Day 113, Wednesday, 4/30/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was one of those days so filled with surprises, I'm still trying to sort out all the opportunities and file them accordingly in my photo files. The weather was gorgeous. It was mostly sunny and 58 degrees when I left the valley this afternoon. Perfect sweatshirt weather.

I found no activity on nest 7 or 8. I will probably scratch both off my "to document" list by the middle of this month.
I had a late start this morning due to work issues and catching up on overdue calls to make. If you were on the list for today and I didn't call you I will catch up with you tomorrow.

I spent the rest of my morning with Daedee and the twins. When I arrived I sat in the gully with the nettles, and gooseberry bushes. I must have missed the feeding for Daedee was sitting up on the edge of the nest when I arrived. She was watching the half dozen turkey vultures diving down south of us.

Eventually she left and went over to sit on her afternoon spot, the "Look Out Tree" perch. The leaves on the cottonwoods were slowly unfolding around her head and the shades of green brought back a grass field of memories from years past, watching her sitting there, season after season, watching her babies grow up while I stood under her watching her watch them grow up.

I saw her looking to the sky a few times and I was sure the pencil sized black dot moving around on the blue skies was Dancer.

I hiked to my north post and sat hoping, watching, waiting, and finally drifting away from eagles for a moment and saying a quiet prayer "I miss you dad--happy birthday where ever you are in the Heavens. He would have been 66 today. Diabetes took too many people I loved that year.

Now I sit with eagles and I realized today the pain was less, and the memories of those I loved stronger. That's what eagles can do for you, too. Make you stronger. Make you see beauty if you open your hearts again.

All I closed with was, "Dad, if you're there, send me a sign, can raise up those eaglets heads?"

I looked up and both eaglets appeared. I probably lost a half dozen shots in a dumb stupor not expecting an answer to that request. But if I have learned anything from theses eagles it is to take your opportunity quickly or you will lose it.

I got exactly, two shots of their heads up. One where you could actually tell they were eaglets. The one with his mouth open, is Daniels Charlie, named after Charlie Daniels who I'm going to be calling this week to let him know his eagle I named after him is strong and finally visible to the world.

Last summer we did a two our "Support our Troops Show with Charlie Daniels and several other artists. I promised Charlie that if I did this project another year, I was going to name the first eaglet after him for all he has done for our country and troops.
The name would have to be Daniels Charlie, as I always name this nests eagles starting with a "D".

The twin I named D'ODEE Brian Michael. This eagle I have chosen to be a symbol for America; a true American eagle. I have planned his name for months, long before he was even an egg, long before he could even be counted, let alone to be born. I was confident, pending natural disasters that I could count on Daniels Charlie's arrival, at least one eagle, but I had to pray extra for his twin. I kept asking God to give us this second eagle, in hopes that if he did arrive, this eagle would be our symbol of our troops coming home and a message from our men and woman who won't.

To those who have lost your loved ones, to you I say, "If it's true, if eagles are really messengers of Heaven, then that's who this eagle will be for you."

D'ODEE Brian Michael. D'OD --stands for Department of Defense-- a real live, American eagle for our American troops and their families. This young eaglet, destined to be an eagle, is your symbol of America watching your flight, supporting you, and praying you home. For our soldiers who died serving so we may all be free, you are the "EE" in freedom, and so shall you be the "EE" in D'ODEE. You are our "Everlasting Eagles" our symbol of freedom.

Brian Michael stands for my brothers who have always been there for me, protecting me, encouraging me, helping me, believing in me and my eagle work. They are my brothers who represent family; a place in our hearts where we eventually find that we truly are our brothers' keepers. Where would we be without our brothers? In naming this eaglet I share with you then, mine.

I moved on to nest 2 where I found 24 day old Terry Gail up on the nest while The Mayor fed or was feeding another eaglet.
My friend and author, John Weiss, saw me at nest 2 so he stopped to say hello. He was out trout fishing today. I told him his nest eagles were the first to hatch out their eaglet. He gave me some great ideas for his book we hope to have out this fall--so be watching for more information on this.

Nest 6 eagle was up on their nest and all was quiet on the marshes below. I scratched any hopes of April goslings, but I know
we will have May goslings this next week.

I moved on to nest 5 where I found the mother perched above the nest and the eaglet must have been asleep below for I couldn't see it.

I stopped to photograph a pair of dragonflies mating, and as I focused the viewfinder was all white. I can't even tell you how I could be that close to a great snowy egret and he didn't even flinch at my huge lens in his face. He was preoccupied. He swayed back and forth a moment and then stabbed through the green algae pulling out a small fingerling fish.

He tossed it so it went down his throat head first and then looked for another fish. I was really short on time and I hated to leave, but I had two more nests to cover.

Both nest 3 and 4 eagles were feeding eaglets. When I passed the spot where the great snowy egret was, he had already left. That's how it is down in the valley. You take your shots while you have your opportunity, because when you look back--they'll be gone.

I'm looking forward to day 114.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 112, Tuesday, 4/29/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

I had a wonderful day in the valley today. The temperatures reached the low 50's while I was there, and we had mostly sunny skies. Happy birthday Michael--it was 30 years ago today I shot your baby pictures with my Minolta Srt 201 camera. I love you kiddo.

My day started off with spotting a red-tailed hawk scoring a snake in the shale. He flew the live and wiggling four foot snake to a tree branch. From this perch I watched the snake curl and coil as the hawk tore at the snakes' head and literally peeled him into hawk-sized bites.

Then the hawk flew off and perched above some cows laying in the pasture with their dew-covered calves.

I found no activity on nest 7 or 8 so I hiked out to nest 1, Daedee and Dancer's nest, and spent the rest of the morning there.
Daedee was on the nest and for the first time I could see at least two eaglets stirring about. I just won't write or confirm two until I see two heads up at the same time.

I'm getting closer. Today, I watched an eaglet with an almost solid, black beak pop up from the depths of the stick nest and tap Daedee, on her beak in an effort to be fed. The other eaglet I have photographed had a very pale beak with light gray tip.

Still, lighting and shadows play lots of tricks on the subject, so until I see both eaglets heads up at the same time, I have to say there is only one, our Daniels Charlie.

I was just thinking of packing up and heading to nest 2 when Daedee started making soft chirps. I followed her eyes, but I couldn't see what she was watching for almost another 30 seconds. I didn't even have to look, I just turned on the video camera and aimed my lens towards the tree, because those were food chirps, the eagles dinner alarm call, and that meant father eagle was coming home with dinner.

Sure enough, a moment later he appeared with a beheaded trout, I think it was a trout, and flew it in for his family.
Then he flew off to the Look Out Tree perch and watched as Daedee got up to feed her hungry eaglets.

I left and hiked out. I was making notes in my notebook when I looked up and saw an envelope under my windshield wiper blade. I climbed out of my truck and took the letter, "Friend Lisa" was written across the front of the envelope. I opened it to find a nice letter from my dear friends Dick and Linda who I named the nest 6 eagles after. "We found the eagle nest!"

I caught up with Dick and Linda at nest 6. They were looking at the eagles with their binoculars. I was pleased that they got the opportunity to see the eagles I named after them, but also how they flew in and off the nest, an extra bonus for them. "I'm glad you got to see them today, because when that foliage comes in this next week we might not see them again until fall."

"Many thanks Lisa, we are really honored that you named these after us." Linda replied.

I took a picture of them and told them, "I'm going to somehow work your picture in with that of the eagles, but it will probably take me all summer to get to it."

I found a turtle sunbathing with a duck on a marsh and I thought that was quite peculiar, so I watched the turtle staring at this feathered friend, an old wise-looking painted turtle, and they don't become that big until they are at least 20 years old. After some time passed the duck got up, stretched his orange legs and webbed feet back, just missing the turtles face; preened and then leaned down beak to turtle jaws to the turtle as if to say good-bye. Then the duck slipped into the water and paddled away.

I found the eaglet up on nest 5, and it looked like the eagle was feeding a second baby closer to her. That eaglet is 24 or 25 days old and is mostly gray down now.

Nest 3 and 4 were up feeding their eaglets too.

The Mayor was on nest 2 when I stopped there but I couldn't see their eaglet.

I'm looking forward to day 113.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 111, Monday, 4/28/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was a snowy cold day in the valley. It was only 36 degrees when I reached the valley and the snow flurries came and left throughout the day. There was only an inch of snow in some places, if that. I may be slapped silly for saying this, but, I rather enjoyed seeing the return of our white snow resting on the pine tree boughs,on the nests of the eagles, and blowing around in the air making me dizzy while trying to watch a flake fall to the ground.

We can only enjoy the snow for only a few more days and then we won't see the snow again for several months.

I'd like to wish my nephew Forrest a very happy birthday today. I love you kiddo.

Nest 7 actually looked like there was an eagle on it today. I can't be sure though. I'm just too far away and I have no access to that land. I was hoping to see eagles flying to and from it by now, that or another raptor.

I moved on to nest 2 where I found Judy up on the nest hovering over Terry Gail their eaglet.

I went and took an old winding minimum maintenance road that I haven't been on since being caught up in the flash flood on it last spring. I drove it to its end, still looking for the wolves. Instead of wolf tracks, I found large yellow flowers blooming dead center in a bog. I tried going on to get in close, but the ground kept sucking the boots from my feet.

Sometimes, you just have to be happy with the shots you do get from the edges of unknown land, especially bogs.

I moved on and found a great snowy egret fishing side by side, or maybe I should say stabbing tadpoles one after the other.
The heron left as I lifted my lens, the shy birds that they are, that didn't surprise me. Usually, after shooting by a heron a few days it allows me close by the fourth day.

The great snowy egrets either have limited fear of man, or an over zealous appetite for fish and tadpoles and put their security second to their stomachs from which as far as I can tell hold no less than two dozen large tadpoles, or three dozen small fingerlings in one sitting.

By the time I reached nest 6 I found Linda up on the nest and snow falling all around her. The geese were all in a content sleep, so I'm sure none of the goslings have hatched or they would be poking them back under their wings. The chubby little muskrat sat up on his post chewing away at the fresh roots and plant matter, ignoring the clicking of my shutter.

Judy and Donny (the real Mayor), stopped by and visited for a few minutes. "You should have been here early this morning Lisa, all the trees were covered in a light snow and it was so beautiful."

I gave them an update on the eagles Judy and The Mayor and their eaglet, and he said he'd been down looking at them early this morning but didn't see the baby.

Nest 5 was sitting above, perched high and looking down in their nest. The pussy willows are wilting away, the cat tails of 2007, have almost all crumbled to mushy clumps of white in a crust of brown velvet, and the new marsh grasses, the canary grass, the new nettles, are all climbing fast in a race to out grow each other.

Nest 3 and 4 eagles were up on their nests feeding their eaglets. The nest 3 male must have just brought in lunch, as he left the nest and flew to his favorite afternoon perch above two marshes where he can see his nest easily and observe the comings and goings of all the other wildlife.

I stopped at nest 2 again on my way to Daedee and Dancer's nest. Both Judy and The Mayor were flying around circling low beneath their nest. I wondered who or what had their attention, for I couldn't see into the dense foilage. Then Judy left, and The Mayor took over the nest duty. He sat above Terry Gail looking down numerous times at their first eaglet.

When I arrived at nest 1, I saw and photographed Dancer flying around their nest tree and wondered if something was just in that one mile stretch stirring up all the eagles? I hiked out then and found Daedee on the nest, deeply snuggling into her twins.
She was on them so tightly that I didn't even hear a peep.

I stayed until the snow began falling again, and I wanted to leave today with a shot of the snow falling on the eagles and eaglets, but it sounds like I'll get that chance again tomorrow.

Tonight Bluebell came home. We have waited six months for our little blue friend. When we went in to buy him I still was considering buying Em the sun conure that she wanted. However, I knew instantly when I saw the bird on the shoulder of a man looking at bird supplies that it wasn't meant to be.

