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.
It is hard to turn on the SWFlorida streaming cam and not see M15 there with a big fish feeding the Es. So far on Thursday there were 4 feedings and M15 has already fed both eaglets breakfast Friday morning. When 22 slid right in by 21, I almost fell out of my desk chair. The environment on this nest has changed so much since our worries of a week ago. The food security that M15 has established is really working wonders, bringing a normalcy back to this beautiful eagle nest. When do you remember 21 giving 22 a thorough going over? Many thought 22 might not live – including me. Well, I am sure happy to have to eat those words! Life is good. In fact, even the GHOs are cooperating. Their owlets, there are two of them, will fledge and be away from the natal nest before the Es even branch! That in itself is a miracle and will stop a lot of potential problems. M15 and the eaglets are very blessed.
Those four feedings were 09:18:14, 10:10:28, 14:43:40 (a massive catfish), and 15:58:25 with another big fish. Here are a few images from those feedings.
09:18:20. 21 is going to eat first. Notice those beautiful feathers coming in on the back of 21. The eagles are losing their fluffy white natal down, they have grown their thermal down, and now the feathers that will mark them as juveniles are growing in. The eaglets are healthy, they are developing as they should, and I noticed that 22 is even standing on its feet.
09:19. E21 is really enjoying this nice breakfast.
09:34. E22 did not mess out. Look, E22 has a really nice crop.
M15 hangs in there, surveys what is happening and manages by moving the prey and himself to make sure both of his children get fed. Lovely. It is almost impossible to hold back the tears of joy just looking at how well this family is doing. I think it gives us hope for other nests that find themselves missing an adult at a crucial time.
10:10. 22 is there for some bites. You can really tell the two apart now. Glance at the image above. It is like someone took a crochet hook and tied in some feathers to the down and made a gorgeous cape for 21 with some black fringe at the terminal end of the tail. Beautiful.
14:44. Huge catfish lands on the nest. This is really a nice one and it is going to feed everyone. I know that some of you are now beginning to worry that M15 is taking such good care of the eaglets that he is neglecting himself. Let us hope not. He has to take care so that he can be all things to these two babies. There is still a long way to go before they fly the coop er’ tree.
This is the image that really brought tears to my eyes today. It is 14:52. Both of the eaglets have crops, they are side by side, they are facing dad. 22 looks as if he is smiling. There is no tension or fear in this image. Instead, it is two eaglets and their dad in the sunshine enjoying a catfish meal together.
When I captured this screen image, it was almost one week since Harriet went missing. M15 is doing her proud. Notice also how heavy 21’s wings are now. They are drooping just like they are supposed to. Also notice the size of the feet.
No animosity between the eaglets although 22 remains careful and quick to duck if he thinks 21 might beak. Actually smart. It will help him later when he is around lots of birds that want to take his food.
22 really does like to peck at the nest overs. A survivor.
15:10 and the rest of that catfish belongs to 22 and Dad.
You are amazing M15!
As the eaglets try and sleep, rain is beginning to fall on them. I wonder if M15 will go down to the nest? No, he did not. He is doing sentry duty on the branch. Let us hope that the GHOs are so busy feeding themselves and the two owlets at night that they do not have any time to go fly into M15.
The Friday morning first feeding was around 0800. 21 ate and then 22. A distraction for Dad in-between. Both eaglets are quite fine. My friend ‘A’ wrote that it was the first time she didn’t check on the SWFlorida Nest first. Gosh, that is the most wonderful thing to say.
21 at 0805.
22 eating at 0826.
You can Make a Difference:
Do you eat tuna? swordfish? Do you know someone who does? Do you know how it is caught? is it by pole? or is it by long-line trawler? The problem right now is one of trust. What certification can we trust? Here is an article from the BBC. There are many more, some supported by the long line fishing industry to make you think that line fishing is sustainable. It is not. There are ways that long line trawlers can make fishing safe. Some groups and countries will even provide free sparkly lines or the boat crews can bait the lines at night or put them over the side BUT are those ships churning fish into the bellies of boats 24/7 really doing the right thing for the environment? for the birds? I have stopped eating fish altogether – it is one way to be sure. 90% of the ocean’s fish, since the end of the nineteenth century, are gone. Feeding humans is causing the birds that rely on the fish from the sea to starve. Do you really need that can of tuna?
