will not die today! — And 22 has the instincts of a survivor. Eating anything on the nest regardless of what it is – fur or bone. Eagles have to do that in the wild. Watching and waiting. Sometimes the opportunity doesn’t arrive. It did today at 16:03.
Here is 5 minutes of that very long feeding!
What a difference when 22 feels ‘safe’ enough to get up close with Dad and eat. You can almost sense that 22 has forgotten about 21 fast asleep on the other side. That fish must have tasted delicious!
The man of the hour, M15.
The sun is setting on M15 and the Es in Fort Myers Florida. It will be the 4th night without Harriet. Send this family all your good wishes.
M15 also had to defend the nest. Lady Hawk caught it! Thanks ‘A’.
There is a lovely article with some of the history of the Pritchett eagles.
We must wait and have patience. It is hard to do. 21 is not going to immediately be nice and let 22 eat. Do not expect that. 22 on the other hand has some food and some strength and did, indeed, get enough food for the next 2 days. M15 also needs to eat. He has to be both Mum and Dad – a big job and he needs to care for himself.
Making News:
The Stellar’s Eagle is back in Maine.
Three Kakapo are celebrating hatch day today – with three names!
From the Nests:
There is happiness in other part of Bird World and today, we are going to focus on them, for the most part.
Zoe seems to be moving! If the fishing were good at the ponds that Marge located, would Zoe leave? So what is up with our girl? Now I just wonder if Mum and Dad shouldn’t get the fish ready for their girl?
Rosa and Martin at the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest in Virginia have their first egg of the 2023 season. Congratulations!
More first eggs – this time at the Osprey platform at the Venice Golf and Country Club in Florida.
At the Webster, Texas Bald Eagle nest Ringo is now out of the egg cup and crawling up to the table. Very good, Ringo!
It is always a good day at Superbeaks. Muhlady has brought in a huge fish in the last few minutes and Pearl and Tico have eaten well all morning (it is 1400 in Florida on Sunday). Just look at those beautiful wings. I hesitated to watch this nest and am so glad I did. It is on the top of my ‘to watch list’ for 2023-24.
Beautiful juveniles. Long curved beaks to tear the prey look as if they have been spray painted ombre, yellow smiles, piercing black eyes, and dark espresso feathers mark these eaglets as ‘juveniles’. So today the difference between a ‘juvenile’ eaglet and a sub-adult eaglet is age. A juvenile is an eaglet enjoying its first plumage. Remember those soft little white/grey downy nestlings. Well, that was replaced by the plumage you see below. An immature or a sub-adult is older than one year and has replaced this juvenile plumage for ‘immature’ plumage. When Pearl and Tico grow in new feathers next year, they will actually begin to turn a lighter brown. Sometimes the beaks will begin to change colour a bit. It is when they are 2 and a half that we should see more yellow on the beak and much more white beginning to appear, large white flecks, over their body. They will not, of course, have the pure yellow beak and white head with dark espresso body until they are adults at 5 years.
It is a gorgeous day in Florida. There are Brown and American White Pelicans in the water around the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Clive, Connie, and Connick. Simply gorgeous. Oh, I cannot wait for spring and the pelicans return to Manitoba! About a third of North America’s American White Pelicans spend their late spring and summer with us on the Canadian Prairies.
Oh, Connick! You look like you are having ‘fish’ dreams.
What a happy little eaglet.
Little B16 is good. That eaglet is really growing…I love how Pa and Missy are so loving and caring for this wee one. You just know it is so special.
Sunday evening they both wanted to feed the baby.
The weather around Big Bear Lake has gone from calm, to blustery with what sounded like blowing snow or ice pellets, to sunny. Jackie is being very vigilant about those two eggs…9 days folks.
Turn the volume down! Indigo is home!!!!!!
Oh, it is chilly at the nest of Bonnie and Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property. Amazing camouflage. Could you see Bonnie in the nest if you didn’t know she was there?
I have been, sometimes, worried about Nugget at the KNF-E3 nest. Even with so many fish on the nest, Nugget will hold back if Valentine is up eating. Happy to say they both seem to be doing quite well. Valentine’s juvenile feathers are really coming in and you can tell the two apart easily. Today, Valentine stood on the rails!
The Norths have been at Decorah North today working on the nest, eating fish, and looking out over their territory.
The identical behaviour is taking place at Decorah, the Bald Eagle couple near the trout fishery.
I have not reported on Gabby with everything going on at the opposite side of the State of Florida. She is great. Just look at these images of her and her big crop! What a beautiful female.
You could fool me into thinking that this is that amazing male with the grey head. Handsome. Did he return for a visit? I don’t see a nick on the right side under the cere. Not V3. Interesting.
He is hanging around the nest…are we in for another season of ‘As the Nest Turns?’
It has been a good day. There are a lot more nests, eggs being rolled, eggs thinking about being laid. The relief at seeing M15 feed E22 for what was a good 15 or so minutes was overwhelming. There had to be tears flowing around the world. Many had given up and I have to admit that I did not believe that 22 was going to make it without some kind of miracle. Well, that miracle came. So I am going to stop here and just ask you to continue sending the most positive wishes you can to the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15 and the Es.
Thank you for being with me today. Take care. See you soon.
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Thank you to the following for their posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures and blog: ‘A’, SWFlorida Bald Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, News-Press, Joan Herzog and MAINE Birds FB, Kakapo Recovery, Friends of Osprey, Dulles-Greenaway Eagle Cam, Cathy Cohen and Ospreys (Pandion Haliaetus), Paul White and the Webster Texas Eagle Cam, Superbeaks, Window to Wildlife, Berry College, FOBBV, Elain and the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Farmer Derek, KNF-E3, NEFL-AEF, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org