"Hello". Bluebell called out.
"Hello." In fact, Kenny Chesney's song couldn't have been more fitting for me and bluebell as"Bluebell has had me from hello.'"

The man holding the sun conure name was Nate. I could see the disappointment in her eyes and asked if Em could pet his bird. He bought him just a day or so after we saw him a couple weeks ago. She went over to bluebell while I talked to Nate, and Bluebell played his chase you around my cage game. Soon I was hearing giggles and finally, "Mom, this bird really loves me."

I walked up and said hi to Bluebell, and Bluebell, as always, every visit for six months, came up and said, "Hello", and gave me a kiss. He nodded his head and got all excited for the attention. We played our walk around the cage game, and that's when Nate told me, "That bird really likes you. You should buy him. He bites every one that's why he's been here so long. No one will buy him."

I looked at him like he must have the wrong bird, "Bluebell?" I found myself standing up defending a bird I hardly knew, "Bluebell doesn't bite, why--"
"Oh yes he does. He bit my fiancee', two of my friends, and he only likes one staff member here at the store and bites every one else. I've been here on and off for two weeks feeding this conure, hoping I can take him home, but they keep making me wait."

I looked at Bluebells' twinkling brown eyes, with a wink, I said, "Have you been biting people while waiting for me to come back?"

"In fact, you could probably get a really good deal on him since no one will buy him and he has been here so long."
"I know he has, he's been waiting for me a long, long time. I wish I could take my bird home tonight, but I'm glad you get to."

The real test came when they opened his cage door and I got to hold him for the first time. He stood up flapping his newly clipped wings and squaked and bobbed up and down all excited to come out. He stepped out and he came up and kissed me.
"That bird adores you." He pet his bird and then he looked back up, "He has been waiting for you. Why that is fate, I think you are right, he has been waiting for you all this time." Bluebell cuddled up into my flannel shirt and put his beak on the material holding on.

"I guess that means he wants to stay with me."
"I agree," said the clerk. "He has only warmed up to Mike, otherwise he bites all of us."
"I promised him two weeks ago that I'd be back for him soon." It about killed me to walk away after playing cage tag with him for an hour. I may have said it with words, but I haven't been able to shake his expression of his beak pressed into the cage bars and how he stood taller while watching me walk away, and as I did he read my mind, as I read his, "Don't go away."

Em absolutely adores Bluebell and he is presently teeter-tottering with her. Sometimes you just "know" what pets will be apart
of your future. I knew six months ago, when I met Bluebell the first time he would be a part of our family. It just took longer than I expected. All in Gods' timing.

Welcome home Bluebell.

I'm looking forward to day 112.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 110, Sunday 4/27/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Presently, the evening ticks by without wind or storm. That has not been the case however, all day. When I reached the valley the temperature was around 55 degrees, by sunset it had dropped to 37 degrees and the rain had changed to sleet.

The wildlife was abundant today. The weather is not something they seem to fret about, but rather go on with their lives despite what storms challenge them.

Once again, I found no activity on nests 7 or 8. I actually was able to take clear shots of both today while the rain quit for awhile.

I hiked out to nest 1 and found Daedee, the nest 1 female up on her Look Out Tree perch. I could her the twins crying from their nest and I could, for the first time in days, see their little bodies moving around behind their pine bough and cottonwood curtain.

I took several images of one of the eaglets, the one with the pale beak dipped in light gray. Every day that passes, I grow more confident that I'm a day closer to seeing them daily. Daedee sat behind me and preened, looking around and watching the skies for intruders, and Dancer.

I decided to hike over to my north post to see if maybe I could see the eaglets from that side better today. No such luck. Daedee flew in about ten minutes later and fed the babies. I could see tiny pieces of fur flying in the air and some pieces of the animal stuck to her wet beak.

As I hiked to my truck I found myself stepping over clumps of slugs who gathered in several spots all to feed on the same plant matter. Then I found a little insect, a wasp of some kind, and it was finding refuge from the rain and strong winds behind a small willow branch.