There is a battle going on right now to save the Albatross – all of them but, especially the Antipodean Albatross. Since 2005, their population number has decreased by 60%. In 20 years, if we do not dramatically change the way tuna and swordfish are caught, these gentle sentinels will be extinct. Someone I know -and I am sure you have seen her name if you are part of the Orange Peregrine Falcon FB group- Holly Parsons, reached out to me. She is on a campaign to stop people from eating tuna and swordfish and to do something about the deaths that are occurring due to long line fishing. This is, of course, something very dear to my heart and to another friend, ‘R’.
A beautiful video – so well made – and short. Please watch and then share it! The more people that understand the issues and step forward to end long line fishing trawlers, the better the world will be. Thank you! Thanks Holly for reaching out.
In the News:
Falco, the Eurasian Owl that escaped when vandals cut its cage at the New York City Zoo, has been delighting viewers around Central Park. But can the owl survive in the wild? Many are afraid that it cannot.
Two female bald Eagles fighting in Nova Scotia, Canada get so enraged with one another over a territory or prey defence – and so tangled – that both ended up in rehab. Great little video (note: there is a cruise ad at the beginning – just bear with it to get to the story).
What an idea. Train a team of Spaniels to sniff out and kill rodents to save the lives of birds – it is a Welsh trial but, I am wondering if a team of these dogs would not work to aid those islands with Albatross that are getting bitten and killed by rats??? What do you think?
Germany is taking the injury and/or killing of raptors seriously. Let’s see this happen with those that keep getting their sentencing postponed in the UK. It is time to stand up for wildlife and the environment – no matter where we live. The raptors cannot go to court and speak for themselves, neither can the Buzzards, the White-tail Eagles, the Storks – all of them. They need our help since we are, in fact, the ones that took away their pristine environment, turned them into hats and fancy dress, and put their eggs in cases while poisoning the water and land where they get their food.
‘H’ and I have been making lists of what kills ospreys for almost a year now, going back and forth. Conservation without Borders posted a list of 37 items that need tackling to make the world safe. Have a read – lots we haven’t even considered! What can each of us do to help?
Do not dye birds for fun! It kills them. I want to ask: what idiot would think this is a good idea? Once again, you can help. If you hear of anyone – or any civic project – that is going to release artificially coloured birds – you try and stop them. Reason with them, phone the news stations, whatever it takes to peacefully stop a potential death sentence.
Big Red and Arthur’s fourth hatch in 2022, L4, is still on the Cornell campus. There is also what seems to be a light coloured Red-tailed male around. Here is Cornell’s tweet:
OK. They are not raptors – not by a long shot but, I do dearly love these flightless parrots of New Zealand – the Kakapo. The Recovery project is continuing with naming the 55 that survived to be a year old from the 2022 hatch! What an incredible number of survivors. Aren’t they adorable?
In the Nests:
The ‘New Guy’ at Cal Falcons and Annie have been eating and mating on the ledge. Sharon Pollock captured the action for us. Will we have some eggs in that scrape at The Campanile soon?
There is an injury to the talon of HD at Decorah. How will he fare?
We saw Diamond soaking wet and in much need of a trip to the salon yesterday. I didn’t have images of Indigo. Elain has caught that wee fledgling! So happy Indigo made it to the scrape.
Angus brought a live Sheepshead fish to Mabel at the Captiva Nest – and she dropped it when flying off. So sad for her. The video capture by HeidiMc is quick. Don’t look away!
Connick, the only eaglet of Clive and Connie, seems to eat and be in a perpetual food coma. He is growing and growing. Really strong thick legs and such beautiful thermal down. Cute little tail that he seems to like to wiggle. Just look at Connick’s mohawk…too funny. He still has his light grey mouth…watch as it will turn to yellow.
Connick, that crop is so big. Can you even lift yourself up?
As we get closer and closer to pip watch for Jackie and Shadow, the Ravens are being relentless in their harassment, flying all about the tree. Thursday morning Jackie went flat to protect the eggs. Then she began doing several alarm vocalisations. We are 5 days away from pip watch. Jackie and Shadow are being extremely vigilant. After the eaglet/s hatch, they will need to continue this high level of security. The eaglets will not be safe from predation until they are about a month old.
I have not checked on all the nests today. Jak and Audacity at Sauces Canyon do have a third egg. Typically the shell of the third can be thinner than the others. Let us all collectively hope that this one egg might make it to hatch!
I did check on the Black Storks, Waba and Udu. Waba is the 2022 hatch of Karl and Kaia and Udu is a 2021 hatch from the Karula National Forest nest in Estonia. Waba continues to fish in the Sudan.
Udu is in Turkey but not around the earthquake area.
There has not been tracking information for Kaia since she landed in Chad, from Karl when he would be flying to his wintering home form the Nile, or from Bonus who was last heard from when he was in the Western Desert. We hope that when spring migration begins, their transmitters will start to send signals. Zoe has not sent a transmission for 36 hours. Friends of Osprey are not worried as she is in the area where there was no cell coverage before. Send everyone your positive and good energy. ‘H’ just wrote to me and said that Zoe has now missed another tracking notice. Please send good wishes that she is simply out of range.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care everyone. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, their posts, their tweets, videos, and their streaming cams that make up my screen captures and blog: ‘A’, ‘H’, Holly Parsons, Southwest Florida Bald Eagles and D Pritchett, CTV News Atlantic, The Guardian, CABS, The BBC, Live Ocean, Conservation without Borders, @Cornell Hawks, Kakapo Recovery, Sharon Pollock and Cal Falcons, Raptor Resource Project, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Window to Wildlife, Heidi Mc and Window to Wildlife, FOBBV, and Looduskalender English Forum.
It has been precisely a week since the iconic Southwest Florida Bald Eagle, Harriet, went missing. Search parties are still looking for the Queen, hoping to find her and trying everything possible including vocalisations. Another team is set to head out on Saturday searching through some thick brush areas. So far there has been no sight of her and there have been no birds taken to wildlife rehab centres that are Harriet. The resolve to not give up is strong in many around the Fort Myers nest site who have watched Harriet raise her eaglets with Ozzie and then M15 who was, apparently, the ‘Frequent Visitor’ mentioned in many reports. We wish everyone well as they give their all and their love to trying to find dear Harriet.
Meanwhile, M15 continues to take fantastic care of the eaglets. Someone said if there is a silver lining to all of this it has been the amazing care that M15 has given to the nest. There were no less than 8 feedings on Wednesday. E22 had such a huge crop that it simply could hardly walk!
This was how E22 looked at 13:08. Do eaglets get indigestion?
M15 returned for the 7th feeding at 15:44:55 with a really nice fish.
E21 got up first to eat having dropped its crop from the very early feedings. E22 was simply not interested in food. Can you imagine? E22 not interested in food? Our Snatch and Grab King! There would have been no place to put even a flake of prey having eaten at least one if not two fish earlier! M15 fed then half the fish to 21 and left the other half on the nest. Wise move, Dad.
At 16:44 E22 watches Dad aerate the nest. Notice how big that crop still is. Not much difference from 13:08. E22 is full up to the dandelions on top of its head!
M15 returned at 17:24. E22 still had no interest in eating and 21 went to bed (as did 22) with a nice crop.
Both of the eaglets were fed well and are being taken care of diligently – and protected – by their Dad. M15 even did some aerating of the nest and tried to cover 21 with nest material which caused me to laugh. Prior to Harriet’s disappearance, M15 loved to cover up the babies with the nest materials. All is well on this nest. In the on line discussion this evening hosted by Christian Sasse, it was noted that the people for the most part have left the area and those leaving food are no longer a problem. This is great news. M15 can get on with it and we already know that he is up to the job!
Good night, Dad.
It is Thursday morning and M22 has already brought a fish in for breakfast. E21 has a great crop and 22 got fed some fish, too.
Postscript: I missed this entirely. M15 brought in two white rats on the 7th of February, Tuesday. E21 ate all of them. Lady Hawk caught it in a video.
Where in the world do you get white rats/mice with pink eyes? (You know what I am thinking already, don’t say it..that word that begins with an R).
