Tag Archives: Eve feeds two little eaglets

Bedtime Snacks

Many reading my blog will have had a routine at bedtime – either as a child, or with your children or grandchildren, or both. Perhaps someone read you a story or there was milk and cookies. Something that would mark the transition from the day time activities to night and quieting down. In a similar way, there seems also to be a nest rhythm. Where there are little ones that need to be fed more often that the bigger ‘babies’ – and where prey is available on the nest – the mothers always make sure that the little ones have been fed before they are tucked in.

It is nearly 8:40pm in Estonia and Eve is getting ready to feed the little ones their last meal for the day. This meal will have to last them until the sun comes up in the morning.

Eve has been keeping the two warm all day. Notice how she is stretching her left leg and wing. She will also do that with her right – birds get ‘stiff’ from sitting in one position for hours just like humans it appears.

Eagle Club of Estonia. 9 May 2021

White-tail Eagles roost at night. So Eve will be settling in with the little ones and needs a relaxation break for a night of brooding the eaglets. Look at how big they are!

Eagle Club of Estonia 9 May 2021

The older sibling might be looking off in the distance but the little one is already for some fish before bedtime. It is stretching its neck to try and get the first bite. That stretching also strengthens the neck muscles.

Eagle Club of Estonia. 9 May 2021

As the sun set in Jacksonville, Florida, Gabby and Samson made sure Legacy had a nice fish so that she would have a full crop before bed just like Eve did with her two little ones.

NE Florida Eagle Cam 9 May 2021

There is always a flurry with those deliveries. Samson doesn’t always get his legs and talons out of the way fast enough.

NE Florida Eagle Cam and the AEF. 9 May 2021

Gabby watches over Legacy as she eats her fish. Indeed, Gabby and Samson have been very attentive since Legacy returned to the nest. They may know that the owl and the hawk have been intruding and that their attacks could actually injure their eaglet.

NE Florida Eagle Cam and the AEF. 9 May 2021

Legacy was still working on that fish tail when the IR cameras came on. Nite Legacy, sweet eagle dreams!

NE Florida Eagle Cam and the AEF. 9 May 2021

I remember, with great fondness, the many meals my Asian friends shared with me when I was visiting them. One of their traditions was to eat around 10pm when the heat of the day had dissipated. Today it was more than 30 degrees C in St Petersburg, Florida. Tomorrow my weather report says it will be a stifling 33 degrees. Tonight, as the IR cameras came on and it had cooled to 23, Diane was sharing a fish with Tiny Tot and sibling #2 had its own piece. The low light didn’t seem to be causing them any problems and I wonder if birds enjoy eating when it is cooler rather than when it is super hot.

Achieva Credit Union. 9 May 2021

As the sun set on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia, there was a nice big fish on the nest for the two little ones before they settled in for the night. I have been worried about the second osplet because the oldest has been fairly aggressive. #2 went to bed with a fully crop tonight. No worries at all.

Cornell Bird Lab and Skidaway Audubon. 9 May 2021

#2 had to wait but mom made certain that it was full to the brim and more. There will still be some fish for her, too.

Cornell Bird Lab and Skidaway Audubon. 9 May 2021

The little eaglet in Fort St Vrian in Colorado went to bed with a really full crop tonight, too. The appetizer was fish followed by ‘a feathered’ something or another main course.

X-cel Energy. 9 May 2021
X-cel Energy. 9 May 2021

It has been wet and cold in Ithaca, New York. 6 degrees C and rain and more rain. Big Red did not catch a break to feed her little ones before bedtime. Normally their little crops are stuffed. She knew that she had to keep the Ks warm and dry. The forecast says that the heavy rain will stop on Monday morning around 6am.

Cornell Bird Lab. 9 May 2021

The rain stopped for a few minutes around 14:00 and Big Red took a relaxation break from the brooding and even took time to bring in another rail for the nest. Let’s hope that it is warmer tomorrow and the nest, the Ks, and mom get a chance to completely dry out.

Cornell Bird Lab 9 May 2021

Big Red’s Ks made up for not having their bedtime snack with several breakfasts. Everyone is just fine. It’s cloudy and should go up to 11 or 13 C today, 10 May, in Ithaca.

Cornell Bird Lab. 10 May 2021
Cornell Bird Lab. 10 May 2021

Thank you so much for joining me. Have a great Monday!