As I left the rain came down and didn't stop until sunset. At nest 2, I found Judy on the nest. I was only there a few minutes when I heard her cry out and saw two geese flying up and right past her on the nest. She hovered over her baby and watched the geese as they left.

I found a small green heron on a marsh. He was busy preening the rain off his feathers. By the time I reached nest 6 the only bird that appeared to be dry was Linda up on the nest. The geese were all covered in rain drops that rolled off these well oiled feathers. I kept looking for a gosling to peek out, but they haven't not hatched.

There were two great blue herons fishing the marsh. The one is the one I photograph almost daily. I can't figure out why these great blue herons stand in the same rain storm as all the other birds, yet never get wet? It's like the rain misses them completely.

I moved on to nest 5 and found the eagle on the nest. The rain was pouring and I watched and shot pictures of a sandhill crane that was thoroughly soaked to it's down. I expected it to walk and shake off the water, but it didn't.

By the time I reached nest 3 and 4 the rain had lightened up some. Both eagles were on their nests. I shot pictures of a pair of Canada geese that were feeding on the fresh grass that has come up through the black ash from the controlled burn two weeks ago.

By the time I reached nest 2 again, the sun came out so quickly I had to race to set up my camera and tripod. The sun came out only to set, but when I look at that sunset picture above, I remember two things, the way the light saturated Judy's face up on her nest, and the expression she had watching the sun go down reminded me of Damian and Dorothy, the 2007 twins from nest 1. I remembered how they would climb to the top branch of their nest tree, nuzzled into each other and watch as that orange sun disappeared.

I finally figured out my answer from my question the other day, "If April showers bring May flowers, what does April snow and sleet bring? It brings unexpected sunsets full of memories."

I'm looking forward to day 111.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 109, Saturday, 4/25/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

The weatherman was right with his snowy prediction for today. The temperatures dropped quickly last night forcing us to turn up our dial on the thermostat. Today it was only 36 degrees but with those strong bitter winds it felt like -20 January day.

Em wanted to go exploring out with me today. We picked a place and forged our own trail. She has an incredible sense of direction, and that is a wonderful gift to have. We were trying to find morel mushrooms, which I realize aren't due out for another week, but with everything else coming up early I figured we had a sporting chance.

Instead we found numerous bloodroot found in the ravine and woods. These flowers are a week early, so I was even more
convinced we would find some morels.

Then we hiked out to Daedee and Dancer's nest and spent a couple hours with them. Daedee was on the nest when we arrived.
The winds blew her feathers backwards over her head. She changed directions on the nest as often as the winds shifted.

Suddenly, she flew to the look out tree and called out a rising pitch as an osprey dropped, literally, hundreds of feet down and into their nest area. The bird moved on without incident.

Then Dancer came in just as we were hiking out, and he had a fish in his talons. So I unpacked and we stayed. Em kept saying, "Who is that other bird above mom?" I didn't take any time to look as I was trying to get a good shot of Dancer coming in.

After he landed on the nest, Daedee called out, and her eyes were on that bird above too. "Mom, what bird is that?" Em asked again. I looked up and saw that it was quite possibly Ditto, their 2005 eaglet. The coloration was right for a 3 year old eagle,
the feet bright yellow which Ditto had, the tail was the right size and folds, and his beak was shaped like Dittos.
Tomorrow is Ditto's 3rd birthday.

I can tell you the eagle was not David Roger Kraig, Damian-Danielle, Dorothy, or Donny Paul. Whoever that immature eagle was it had some relationship with Daedee and Dancer, and that only leaves our Ditto. He flew off and circled the south bluffs
and Daedee flew off and went to the exact area, searching up and down those bluffs, and I lost her in the distance about where
I lost my view of who I believe was Ditto.

We moved on to nest 2 and found an exhausted Judy on her nest who lifted her head for only a moment as she repositioned to protect Terry Gail against the strong winds.

Nest 6 Linda was up on the nest feeding their eaglet. The wood duck drake was by his driftwood watching me photograph him.
He is not as flighty as his female. The marsh 6 great blue heron was in his favorite fishing spot feeding on the numerous fish and green frog and bull frog tadpoles.

About a dozen white pelican were feasting on what bluegills remained after the last flock and otters cleaned out the ponds.

Nest 5 was above their nest again on the perch.

Nest 3 and 4 eagles were on their nests.

No goslings on any of the nest boxes, or goose mounds, but they will all be hatching this next week if not by Monday.

It was a fantastic day in the valley.

I'm looking forward to day 110.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 108, Friday, 4/25/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

As I type this I keep glancing out the window of my studio to see if the snow has begun. I wonder if Duluth, MN will get the 14 inches of snow predicted tonight. It was rainy and 62 degrees while I was in the valley today. The entire weekend is supposed to be snow and rain. I guess the name of this years project couldn't be more fitting (Snow Falling on Eagles).

I spent my morning with Daedee and Dancer. Dancer was on Riverside North when I hiked out, and Daedee was off the nest perched on the Look Out Tree. I knew there was a person back there for them to be acting the way they were.

I sat down at The Eagle Nest Coffee Bar & Cafe, Daedee was right behind me watching whoever, and whatever north of both of us. She preened for almost an hour trying dry herself before the next storm hit. It was almost noon when I heard a scuffle and breaking timber. I turned into the direction of the noise and looked to Daedee first, for she had a "eagle eye view" and I trusted that. She looked down and I watched her follow the animal.

I saw a white back end, which was likely a white-tailed deer. Then Daedee flew over to Riverside North and started vocalizing her, "grk, grk" and that had me wondering if maybe it was a coyote. So I went to the riverbank across from Daedee but I couldn't see any tracks, nothing.

I looked for Dancer, but he wasn't anywhere I could see either. Then Daedee flew off and landed behind me. I walked back to my post, and she flew off to the future tree and kept looking down at the ground. I have to wonder if she wasn't trying to show me where the animal was.

I sat back down, and I was only there about five minutes when I heard faint, whispering "Maaa. Maa." That's when I realized it must have been a doe coming back for her fawn. Em and me saw one yesterday, so they are arriving early -- like all the babies this year.

I left and as I hit the highway my friends, Dick and Linda from St. Charles stopped to talk to me. I told them the eagles I named after them have an eaglet. We chatted a few minutes and we said our good-byes until next time. I look forward to their smiles and their kindness each visit.

At nest 2 I found The Mayor up on the nest feeding Terry Gail. I couldn't get any shots of the eaglet today, and I doubt I'll get any eaglet shots before next week if the weather doesn't change.

At nest 6, I found Dick the male eagle, sitting perched by Linda the female eagle who was feeding their eaglet on the nest.
The geese were all on their boxes and nest mounds and I found no goslings today.

I did find that furry little muskrat up on the mound by the first goose and it was washing its face, then one shot it scratched his head and smiled at the camera baring his buck teeth, bright yellow.

Nest 5 eagle was perched above the nest and the mushrooms that shot up yesterday were already starting to age and wilt.
Across the way at another marsh I spent some time trying to figure out if the snapping turtle that was floating on the surface with his head underneath. He remained motionless during the time I was there. I am still not sure if he was dead, just died, or
just hanging. I have shots with his eyes open under the water, and he wasn't there yesterday, so I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

By the time I reached nest 3 and 4 I was short on time, and a rainstorm was about to hit. Both eagles were up on their nests feeding.

It was a nice day to be in the valley, rain or shine.

I'm looking forward to day 109.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 107, Thursday, 4/24/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

It has rained and stormed the entire day and the forecast doesn't change much for the next couple days. Oh, except that we are
expecting snow tomorrow. If April showers bring the May flowers, then what does April snow bring in May? Snow Shoe sales, winter suits, and boots?

Despite the dreary weather forecast, I'm convinced that whatever weather challenges I will face there will be an onset of photo opportunity to draw inspiration from.

I arrived in the valley early this morning. The sketch of my Em is how she looks as she blows me a kiss good-bye in the mornings and heads to school.

I decided to save nest 1 for last again. I was hoping for some good shots in the rain at the other nests. Judy was soaked on nest 2 both times I stopped.