Other Nest and some Other News Thrown In – in no particular order!
A new couple have moved into Sue and Otto’s territory at the Graveyard at Syracuse University. Here is that announcement.
Congratulations to Diane and Jack whose first egg of the 2023 season came after an amazing labour display at 06:51 on the 8th of February in St Petersburg, Florida.
It’s two eggs for Ron and Rose at the WRDC Eagle nest in Miami! Oh, things are starting to get busy with all these eggs. It will be difficult to keep up with them. Congratulations to this new couple! Ron will be an amazing mate for young Rose and we all hope that Rita is recovering well in rehab.
Pat Burke called it at 18:09:57.
HeidiMc got it on video:
The cold winds are whistling around the MN-DNR nest of Nancy and her new mate. Both were at the nest. Nancy spent a lot of time on the nest today – in the nest bowl. I wonder if there is an egg in there? I cannot see one. Tonight, standing guard.
Do you live in New York City? near Central Park? have you seen an unusual owl? Geemeff sent me news that there is an owl on the loose. It is not just any owl that has lived in the wild all its life. No, vandalism caused Flaco, at the Central Park Zoo, to leave his cage Thursday night – the same day that Harriet went missing. Flaco has never had to feed itself and the weather in the area is worrying many. Here is the story:
We are focused on M15 – a male Apex Raptor taking care of his eaglets after his mate disappears. Around the world, similar stories are playing out – a mate is killed or disappears. It is or would be extremely rare for one of our feathered friends just to up and decide they ‘had had enough’ and left a nest of babies. In this case, a male Swan in Boston MA has charge of his five goslings after their mother died on the nest right after they hatched. He is reported to be doing a superb job, too, even allowing them to ride on his back!
There has been a break and the nest has plenty of food back on it. Ringo really enjoyed a good feed and had a huge crop at the end of it, just like E22 did at SWFlorida today.
The ‘baby’ isn’t such a baby any more at Barry College. Missy still stays on the nest but doesn’t have to brood B16 tonight.
All of the eaglets on the nests are growing and growing and moving through each of the development stages just like they should be doing. The first of the Bald Eagles on streaming cams to hatch this year was Pearl and Tico at Superbeaks. Just look at these beauties. Pearl is 62 days old and Tico is now 61 days old. The average age of fledge in Florida is 77 days. After fledging, it I normal for the eaglets to return to the nest to be fed by the parents who will be teaching them to hunt prey as they strengthen their wings and enhance their flying skills. This period lasts for normally a month or five weeks (sometimes more). I am always very distressed when I see a fledgling shoot out of the nest and never return.
If you do not have your calendars marked, then please do. We are now six days away from the 15th of February which is pip watch for Jackie and Shadow. So far everything is going like clockwork. This adorable couple have kept the Crows at bay and protected those two precious eggs they have been incubating. I wonder if we are in for two ‘spirited’ eaglets this year?
Connick, the only eaglet of Clive and Connie at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest has a huge crop today, too…what is it with today? Every eaglet has been stuffed til they can hardly walk! I know what you are going to say…these ‘babies’ are now sporting their thermal down, the feedings are not so close together, and yes, they can hold a lot more food at a single feeding! And you would be absolutely correct.
At the KNF-E1 nest of Anna and Louis, they filled E-03 up to the brim too – right before the heavy rains came to the area.
Remember. E-03 will be named. You can vote beginning at noon on Friday the 10th (tomorrow) until Saturday at noon. Three names are selected by forestry staff and voted for on the chat. Head to KNF-E1 nest on YouTube. Wonder what the names will be this week?
Valentine and Nugget were soggy over at the E3 nest on Lake Kincaid. Andria makes an effort to keep her ‘big babies’ dry! After the rain settles, Alex is on the nest and it looks like Valentine was doing some self feeding.
Is this Alex or Andria? I am not sure.
Ever wondered what an eagle nest might smell like with the rain and all the fish bits and bobs? Oh, goodness. Just the thought.
Andria trying to keep those babies dry. Sweet Mum.
Alex and Valentine literally looking for a midnight snack.
It was pitching down the rain in Orange, Australia, too. Diamond before and after drying off. I have never seen Diamond so wet!!!!!!!
At The Campanile, Annie was in the scrape box – after what looks like a meal and then scraping and eating some stones. Oh, so nice to see you, Annie. When might we expect some eggs???
We knew we couldn’t call him ‘The New Guy’ forever. Cal Falcons seem to think Annie has decided that this one – albeit a slow learner about the prey gifts – is the one she will share her scrape box with. So there is going to be an opportunity coming up quickly to suggest names and vote. Cal Falcons tweeted the details on Twitter.
I received a note from ‘H’ and it appears that Zoe has missed two check ins. Send positive wishes for a transmission this evening!
Thank you so much for being with me today. It is always so nice to have you hear and to get your notes and comments. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, photos, videos, announcements and streaming cams that help make up my blog: H, Geemeff, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, Red-tailed Hawk Tales, Achieva Credit Union, WRDC, Heidi Mc and the WRDC, MN-DNR, Inside Hook, The New York Times, LEXNAU and Matthew Wraifman, Paul White and the Webster, TX Eagle Watchers, Berry College Eagle Cam, Superbeaks, FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E1 and KNF-E3, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, and Cal Falcons.
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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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Oh, the sky is grey with heavy clouds after having beautiful sun yesterday. The temperature is an absolutely balmy -1 C. The Conservatory is warm, the kittens are playing and, surprisingly, there are few birds at the feeders today, so far. It is the second day that I have been totally relaxed about the SWFlorida Eagle nest. Harriet has now been missing for 6 days with no sign of her. People have been searching all over the greater Fort Myers area and, of course, the Pritchett family and friends have searched and searched their property. She is, after all, a member of their family along with M15 and the eaglets. M15 continues to do an extraordinary job of caring for his family. I am finding it hard to concentrate on anything else, actually – including a new Dorie Greenspan cookbook that has arrived full of wonderful images of baked goods!
On Tuesday, M15 had an early feed of what appeared to be roadkill or a turtle. Then he flew to the nest at 12:13:02 with a fish in his talons. It looked like a Ladyfish again. He must have a great source of these and all the Florida fishing sites say they are plentiful.
Of course, 21 ate first. 22 kept its head down watching and waiting and in the end needed a bit of coaxing by M15 to eat. M15 moved the fish, and moved up to 22 even moving his beak right over. After a short time, 22 began to relax. I do think that 22 has won the ‘snatch and grab award’ over Rocket at the NEFlorida nest last year. 22 got some nice big bites and by the time the food was gone, around 12:42, he had a good crop! M15 was back up on his branch watching over the territory and protecting his and Harriet’s eaglets right after. I do hope Dad is eating, too.
21 watches but does nothing. Food security back on the nest.
What a beautiful picture. It could only be better if Harriet was there. Everyone is missing her.
It is 15:04:21 and M15 just flew off the nest to go hunting for food for him and the eaglets. You can see his shadow on the ground as he leaves the nest tree.
M15 returned looking rather wet at 15:31:14.
He flew down to the nest with the eaglets at 16:17:47. E21 was ready to eat but, M15 thought he was going to have some food, too. 22 eased his way around, a little late to the table, and got a few bites including snatching the very last large piece. He didn’t get enough for me to do a dance but, I am not worried. 22 had enough earlier if something else comes in, great. Maybe not. Both him and 21 can wait til tomorrow. I saw no beaking and no animosity on the nest between the eaglets. What I did see was M15 offering some bites to 22 after he had moved over nearer the table. Good job, Dad.
Well, there was another feeding and I can tell you that E22 ate for more than 8 minutes. At the beginning, M15 fed 21. But 21 was already full. The bites were small with long pauses. M15 kept taking a bit, holding it to the left for 22 to see it. Finally, 22 turned around. Did the snatch and grab and then got comfortable. At the end of the feeding, 17:40:51, 22 was practically pushing Dad off the nest rail wanting the last of the goodies from the head. M15 was hungry, too, and ate. Thankfully. The feeding lasted from 17:27:53 to 17:40:51. Both eaglets went to bed with big crops. Sweet.
It was a magnificent feeding. I will probably say it a hundred times: M15 has made a concerted effort to include 22 in this feeding and in several others over the past few days. 22 has gone to bed full and content. Life is good.
