Tag Archives: Thunder

Akecheta injured…Late Sunday news in Bird World

20 January 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

News has come in that Akecheta could be injured after defending the territory. ‘SP’ writes “Akecheta has been injured defending the nest from a rather aggressive intruder. He is resting on the ground below the top of one of the tors. Hopefully he’ll rest up and be OK tomorrow.  I don’t have time to make a video, but here are a few photos. Hoping it’s not as bad as it looks. The intruder also has injuries.”

I have tears pouring down my neck. Let us hope that Akecheta recovers. Send every good energy to him!

Intruder next to Thunder on Tor, Akecheta below.

The cold temperatures of winter have blown through the Canadian prairies with a vengeance! Sunday morning brought bright blue skies, piercing sun and -27 C. The young man who shovels for us braved the freezing temperatures to come and shovel the snow that arrived on Friday with that Alberta Clipper. He is reliable and wonderful! It is one job we have gladly given up this season.

The bushes are quiet. Where do the birds go when it is this cold? Will they come for food? I am always astonished at how those little feet manage to survive this wretched cold.

Some of you are having difficulties seeing some of the images. One individual using an iPad in Germany discovered that it was the browser they were using. When they changed, all was well. I do not know the details. Please let me know if you are having difficulties and what browser you are using and what you are using to read the blog (tablet, phone, laptop, etc) and I will check with WordPress. Blogs from previous years could be missing images, videos, and documents. Because of the limitations on storage, even at the Business rate for WP, some have been removed and entire years removed.

‘SP’ sent me some images of Connick in his new home at the Smithsonian. We can look forward to him living a long and healthy life. I do hope some of you will visit him in DC and send photos in to share. I wish that Connie and Clive knew he was living a good life!

That little one at NE Florida is working away. Gabby stood up around 1326 and we got a look at its beak moving the shell! It feels like a miracle is happening and wow, what a great day to have one!

726 people are watching and waiting with Beau and Gabby.

Beau is anxiously awaiting the hatch of his first chick while keeping the nest secure and safe.

Beau gets a peek as he gives Gabby a much needed break.

Beau is listening. He knows ‘something’ is happening.

They had best rest. That little one will be hatched today and hopefully as strong as R7, head up high, neck straight, wanting food!

That is a short posting for tonight. I wanted you to know that the eaglet is making good progress getting out of that shell. Send both families your best, best wishes.

Thank you for being with us. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to ‘SP’ for her notes to me, the IWS/Explore.org and the NEFL-AEF for their streaming cams.

Happiness Spilling over at the nest of Thunder and Akecheta

10 March 2022

There is something so joyful about a first time eagle parent and Akecheta sure gets the gold star for staying diligent and being ever so excited today. Akecheta wears a wing tag with the number A-61. He hatched at the Los Pinos nest on Santa Cruz Island in 2016 so he is six years old this year. He also has a silver band on his left leg with his numbers and an orange band on the right. His mate is Thunder and she wears the wing tag K-91. She hatched at the Two Harbours nest on Catalina Island in 2009. She is 13 years old this year. Akecheta has been Thunder’s mate since the 2020 breeding season. They had many problems including Akecheta, at the young age of four, not really realizing the importance of nest security. Eggs were lost to ravens – two clutches – in 2020 and in 2021 issues with eggs in nesting materials. This year is very different so far! In a good way. Akecheta is smitten with those babies and is being devoted to his family both in getting fish and in security. It is beautiful.

There were 3 eggs laid in the 2022 season on 29 Jan, 1 Feb and 5th February. The first two eggs have hatched on the 8th and 10th of March. Looking for the third to hatch on 12 March. Oh, goodness. What a difference in dates! Today the mods were happy to report that E2 had its beak wide open for food at 12:36:02 and that E1 had its first poop shot at 13:04:56. If you read about bonking on this chat, just smile. The nestlings’s vision and muscles are not developed. It is not intentional at this point.

Watching out for the Ravens that are flying around.

Alerting.

Such happiness – two fuzzy babies. Thunder is so happy!

An Eagle kiss between Thunder and Akecheta. Beautiful.

Akecheta is so excited and wants to do everything! Brooding, security, and fish deliveries!

Sweet little baby.

Yes, you are very cute. Look at that hairdo!

Proud Papa. Thunder can hardly get in any brooding time.

Why do some of the eagles have wing tags and not others? The ones with wing tags were part of an effort to reintroduce bald eagles into the region since they were wiped out by DDE prior to the 1980s. Here is a really thorough article on the hacking effort of reintroduction that both Thunder and Akecheta were part of:

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/chil_eaglecam/wing-bling-reference-chart-santa-catalina-and-san–t11469.html

Everyone is pretty much aware that there are at least 400,000 barrels of DDT that were dumped into the water around the islands. Some of these are leaking. It might turn out that the eagles and their chicks become part of an even greater study as to the continuing impact of this deadly chemical on their chicks and their future breeding.

Today, this family has just put a glow on my face today! I wanted to share that with you. Here is the link to their camera:

Thank you to Explore.org and the Institute for Wildlife Studies for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures.