Hello Eagle Friends,
The weather was cool today. It was 36 degrees when I reached the valley. The skies were overcast with a promise of sunshine coming this afternoon, but the sunshine was late, for it never made an appearance today.
It didn't matter, the valley was full of activity. I hiked out and spent the morning with Daedee and Dancer my nest 1 eagle pair.
Today was day 37 incubation, and I hoped to see an eaglet. I found Daedee on nest duty. When I reached the river I could hear
what sounded like coyote pups, whimpering, crying and then a huge splash.
I looked down the river to where I had just been standing and that entire bank just fell in the river. The funny part about this is on my video I had made a mention that I wouldn't stand on the part sticking out again, as I have seen the bank collapse into the river. So when it happened my first thought was a coyote pup fell in, then I realized it was just the river swallowing the earth.
I moved to my north post and sat and I wasn't there long when Dancer came flying in with two feet full of grasses for lining in the nest. This another sure sign the eaglets will be here soon. He will bring in grasses continually during the first four weeks or so once they hatch, too.
He made three attempts to get Daedee off the nest, flying right past her, behind her, and circling, but she wouldn't budge. So he flew by me, landed with the grasses still in his grip on a tree branch. Then he called to Daedee, but she ignored him.
So he dropped the grasses back onto the ground. I don't know if he did that purposely, or if he did it accidently.
Then he walked up and down the branch and rubbed his beak, then kept looking down on the ground. Maybe he was going to scoop them up again, when she left the nest. He sat vocalizing soft chirps, every time I moved, he announced it.
Suddenly I heard a whoosing sound, and I looked up to see two Canada geese flying right through the nest tree branches, and I looked back to Dancer, wondering why he didn't fly in and get them out, but he beat my turn of my head and was already there, 0-60 in a blink. Those birds come in at the speed of light when threatened.
Then he perched in the twin tree and stayed there the rest of the morning.
I left and went to nest 2. Judy was up on the nest and I was really hoping for an eaglet shot today, but all I have is a shot with her feeding it, and then coming up with white meat on her beak tip. The shot above was her resting a moment before she went to feeding the eaglet, Terry Gail who is three days old today.
I'm still holding out for twins, but the feeding was quick today, so either the other eaglet was sleeping, or, it never existed. Eaglets are always hungry if awake. If they don't wake up, the mother will not wake them to feed.
I did see what looked like that dead goose head on the nest. A slim black head, with a white strip. It could have been a duck I guess. However, when I went to check on that goose box where that goose lay dead yesterday, I found it vacant, and there was no dead goose floating. Either the eagles took the goose, piece by piece, like they do when bringing in turkey, or the coyote or bobcat came back and ate it whole.
I moved on to nest 6 and found Linda up on her nest for day 31 incubation. They'll be hatching any time now and I'm looking forward to this nest. There has been so much marsh activity here these past 92 days, I just trust it will continue through the summer and fall.
I found several teals, and shovelers, and the two geese on their nest boxes. I found Dick, the nest 6 male fishing his favorite haunt a half mile away.
I couldn't see anything new at nest 5. I was hoping to get a glimpse of their four day old eaglet, but I may have to wait a couple more weeks to see it rise. Timing is everything. Sometimes you can sit 8 hours and not see an eaglet, but the next day you'll see it every five minutes. You just have to put in the time and keep the faith.
Nest 3 was on their nest for day 31, and nest 4 on their nest for day 29.
I chuckled watching a pair of sandhill cranes fly by. The one landed by nest 3, and the mate never looked back until it hit another marsh and started calling out rapidly to its mate. The mate answered, but had no desire to fly over to the other marsh.
As I backtracked a pair of turkey vultures sat on a tree low to the ground, which surprised me. One had fur in its mouth, so obviously it had been snacking on some kill somewhere down the ravine, but I didn't see what it was.
Then as I neared nest 5 again, two male pileated woodpeckers duked it out. I have never seen such a fight. They would fly into each other and what made me laugh is how they flew to opposite sides of the tree flapping their wings like a couple line dancers kicking their legs, and they flew up the tree in perfect synchronization. Then flew off to another tree and repeated this antic, then flew to a third tree and did it again. The lighting was bad, almost black in the dark shadows of the woods, and I got a few pictures, enough to show they were flying up the tree, but nothing worth posting.
That was my day in the valley. Brian where ever you are, Happy Birthday today! I tried calling you but didn't get an answer.
I'm looking forward to day 93.
I'll see you on the journey--
Lisa
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