In the video, notice how 22 is facing towards the rim of the nest with one eye on Dad and then, gradually, he will begin to turn counter clockwise ending up right in front of dad and beside 21. He is still aware of 21, still aware of the earlier beaking days ago now. Once he turns his head quickly thinking 21 will strike. It doesn’t. 22 is quickly back at Dad’s beak – literally under Dad’s chin.
Leave it up to 22 to do the clean up after Dad has flown up to the branch.
Proud Dad!
He has lost his mate of 8 years – 8 years Harriet has been his world and the Es that they have raised together. He is grieving but, he has set that aside to take great care of their children. He has a job to do and he is doing it. I know that we would like nothing better than for Harriet to fly in to that nest.
This is a good, short interview with the Director of the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey near Fort Myers on WINK news.
Liberty at the Redding Eagle nest in California that she shares with her mate, Guardian, is on the nest. She is quite hot and panting. It looks like we could have a first egg soon.
Liberty fooled us!
Oh, I have missed check in on Indigo. Xavier had a well prepared prey item for his son this morning but instead of Indigo screaming in fast, Xavier had to wave it around for a bit. No worries. Indigo is always hungry!
Checking on the Osprey nests, there is no egg at the Achieva nest of Diane and Jack as of 1800 Tuesday.
Diane is tired and almost falling over standing up to sleep at Achieva. Will this be the night?
Yes! Around 0650 today (Wednesday), Diane laid her first egg at the Achieva nest in St Petersburg, Florida. Now for Captiva!
Angus has just brought a fish to the nest and Mabel is waiting to leave with it to eat because there are intruders about including a Brown Pelican flying over.
Trying to get confirmation that the second egg at the Venice Golf and Country Club was laid on Tuesday. Ospreys not giving away a thing!
Ron is taking good care of Rita. There was some worry about a stick that he brought in – hoping all is well with that egg! (It looks fine at the end of the video by HMc). I noticed he brought something in for Rose for lunch and ‘H’ has confirmed it was a pigeon. Ron also did some incubation duties. Well done you two.
Rose is really vocal when she sees Ron coming with food! “Ron, couldn’t you have plucked it?”
Some images from the Big Bear Valley nest of Jackie and Shadow. We are one week away from pip watch. Talk about exciting!
A three ‘note’? conversation from Jackie to Shadow – eek, eek, eeeeew. OK. I am tone deaf. Wish I could understand ‘eagle’.
A cute video of Nugget interaction with Alex at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex, Andria, Nugget, and Valentine. You might recall that there were 15 fish brought in by Alex a few days ago! And don’t forget, the names will go up for voting for Anna and Louis’s little one on Friday.
Last, a peek at Zoe. Thanks ‘H’ for giving me the head’s up about a new posting with comments by Ian Falkenberg, included below. Zoe has flown farther than any other fledgling osprey – more than a 1000 km! She is fishing around Mount Hope and I hope catching whoppers. What an extraordinary osprey she is. As several of you have commented, if I can paraphrase, ‘To think that we thought she would never be able to fly she was eating so much fish!’ She proved us all wrong.
Martin and Rosa at Dulles-Greenaway have their second egg. President and Lotus have moved to the second nest and it is believed they have an egg…eggs dropping into nests everywhere!!!!!!!!
Making News:
How many times have you seen the ads promising weed free lawns? or have seen individuals spraying their lawns? or companies? Those pesticides are killing our song birds! Please tell your neighbours and friends, family members that there are alternatives – one of which is just leaving everything alone!
A shout out to someone who stopped to help a hawk and maybe, give it a second or third chance at life! You be that person one day. You will remember the moment you help an animal all your life.
To Watch, Listen, and Participate:
Christian Sasse is hosting a live Facebook discussion about Harriet. The UTC stands for Universal Time. This came through my FB feed but I cannot find it anywhere in terms of a link to send you. I will keep trying.
This is another poster with a different time. 7pm Mountain Standard Time. LOL. The World Time Buddy says this then is 8pm in Winnipeg, 9pm in Toronto, 10pm in Halifax. Check your American time zones to these.
