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Hello Eagle Friends,
It was a bit cooler in the valley today, only reaching 38 degrees while I was there in the valley. Just as well, with the rivers already filled to their holding capacity, any further melting of snow may have caused a flash flood. It was a year ago today that we started out Wolf Qwest 2007, and we were a few miles from our truck
when the flood hit.
I remember hiking out to Daedee and Dancer's nest area, only partially, as the river was swallowing the land quickly, and
the eagles were both standing on the edge of their nest with the river up 30 feet and then some, swirling around their tree.
I'll never forget how they looked peering over the edge of their nest.
When I arrived Dancer was on the nest tree and then he went back on the nest. I sat in the cottonwood grove watching, and listening to the birds of spring arriving. I wasn't there long when Daedee flew in and perched in a tree thirty feet away.
When the eagles fly by their wings make a loud whoosh-whoosh-whoosh sound and you feel powerless beneath them.
It didn't surprise me that she flew in and sat by me, she usually does. I don't know why, but she almost always puts herself between me and Dancer. This was day 11 incubation for them.
I moved on and went up to nest 2. I couldn't see any eagles when I arrived. I didn't worry though, the winds had picked up and I was sure they were just laying deeper in the nest. I went to leave and as I did, both eagles sat up and one flew to the edge of the nest. I was surprised both eagles were on the nest. I wondered if one was feeding. Today was their three week milestone. We could have Easter eaglets.
When I arrived at nest 6 I found an eagle on the nest for their day 6 incubation. No sign of the mate. Of course, the geese were making so much noise I wouldn't have heard him anyways. There were a several golden eye male ducks on the pond, and a couple smaller white ducks with green heads and white cheek patches.
I moved on and found several winter bugs. The ponds were flooded in the low areas and when I walked to the pond edge, what was only a wading pool yesterday, was now an eight foot or more deep hole. I laid on the edge of the ice and photographed a
tiny five-spotted fishing spider who was swirling around on the water.
I normally just let nature be, but this guy didn't have a chance. The river had already overflowed, filling the tiny pond and he was heading out to "sea" so to speak. So I let him crawl up on my finger and left him on a tree branch. He was only a quarter inch long.
Today was a day of spiders. That didn't surprise me though. I must have over 120 species of spiders I have shot pictures of during the winters these past few years. I found a few small beetles too. I have about 120 species of them too.
I moved on and found nest five sitting for day 16. There is something on that nest that sure likes an eaglet, all I can figure is it is the tail of the second eagle who must be in the nest too. Their nest is huge, at least 15 feet in diameter. Two eagles could easily be laying side by side there.
I moved on to find a nest 3 eagle on their nest and further down the road the nest 4 eagle on their nest tree, with the mate in the nest.
The day went way too fast as usual. I heard we have lots of snow coming next week. That shouldn't surprise anyone who
has lived in Minnesota. March is are heaviest snow month.
I'm looking forward to day 67.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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