Thank you to the sponsors of the streaming cams where I get my screen shots. I have credited them under the images today.

As the Nest Turns is spinning faster!

Big Red left the Fernow Lightbox Nest with the 2Ks at 14:10:46. She returned at 14:24:14. The temperature in Ithaca was 25 degrees C and the 2 Ks were fine. They got some much needed warmth from the sun.

Oh, gosh, aren’t they the cutest with those tiny little wings and fat little bottoms!

Oh, look at K1 looking up to its Mom. How sweet. And look what Big Red has in her talons!!!!! Looks like rabbit is in the pot for dinner.

Often Arthur will hunt – his job is provide the food for the family, security for the territory, and support for Big Red – and leave prey at a drop off for Big Red to pick up and take to the nest. Sometimes Big Red hunts herself. We will never know who caught the bunny but there it is – it will become hawk. I sound like a broken record but these kids will never be short of food – never. And if they are there will have had to have been a major catastrophe in the area.

The vandalism at the Llyn Brenig Osprey nest caught the attention of one of the BBC morning programmes. On Saturday night the platform was approached by boat and cut down with a chainsaw. A tragedy. On that nest was the female and her egg. Alternative arrangements have been made for the Ospreys which Wales Water hopes they will take advantage of – one is a new platform close by and another is a replacement platform where their original one was.

Here is that broadcast:

As gleeful as I am to see Big Red and her very trusted mate, Arthur, enjoying their beautiful babies, I am equally joyful to see ‘no’ eggs on the nest of Iris at the Hellgate Osprey Nest. Her mate, Louis, has two nests. Historically he has not been the best provider for Iris, the oldest breeding Osprey in the world. There has been nothing short of heart ache for Iris since her mate, Stanley, died. I am glad there are no eggs. Iris will not take another mate because she is bonded to this nest in Louis’s territory. Another male will not come and take over unless he takes out Louis – and then what about Starr and her osplets? It is very complicated. Raising chicks takes a toll on both of the parents.

Over in the United Kingdom, Maya and Blue 33 (11) woke up to a soggy morning. Blue 33 (11) loves sleeping and cuddling next to his mate. Their devotion to one another is refreshing when I think about what Iris’s life could be and isn’t.

As the day progressed, the sun came up and Maya dried out. It is day 35 for that first egg that Maya laid. You might remember that her and Blue 33 (11) were the first couple to return from their winter migration to Africa on 19 March. The normal incubation period for Ospreys is 35-42 days. We are now on hatch watch for this lovely couple!

If you would like to catch out the action, here is the link to their camera at Rutland Mantou:

I often get frustrated with prey delivery to the nests. The birds cannot, of course, go to a store and buy a bunny or a fish. They have to hunt and fish for their food. It was a lot easier for the birds to do this before we took over their land or killed it with pesticides and herbicides. Boating and fishing leave their mark on the health and well-being of the birds as well.

Here is a video of Richmond, the mate of Rosie, at the San Francisco Osprey Nest on the Whirley Crane. It is a 6 minute clip of him going out to fish. Richmond is a bit like Arthur – he is an incredible provider.

If you would rather not look at the video, I can show you that Richmond was successful but it was the legion of trips that he had to do across the water that is so impressive.

It is evening in the United Kingdom and any snow that was on the Welsh Osprey nests yesterday is now gone.

Mrs G is on her nest at Glaslyn as the sun is setting and all is fine.

Telyn is on her nest and all is well. She apparently called out to a train when it went by! No hatch alerts for either of these two nests. More than a week to go at either one (or a little more).

And the last for today, the White Tail Eagle nest in Estonia of Eve and Eerik. Eerik is another great dad – he is working on keeping the pantry full enough. Those two little ones are really growing. Everything is positively fine on this nest. The little ones sit up and eat and there is no mischief!

Thank you so much for joining me. I will see you tomorrow. Have a great evening! It is a wonderful day to work in the garden. I noticed there is now green on the rose bushes and the peony shoots are about 10 cm high. Stay safe everyone.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I get my screen shots: Cornell Bird Lab and RTH, Eagle Club of Estonia, Dyfi Osprey Project, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife, Cornell Bird Lab and the Montana Osprey Project, LRWT Osprey Project with Rutland Water and Rutland Wildlife Trust and, Bay Ospreys by Golden Gate Audubon.