Nest 6 eagle, same story but Dick was sitting by his mate in a nearby tree. I keep trying to figure out why the females seem to always be on the nests during the storms.

The geese were all on their nest boxes or mounds. If there was a hatching, no one was coming out from under their moms. The males were swimming around near their mates snipping off and eating the tall green marsh grasses that have emerged from the murky pond scum.

The great blue heron was fishing his favorite fishing hole to the south, and has learned my truck and where I stop so he flies just a little further back when seeing my truck.

At nest 5 where the DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources), did their controlled burn 11 days ago, there was now a field of mushrooms that sprouted up to five inches in height--overnight. If I knew what they were I would tell you. I have about 80 or more species of mushrooms I have photographed in the valley these past several years.

Without a doubt, the morels are going to be early this year. I think I'll start looking this weekend. I'm also going to look for more mushrooms to add to my photos of fungi. Maybe I'll do a book on those, or at least a spring fungi exhibit.

Nest 5 eagle was hunkered down in her nest on her 19, yes, 19 day old eaglet. I don't think I'll ever get his picture.

Nest 3 and 4 eagles were also deep in their nests. So I collected pond scum, duckweed, and pond water, plus a few snails and some eggs of a ?? something on the leaves, for Em's natural aquarium. I can't figure out why her lepoard frog sings to her, croaks, every time she lifts it up and hold it. The other frog must be "the silent type"?

I hiked out to Daedee and Dancers nest. I expected to find Daedee on the nest, and sure enough she was there. She was soaked to the white under white-feathered head. In the two hours I was there I enjoyed the company of a robin, a cardinal
singing, a pileated woodpecker licking the water drops from the crevices in the bark, a pair of morning doves courting, and of course Daedee.

There was no chance of getting a shot of the eaglets today, even if I had been there the entire day. I feel the shots I took today of Daedee showed the dedication of a mother eagles journey to raise her young were equally important to this project.

As I hike out a trio of bluebirds, two males courting a female scattered before my view and disappeared into the dense foilage.

It was a wonderful day in the valley.

I'm looking forward to day 108.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 106, Wednesday, 4/23/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was an incredible day to be outdoors. The skies were clear and the temperature was 77 degrees on my second trip to the valley today. Em came with after school and we had a great time watching the eagles and discovering all the critters
who were coming out for their nocturnal rounds.


We stopped in town to get some cold water and a couple pickled eggs, the last two in the jar. We ran into our friend, Donny, the real Mayor, and I told him his eagles hatched their little one out so he and Judy need to go check that out sometime. He was happy to hear that.

Em and me left town and spent the entire rest of the afternoon at Nest 1. She found slugs and bigger slugs, and made mud food items decorating them with buds and leaves. I spent almost three hours on my knees trying to capture the first good shots of Daniels Charlie and his twin.

The lighting was gorgeous on the eagles and I managed to get some footage and several stills of the eaglets peeking through the sticks on their nest while mom brooded over them. Dancer came in with a small fish that looked like a trout or a rough fish for the eaglets. He dropped it off and sat on the nest for a couple minutes, and I think he was offering to give Daedee a break if she wanted one.

She didn't get up, so he flew off to a nearby tree and watched her feed the little ones.

Em and I hiked out and went to nest 6. It's nearly impossible to get a shot of the nest at an hour before sunset. It's like shooting into the sun and trying to focus on a flying bird at the same time. Still, I managed to get a handful of shots. It appears her eaglet was up on the nest by her, or it was her tail again, tricking me into thinking that white spot was the eaglet.

The goose in the shot above is the goose mound one female. Her little goslings are expected any day now. As we were leaving
I spotted a great blue heron silhouetted against the reflections of the ripples on the marsh.

The nest 5 eagles were both at the nest, one above, one on the nest and feeding their eaglet. I don't know if I'll ever get a shot of their eaglet before he sports his feathers soon.

At nest 3 and 4 both eagles were up on their nests feeding their young. It may seem like the eagles are always feeding their young, and the answer is yes, during this first couple weeks there are frequent feedings.

