Click banner to go to my host bio and listen to show at showtimes, Fridays at 11 AM EST, or to download archives anytime.
Hello Eagle Friends,
It was a day of eagles in the valley. The weatherman was right, the snow fell as promised, but only deposited about 2 inches, maybe three. However, it wasn't the snow, but the blowing winds that made the drive treacherous both traveling to the valley and coming home today. The roads were slushy, and drifted and you don't want to hit those going 80 mph--just kidding--55 mph. The temperature was 34 degrees, but with those 40 to 50 mph winds it felt like it was 20 below zero.
I bundled up and hiked out to the wolf post by Daedee and Dancer's nest. I chuckled at the sight of fresh coyote tracks that circled half way the wolf snow sculpture, Em and me made, unless, he was after that real snow--snowshoe hare.
I didn't see Daedee or Dancer today. All I can do is keep the faith, and keep checking back.
When I reached nest 2, Judy was on the nest sitting deep inside brooding what I believe is a six-day-old egg, maybe there is 4 day-old-egg, too.
I could barely see her white feathers on her head, until a loud, muffler-less, neon green truck drove by and startled her up.
Why they built their nest so close to the highway, only those eagles know. Like I have written before, some eagles seem to prefer to be closer to people, and others shy away.
As I sat I watched seven deer run up a bluff behind the nest about a half of mile away. They all went up single file, and then all of a sudden I saw all seven deer running down the bluff leaping over each other. I wondered what had scared them up, and what was "up" that scared them down. Was it people? Was someone driving them? Was it coyotes? A wolf pack? I searched the bluff but saw nothing that seemed out of place, maybe it was the cougar.
I took a picture just as Judy lowered her head down below the nest. I think this is a neat shot that captures the "all-knowingness--always aware stare of an eagle."
As I watched Judy lifted and flew off the nest landing silently in a nearby tree. I wasn't sure why, until I saw The Mayor, her mate flying in. He landed on the east side of the nest, and carefully walked around to the north side. He then carefully laid down into the nest.
There is no doubt in my mind now, that they are incubating. They wouldn't be switching shifts to just go sit on a nest, unless there was a reason. I believe that reason in a fist sized ivory oval egg, maybe even two.
I moved on to the trumpeter swan pond, hoping they'd be there, but they weren't. Several geese laid up on the ice, while several others preened up on the shore. The nest 6 eagles were not in view. So I moved on.
I found one of the nest 5 eagles sitting contently in their nest. After watching this eagle for two days I am convinced that it is
incubating an egg, too.
The first week of April will be the week I'll be expecting nest 2 and 5 eagles. Nest 2 may be a couple days earlier.
I didn't find the rabbit today, nor the black opossum. It was the day of the deer. I couldn't get the little spike buck out of my
mind all morning. He was so handsome laying down in the snow. I wondered if he was the three-legged deer I found awhile back.
Twice now I have spotted him in that same area laying down in the snow. I wonder if the other deer come join him at dusk, do they tell him to stay there and come back for him? I'm going to watch that spot more closely now.
I can see a book forming already, The three-legged buck.
I found both eagles working heavily on their nest at nest 3. Nest four had one eagle, and when you look at that picture above, look how deep that nest is. I'm going to see if any one knows the age of that nest. I'll bet it is 15 to 20 years old. If you look at the eagle on top you can see it's easily four eagles tall.
I was at the end of my route and turning around when a flash of slate blue and black passed overhead. I knew it was a kestral hawk. I watched it land on a thick, branch the size of a man's wrist. The pine needles added a lovely shade of green to the rusty red branch.
I walked slowly, and as quietly as I could through the deep snow which had worked its way up my snow bibs and was going into my boots melting on my legs. I would take a few steps and freeze, take a few more steps and stop. I shot a couple shots each stop.
The kestral hawk was sound asleep. He never even looked back until I was less than fifty feet below and back from him.
He looked over his back and I could see the blood-lined beak and I knew he had been feeding on a mouse or something.
It reminded me of the hawk from last year that I watched eat a field mouse in front of me.
I left him to his napping and moved on. Nest 3 eagles were still working on their nest and nest 4 was eagle was walking all around the large base of the nest. I think they could have quintuplets and not feel crowded up there.
Nest 5 eagle was still on her nest and as I took a bend there were six or seven huge tom turkey's drinking at the base of a bluff. I am sure they were the same ones as yesterday as they took the same path up and over a fallen log. I don't know if I have ever seen wild turkey as big and cantankerous-looking as them.
By the time I reached nest 6, I found Dick perched above the nest, but he immediately flew down at record speed to something on the other side of the river. I waited for him to return, but he didn't while I was there. I had fun watching all the black ducks tipping upside down in the water and paddling the water, treading it while upside down, splashing it in the faces of the others.
Then I watched four deer on the backside of the oxbow crossing quietly between ponds. They were wee little deer, with what looked like two older doe's.
I decided I better get moving if I was going to have time to check Judy and The Mayor again before I left. When I reached their nest the second time I didn't see any eagles on top of the nest, and my heart sunk again. I just couldn't be wrong on this. The eagles wouldn't leave that nest if they were incubating.
That's when I caught a glimpse of a couple white head feathers and a yellow eye peering out a peep hole on the south side of the nest. Oh there was an eagle up there all right, a smart one that is guarding her egg or eggs with her body heat while the 50 mph winds rippled the sticks above her head.
As I passed Daedee and Dancer's nest I slowed but didn't see anything going on. The last to breed, the last to leave their eaglets--that's our Daedee and Dancer.
I was almost out of the valley when a young buck dropped off a bluff in front of me. He stood there looking at me, and then that 85 degree incline trying to figure out how he was going to get back up.
There was another buck on the other side of the ravine, and one above his head. I eased over so I didn't scare him and he jumped right up that incline in one leap and then slid backwards. When he reached the ridge and joined the other buck I pulled ahead a snapped off a couple shots.
When I look at that second bucks face I see a million reasons to believe there is a God, for I don't know how anyone could make a creature as lovely as this buck, with longer fur than the others and not be watching over every one of those hairs.
I'm looking forward to day 53.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment