Tag Archives: E17 and E18

WBSE 27 returns to care

For those of you who have been watching or following The Chronicles of Daisy, you will know that the White-Bellied Sea Eagles whose nest Daisy is borrowing, are not down at the River Roost by the Parramatta River but, rather, have been at Goat Island. My sources tell me that the pair left their River Roost the day prior to WBSE 27 being released from care.

WBSE 27 enroute to Toranga Zoo for care – first instance.

The absence of the parents means that WBSE 27 has not been cared for by them.

WBSE 27 has been taken into care again. The National Parks and Wildlife Services stated on Thursday, December 2 that a White-Bellied Sea eaglet, the same previous one in care, has now been taken back into care. It was found dehydrated and weak with no significant injuries.

WBSE 27 will be kept for a few days and sent to another facility for rehabilitation.

My only words are: Thank goodness! WBSE 27 has to be fed. It has to be trained to get its prey if it is to survive.

White Bellied Sea Eagles. 28 on the left and 27 on the right.

When Ventana Wildlife was releasing the three California Condors that had been in care on 4 December, one of the things that they said was that they wanted the birds to be slow and cautious about going into the freedom of the wild. They also complimented the Los Angeles Zoo and its staff for instilling ‘confidence’ into Iniko. It was Iniko that won the battle for the cow carcass shortly after her and Dian Fossey left the release cage.

This is the problem with the White-Bellied Sea Eagles. The Pied Currawongs rush them from the forest, they constantly attack them and have them flying hither and yon. They cannot imprint the way to the natal nest and they are stressed. There have been no sightings of WBSE 28 since she was rushed from the nest by the Currawongs. The likelihood that WBSE 28 is alive is slim. The parents do not know that their fledglings want food unless they are screaming for prey.

Stop for a moment and think of the three lads at the Port Lincoln Osprey nest. They have fledged. They have returned to the nest and the barge as they get their muscles for flying strong. They have even been taking baths over in the shore and watching fish. Soon – if they haven’t already – they will be attempting to fish.

Dad is delivering the breakfast fish to the Port Lincoln Osprey fledglings. Ervie gets it.

The best example of Eagles that you might remember are SW Florida’s Harriet and M15’s E17 and E18 who hatched last January.

E17 and E18 went into care at CROW for conjunctivitis. They became best buddies over the course of their time in the nest. They were like twins – although there was lots of competition in the early stages. CROW had to separate them with towels!

The two stayed on the nest for more than a month. Food was delivered to them. They learned how to protect their prey, they grew stronger. When the two of them finally left the nest to find their own way in the world there was not a doubt amongst anyone that both were equipped to be successful. In contrast, Legacy at the Northeast Florida bolted. She was a strong flyer but she left so quickly that she did not imprint the way back to the nest. She was missing in action for some days only to return to the nest, hungry and exhausted. She then stayed for that month for training. It is known amongst researchers who monitor and track the birds that if they bolt out of the nest and do not return, they are probably dead.

We want the fledglings to stay on the nest as long as possible. The longer they do the data reveals the more successful they are. So never, as you are watching, wish the birds to leave the nest quickly.

I am thrilled that WBSE 27 is in care and will go to rehabilitation. This might well mean that one of the fledglings from last year and this year has a chance at survival. Send all your best wishes to that amazing bird.

Thank you for joining me. I know that you are all wondering about the status of WBSE 27 since its release. This is actually good news. I hope that when they release WBSE 27 that it will be near a place where he can find food with the other juveniles.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams or FB pages where I took my screen captures: Sea Eagles FB Page and Cathy Cook, SW Florida Bald Eagle nest and D Pritchett Family, SeaEagles @Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, and CROW.

Harriet and M15 have 2 eggs!

Harriet and M15 are the resident Bald Eagles on the D Pritchett Farm in Fort Myers, Florida. The couple are blessed with a gorgeous nest tree, a pond to fish and bathe if they wish – or play -and a family dedicated to their well-being. Last year, we worried over the eye infection of E17 and E18 who went into care at CROW. The little ones returned well and happy. No one will ever forget them being fed with their little towel donuts or E17 getting ‘time out’ for being too aggressive.

Harriet and M15 are very experienced parents. They shared the feeding duties often to make sure that each of those eaglets was fed. In the end, E17 and E18 were the best of pals. Many dreamed that they would fly off together finding a territory where they could remain close. That is, of course, some whimsical thinking but, it would have been lovely.

Of course, w would all like to know how their destiny played out and it is sad that the two are not banded. I am so very curious about the dispersal area from this nest!

Harriet and M15 with the two wee eaglets. 28 January 2021
E17 and E18 at CROW for care for eye infection.
The two became best buddies.
Look at these two gorgeous fledglings!

Around 17:10 Harriet was on the nest. Her tail was going up and down in the characteristic movements of laying an egg.

It has been confirmed that the second egg came at 17:10. It was seen on the 360 degree camera. The average number of days from laying to hatch is 35. That could mean that the first egg could hatch on 25 December followed by the second on 28 December. I actually hope they are closer than that! But, hey, healthy eaglets are what we want.

There are still no eggs at Northeast Florida with Samson and Gabby, no eggs for Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear, and no eggs yet at Captiva. There are other nests that already have two and that includes Hilton Head in SC.

Congratulations to M15 and Harriet, to the D Pritchett Family and all those who love this wonderful Bald Eagle family. You can join the fun by watching one of three streaming cams. Here is the link to one of those:

Thank you so much for joining me on this update. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam and the D Pritchett family for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots and to the SW Florida FB page where I obtained the images of E17 and E18 in care at CROW.

Bald Eagle Season is approaching

As Bald Eagle season quickly approaches, I am reminded that everyone has a few favourite eagle nests. Some like to cheer Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear while others like Harriet and M15 at the Southwest Florida nest or Samson and Gabby at the Northeast Florida nest. Others love Mr and Mrs North at the Decorah Eagles, the Pittsburg-Hayes or the new couple, Anna and Louis, who had the first eagle fledge from a nest in Kisatchie National Forest since 2013, last year. I could list so many because there are so many streaming cams on Bald Eagle nests in the United States. It is their National Bird and there is a lot of patriotism surrounding some of the nests! Some individuals do not like to watch birds eating birds and mammals but, did you know that the diet of the Alaskan Bald Eagles is almost exclusively salmon? the same will apply to many of the Bald Eagles out in British Columbia. Bald Eagles eat what is in front of them; they are opportunists. So the diet will vary regionally. Sadly, they also eat carrion, dead animals, many of which are on the highways and the eagles get hurt or killed flying down to get the food or the remains left from hunters full of lead shot.

I caught up with a few of the Bald Eagle couples recently. Anna and Louis have returned to the nest they used in the Kisatchie National Forest. Cody and Steve have really worked on the camera situation and there is now sound, too. You have a broken screen showing the landscape and then another view looking directly down into the nest. Cody and Steve are part of the forestry staff. They also ‘man’ the chat. I am terribly grateful for their active involvement in the nest. They have worked hard to make it a fabulous viewing and learning experience for all of us. It was a real joy to watch the first time parents figure out how to parent a growing eaglet last year!

Samson and Gabby have been working on their nest for quite some time. It is comforting to wake up in the mornings and see them roosting on the branch together.

I use that word ‘comforting’ because at any moment something could happen to one or both of the adults. That is certainly the history of Samson’s parents, Romeo and Juliet, who raised their young in this nest. So for both of them to show up every morning and every evening is simply – well, it takes a lot of weight off the mind. Of course, the same applies to all birds on all nests.

Here is a very short slide show that someone posted showing various stages of Legacy’s development last year. Legacy was such a sweetheart. Samson and Gabby did not hold back on the teaching. They had to be parents and siblings, too, so that Legacy would learn how to live in the world beyond the nest.

You may also remember all of the worries over Legacy’s survival when she got Avian Pox. It was a mild case and she not only survived but, also thrived. Legacy became a gorgeous strong fledgling.

Harriet and M15 are getting ready for another season. Harriet has been bringing in monstrous size sticks (someone referred to them as logs) to the nest in Fort Myers. I am so excited.

E17 and E18 were riots last year. I originally thought 17 was going to kill 18. You might recall they were sent to CROW for their eye infection and 17 had ‘time out’. I think the two of them in care for those five days melted everyone’s hearts. Harriet and M15 are old hands at raising chicks and when the pair got into too much bonking, both parents stepped in and fed one or the other. By the time the pair fledged, they were inseparable, best buddies.

Lady Hawk catches one of their first ‘rock’em sock’ems’.

Here they are as fledglings battling over a prey drop. There was not a dry eye in the house when these two finally flew away to find their own territory.

Harriet and M15 have been at the nest since September working on it for another year. What a beautiful couple!

If you have been watching the territorial battles going on at the Captiva Nest on Santibel Island in Florida, word has come that the former male adult, Joe, has reclaimed his nest. I cannot confirm this as none of the eagles have leg bands. That is what someone posted on the Bald Eagle 101 FB page.

I will have lots more Bald Eagle news in the days to come. There are also other birds beginning to get their nests ready for breeding season. Jack and Diane have been at the Captiva Osprey Nest in St Petersburg, Florida and the Royal Albatross are arriving at Taiaroa Head, NZ. There are now 80 adults there. One of the founders of the colony was Grandma and this is a lovely video on the importance of her to the present and future of the colony.

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/grandma-1990/credits?fbclid=IwAR2AwcNqLyVQ_lqyb2wxAYmfoU0Ohzg3aXVHWLF3AvrHpl2D4TFZJkhxfgA

A quick check on the Australian falcon nests show that all are doing fine. The Collins Street Four run up and down the gutter. As a result their legs are getting really strong. Diamond continues to get Yurruga to stretch for food so that she will strengthen her neck. At the 12:23:40 fish drop on the Port Lincoln Osprey Barge, Little Bob didn’t think he wanted any food at first. Then he changed his mind and went barreling in between Middle and Big so he could get to Mum’s beak. Neither of them blinked. This nest is so civil! Ringing will take place sometime during the first week of November and one or all three will be fitted with a GPS satellite tracker. (I was told all three awhile ago).