Below them were three great snowy egrets fishing in the marsh. The water where they were is deep however, and more than one of them dipped down trying to catch a fish, and landed in water up to his chest. This seemed to surprise him as he quickly jumped back up on shore.

I found a million and one mosquitos swarming the edge of the marsh. Of course, you have to expect that at a marsh and especially at sunset. Luckily however, they were almost all males. The males (as pictured above) have bushy antennae and they
are harmless. In other words, we have no knowledge of any males that bite and draw blood.


As we left Em kept spotting frogs leaping into the marsh and she wanted to go catch them, but I told her we'd have to do that another night. Then I spotted this female turkey (above), and she came down right in front of me watching me carefully as I lifted my camera to her face. She dipped her beak down into the ditch and drew up a beak full of water. Then she preened a moment before going back up the bluff.

Those turkeys are smarter than we give them credit for. There were two trucks on both sides of that bluff, and somehow she had slipped between the bushes and made it to the base of the bluff without getting shot, except by my camera. The leaves on the underbrush opened into small leaves throughout the valley providing a dense cover those turkeys will need to survive the 2008 turkey hunt.

As we the valley it was as if someone turned the light off and we drove home looking back at the darkness behind with the smell and sight of all the farm tractors spreading ahead. Yes, it is spring.

I'm looking forward to day 107.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 105, Tuesday, 4/22/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

It was another lovely day in the valley. We had some horrific winds and thunderstorm during the night with lightening striking people and planes, among other things. However, by looking around at the green grasses, the green leaves, and the singing birds; one would hardly believe that this peaceful valley had even been disturbed by such weather during the night storms.

I started my day at nest 7, which I found inactive. Then I moved on to nest 2 where I found 16 day old eaglet, Terry Gail, hopping around the nest. It's beginning to look like this eaglet is an "only" eaglet. Maybe that is just as well, the parents sit outside the nest with this one. Two days in a row, different times of the day, different parents the eagles sit on a branch five feet away as the eaglet hops towards the parent.

I only got a couple shots, but one was just after the little darling flapped his wings trying to figure out those ever-growing appendages, wings that will be six feet to eight feet wide in another 6 weeks. Judy was on the tree watching Terry Gail this morning, and The Mayor was on the opposite side of the nest this afternoon.

I moved on to nest 6 where I found Linda up on the nest feeding their eaglet. I keep trying to get their first shot, but he is just to small. Badger, their 2007 eaglet was flying around their marsh while I was there. I wonder what he thinks. I can see from his chewed up tail, that he has been scraping with someone, and that someone is probably dad trying to keep him out of their nest.

The geese are fidgety, they must hear their little ones in the eggs. I think we'll have baby goslings tomorrow on the one nest box. That mom has been up and down on her box every time I pass the last two days.

No snakes today. Maybe the foul weather forced them back into hiding?

Nests 3, 4, and 5 were all up on their nests feeding their eaglets. Just think, in 9-11 weeks we'll have at least 7 new eaglets in the skies, if all survive.

There was no activity on nest 8, and I keep trying to believe that I'm just missing them. I stop anyways, just in case I'm right.

I saved nest 1 for last. The time still went too fast. I was barely there five minutes when Dancer came in with a small food source. So small, I didn't even see it. He dropped it in the nest, and then he and Daedee shared a moment or two staring down at their eaglets. I have never seen two prouder parents than these birds.

They have the experience now of raising five eaglets to the skies, and that has taught them confidence. I believe animals need to experience that just as much as you or I. Even a dog that does something right perks up. An eagle is no different. There was absolute joy written on their faces.

I could have posted a dozen photos of them, but I edited them to just this one. I think this shot of Dancer stepping carefully over Daniels Charlie and his twin captures the mood and the majestic strength of the father eagle, literally tip-toeing over his babies.

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to be the best yet with highs in the 70's and sunshine. I'm packing water bottles, and a light coat--not to keep me warm, but to keep the sun off me.

I'm looking forward to day 106.

See you on the journey--

Lisa