Please have any questions you might have on a piece of paper. You should be able to keyboard them into the rolling chat.
To Watch:
This is a 13 minute and 47 second documentary on the restoration of the Bald Eagle to the Channel Islands. Did you know that in 1980 there were no Bald Eagles on the Channel Islands? The footage shows the extraordinary extent to which the staff of the Institute for Wildlife Studies went to in order to reestablish the eagle population after its decimation by DDT. You can even see Dr Sharpe hanging from a helicopter switching a dummy egg in a nest with a nestling! Enjoy.
Thank you so much for being with me. As you can see I am still watching – with great admiration – the effort that the single dad, M15 is giving to his eaglets. Those eaglets are being fed. He is sensitive to when 21 has a big crop and holds back, gives 21 tiny bites because it isn’t as hungry as 22 and waits, almost baiting 22. It is brilliant. I am so impressed with M15. Sorry…it was only 6 days ago we wondered if 22 would even be alive by Sunday! 22 is getting some confidence. Yes, 22 is still afraid but certainly calm has settled over this nest in SW Florida. Like ‘A’, I would like to see these two be great buddies again. It has been traumatic and now life is become more normalised.
Take care of yourselves. See you soon!
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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, announcements and streaming cams that make up my screen captures and blog: ‘H’ and ‘A’, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, FORE, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Achieva Credit Union, Window to Wildlife, Venice Golf and Country Club Ospreys, WRDC, HeidiMc and the WRDC, FOBBV, Friends of Osprey, Rhonda A and the KNF-E3 nest, The Guardian, Bobby Horvath, and the Institute of Wildlife Studies.
Before I begin, I just wanted to bring you some news to put many of your minds to rest: “The photo of Harriet purporting to show fishing line and sinker has been shown to be a mucus stream from a cast pellet. The lady who took the photo said it was ejected, and she watched Harriet for several hours before she disappeared, and there was nothing hanging from her mouth.” I found this on a stream in FB and it makes perfect sense now. So, now fishing line or lead sinker. Good. It is also known that “When she left the camera view (heading ENE) she had been vocalizing at intruders in the area.”
Now to the big news of the day and M15 continues to be my Man of the Hour.
I have to admit that I did not watch many of the other nests on Monday like I would normally. On Sunday, M15 began to figure out how to keep 21 at bay so he could feed 22. Yesterday, he came in with two super fish and yes, 21 might have been a stinker but, it did not prevent 22 from eating. 22 did not get as big a crop at the first feeding – understandably since 21 would have been flat out empty over night. This afternoon at 1646 E22 starting eating…and when all was done, even with M15 distracted by an intruder, 22 had a nice crop. Good job, Dad. As ‘B’ says, you should be ‘Eagle of the Year’.
The fish appears to be a Ladyfish. They are long slender fish found in the Gulf of Mexico. They are abundant around reefs and mangroves. (Please let me know if you think this is the wrong ID – not easy to tell seeing only half of a fish but trying!) Some people call them Skipjacks.
Thanks ‘J’ for this screen capture.
Two happy well fed and much loved eaglets, E21 and E22.
M15 had no more than fed the eaglets and had some bites himself than he was up on the branch keeping vigil over the territory, protecting his kids.
Screaming out to those that dared to enter his territory.
We may never know what happened to Harriet. ‘H’ and I started making a list of all the things that can happen to raptors, most of them human caused. It was quite long and it would be wrong to speculate.
I remember many years ago someone asking me if I knew Harriet. Who didn’t know Harriet? She was an extraordinary Bald Eagle, perhaps 30 years old now, the Matriarch of the American Bald Eagle Family in Florida if not everywhere. People around the world watched her raise her children with much love and affection. We felt like we knew her and joked when she would kick M15 telling him ‘the eggs are ready’. We live in the hope that some miracle may bring her home all the while watching the wonderful care that M15 is giving their eaglets.
Posters are up and everyone is looking.
The problem with humans is that we want to help. We feel helpless in a situation like this. Everyone loved Harriet and they want to help M15 have food and to be able to feed the eaglets. Some people are leaving food believing it is the right thing to do despite being told it is illegal and dangerous to the eagles. The other day we saw a vulture eating something on the ground near the nest tree. M15 had to take precious time and energy and chase it off the territory. What if there had been a fight and M15 got injured? These acts are being investigated. Chat comments about ‘fish fairies’ do not help the situation at all. That also implies illegal acts but, it puts ideas in people’s minds. None of this is good.
M15 is doing great without us. Yes, it took him a couple of days but, imagine that he is grieving for his mate while also caring for their children. The crowds of people around the nest tree can keep him from hunting, take away his attention and energy for the things he needs to do. He is fishing successfully and by 1030 nest time, he had already been out and about, to the nest with some roadkill which 21 ate. No worries 22 is fine and when M15 gets his fish on the nest he will be fed.
‘H’ sent me a note about Zoe and we can all relax. She is back on the Australian coast apparently near some good salmon fishing. As she gets closer and closer to the tip of the Eyre Peninsula, I wonder if she is going to go and tell Mum and Dad about her adventures all the while wanting to sleep in her own bed and be fed by them for a few days resting up for Zoe’s next adventure!
Zoe’s epic journey of more than a 1000 km is making the news in Australia!
There is also a recent posting for our Ervie. Look at where he is going! Isn’t it fantastic?
It was very nice to see that Gabby is back with V3 in the nest before roosting on the tree for the night. Stability. Gabby was giving V3 little eagle kisses, too.
The other nests are doing fantastic with the exception of Jak and Audacity at Sauces Canyon in the Channel Islands. The thinness of the eggs is caused by residual DDT (as DDE) in the area. They have lost their second egg to breakage. So sad for them.
Rachel Carson called attention to the decline in raptor populations due to DDT in her book, Silent Spring. This pesticide, introduced after WWII, was recalled but not before long lasting damage was done. There are areas of high concentrations of DDT or DDE that continue to harm the Bald Eagle population. One symptom of this is egg thinning.
This is a recent article on DDT and declining bird populations by the EPA.
When I last checked there are still no eggs at either the Achieva Osprey nest or Captiva. That could change in an instant!
Indeed, Diane is staying at the nest tonight. Might we wake up to an egg Wednesday morning?
Angus is getting excited and has brought in a huge amount of nesting material this morning. Does this mean an egg is near?
Connick has a mohawk, a cute little tail, is covered with wooly thermal down and gets feed well. It is nice to be the only baby on the nest.
Superbeaks. Pearl and Tico are fully feathered in their juvenile livery. They are such gorgeous eaglets.
Ringo at the Webster Texas Bald Eagle nest is growing and getting up right to the fish! Big bites today! Like Connick, Ringo has that wooly thermal down and a dandelion mohawk.
Cutie Pie B16 at Berry College has been exercising its little wings. Oh, this little one is such a sweetheart. No wonder Pa and Missy just cannot help but be on the nest watching this chick.
Sometimes Anna continues to incubate Dudley on the KNF-E1 nest, sometimes the ‘to be named this coming Friday E1-03’ eaglet does the honours. This eaglet is huge…do we think we are looking at a female?
There are still a few fish on the KNF-E3 nest of Alex and Andria. It does look like Valentine and Nugget have made quick work out of them…oh, and yes, the parents, too! Getting harder to tell the two eaglets apart. You have to look closely at the development of the juvenile feathers on the back and wings. It is Nugget that is hoping to get fed by the parent. Notice its back compared to Valentine.
Could not help but stop in to see Jackie and Shadow. It is early Tuesday in Big Bear Valley and we are 8 days away from pip watch. You can hear the crows in the background once in awhile. Oh, I wish they would go away! Jackie and Shadow have been vigilant and Jackie is vocalising at them this morning around 06:22.
Yesterday, Shadow had an intruder after his fish! Oh, sometimes there is hardly any peace for some of the nests.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, posters, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that make up my blog: SWFlorida and D Pritchett, WGCU, Fran Solly and Friends of Osprey, ABC Eyre Peninsula, NEFL-AEF, Sassa Bird and Bald Eagles in the US, EPA, Achieva Credit Union, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, Paul White and the Webster TX Eagle Watchers, Berry College Eagles, KNF E-1 and KNF-E3, FOBBV, and Cali Condor and FOBBV.