For those who want to see the Season of the Osprey, this is a reminder that it is showing in the US tomorrow. Please check your local stations for the correct time in your region.

Take care everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. Have a great day wherever you are.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: the KNF Bald Eagle Cam, NEFlorida and the AEF, SWFlorida and the Pritchett family, and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.

White-Bellied Sea Eagles have an Empty Nest

It was not the way the morning should have started. When we think of fledging, most of the time we recall juveniles reaching a certain age and flying out from the nest on their own. Sometimes it does not go to plan. Many are actually forced out by intruders. We will never know, for example, what larger bird of prey forced Malin (the Osplet at Collins Marsh) to fledge causing its death. Other times the birds fludge like Izzi last year when he went to sleep on the ledge and fell out of the scrape box. Izzi was lucky. He had a guardian angel to get him back to safety. Malin did not.

Today, WBSE 27 and 28 got up and 28 seems to have snagged the morning breakfast delivery. I don’t know what it is with eating and early morning air but young raptors seem to become energized. That is precisely what happened to 28, the youngest. It started flapping its wings and jumping around the nest. Meanwhile, 27 was minding its own business on one of the parent branches. 28 decided to fly up to where 27 was. It was at that moment that I remembered Big and Little at Duke Farms last season. Both were on the branch and one of the birds wanted on the other side and they both fludged. Theirs was a happy ending but that wasn’t know for a few days. Both made their way back to the nest to be fed by the parents for some time. That is the way it is supposed to happen. Well, it is unclear about WBSE 28. He fell off the nest.

Here is a sequence of still images showing the build up to the fludge. In the first one, 27 is on the branch and 28 is still eating.

28 begins to flap and jump.

Look at those beautiful wings.

27 flies up to the branch.

At 07:22:02 WBSE 28 almost took both of the birds off the nest. He fell to the left. You can see his wings. WBSE 28 composes itself on the branch.

Meanwhile the cam operator searches the ground for WBSE 28.

Almost immediately the Pied Currawong begin their relentless attack on WBSE 27.

There were three Pied Currawong taking turns at WBSE 27. You see it is in their best interests to keep these sea eaglets out of the forest despite the fact that I have never seen a WBSE eat a Pied Currawong. They certainly might want to start doing that. This is not the first time these birds have rushed a sea eaglet to fledgling and flying out of the forest never to return. They did the same thing last year.

27 does well honking and spreading its wings in a defensive manner. It had to be frightened.

At one point 27 flew at the Currawong.

WBSE 27 off the nest at 8:33:56.

One of the Sydney Sea Eagle chatters caught WBSE 27’s fledge and made a video clip of it. 27 flew to the branch by the camera tree. You can see it in the clip. It was a beautiful first flight. You can also see 27 flying out of the forest to the left.

There are many types of fledges and the anxiousness of WBSE 27 being harassed by the Pied Currawongs – well, you can decide if he flew off the nest because he was frightened or not.

Many believe that when the nestlings fledge, it is a successful season and life goes on. I always wonder what happens to these fledglings. It pulls at my heart and mind to have the Currawong run them out of the forest.

When raptors fledge, many take short flights from the nest returning for up to a month to be fed by their parents until they are just strong enough to fly off on their own. One of the best examples of success in this way were E17 and E18, the two Bald Eaglets of Harriet and M15’s at the Southwest Florida Bald Eagle nest in Fort Myers this year. There on the Pritchett Property the little eaglets were watched – they played in the pond, flew out and returned. They did this for about a month and then, one morning they were gone. By doing short flights from the nest at their leisure, the eagle fledglings imprinted the map back to the nest in their mind. That is not what has happened at the Sea Eagle nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest. Will the eaglets return to the nest to be fed by Lady and Dad? Will Lady and Dad find them and feed them elsewhere? Is 28 tangled up in a tree in the forest? Will anyone rescue it? Where are the foxes? These are my questions. I hope that there is someone – many someones – actively looking for 28. If I hear anything, I will let you know.

The sea eaglets were right within the fledge range. I expected them to fledge any moment. It is unfortunate that 28 fell out of the tree. I do hope it recovered. No reason to think it would not. We will probably never know what happens to WBSE 27 and 28. Sadly, there is no programme for monitoring and tracking. I wish there were like with the Ospreys at Port Lincoln. It would be very interesting to see if they make it away from the nest and find a beach with carrion and other juveniles and survive and thrive.

UPDATE: Ranger Judy Harrington says that no one will be looking for 28 in the forest. It was heard on camera and they believe the Currawong will let them know where it is.

Thank you for joining me this evening. Take care all.

Thank you to the Sea Eagle Cam @Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre.