Hello Eagle Friends,
Today was my first major milestone on this years project, day 100. It was a cool 48 degrees when we arrived in the valley. It sprinkled a couple times, otherwise those dark, menacing clouds were only for show, until late afternoon when a sleet-snow mixture hit for a brief period.
Meghan Sparks and Chuck Sibley, reporter/photo journalists from KTTC, our local news joined me today for an upcoming story on the eagles you'll want to watch. We started out at nest 2, and I had hopes of getting footage of eaglets today, but that didn't happen.
When we hiked out The Mayor, the nest 2 male flew around the nest area and then off to the river. I noticed a huge pile of grasses laid on the top of the nest. Certainly those were for bedding I just couldn't understand why they were still up on the nest. Judy was laying in the nest brooding Terry Gail, her 11 day old eaglet.
As we waited for a nest switch, or a feeding an immature eagle appeared in the nest area which was followed by an adult eagle, who was followed by The Mayor the nest 2 protector of that area. There was no threat, Judy never vocalized and neither did The Mayor.
I notice the tolerance the adults have for immature eagles who meander through others nest areas, and I think they are curious to what is going on in the nests, but sometimes I wonder if they recall their days growing up in the nests.
The Mayor flew in and perched near Judy and the adult eagle guided the immature eagle out of the nest 2 nesting area. I could almost guess it was Dorothy from nest 1 flying with either Dancer or Daedee, the nest 1 parents of Dorothy, but I just couldn't be 100% sure.
We moved on to nest 1. Dancer was on the nest, which didn't surprise me because there were other people out fishing or hiking. For some reason Dancer likes to be on the nest this year when the other people are near. We could hear Daniels Charlie crying out every time Dancer flew by to check on him.
Dancer would fly over enough so that the eaglet would see him, and then cry out. I couldn't hear two separate cries today.
Dancer flew south and we could hear Daedee answering him. I told Meghan and Chuck, "He's telling her to get back to the nest."
Sure enough he returned and perched with a look of expectation on his face, and sure enough Daedee flew in shortly after.
She sat in the Future Tree for a little while as Dancer flew and soared above, then she flew in and took her nest duty shift.
I have to say I had a great time with Chuck and Meghan who made the time fly faster than those eagles. I do have to say Meghan has a natural gift for spotting birds from afar, and I wouldn't doubt that one day she turns her skills to the outdoors.
Chuck had some great stories and his jokes and kept us entertained during the long waiting periods waiting for eagles in action.
I was going to head back to Rochester pick up Em and bring her down to see the Pelicans, but with the storm ready to hit, I decided that wasn't a good idea. My mom picked her up from school which helped me a lot. Thanks mom. I love you.
Nest 6 eagle was on their nest and I'm still waiting to see an eaglet. The goose on the first goose mound was repositioning herself on her eggs and I chuckled watching her wiggle back down covering her eggs. There was a great blue heron snatching frogs from the shallow edge of the marsh. He walked with a gimp, and I wondered what was wrong with his left leg?
The pelicans had spread to the nest 6 ponds and were scooping up the bluegills and sunfish by the hundreds. Then I moved on and found more flocks on every marsh, there must be close to 400 birds here already this year, maybe even more.
The are the funniest looking birds, and I never tire looking at them. Their expressions are so comical and their blue eyes pierce right through me stealing my soul. I love watching them flying in and flying off. I try to remember every detail, because in a week or so they'll all be gone for another year.
I found my ditch muskrat today alive and well, and he had a sibling with him. That or they are the smallest pair of muskrats I have ever seen. They are only about 10 inches long. The one came up and swam right past me and they crawled up on the edge of the ditch slough and fed on some roots while watching me film him.
By the time I reached the end of my project there were at least another 100 pelicans swimming the shoreline of the last marsh and I walked the soft edge of the receded marsh stepping on a hundred vacant snail shells at a time, crunching them under my walk to and from the truck. The smell of rotting fish was enough to make me sick.
I have never seen this many dead fish lining the edges all around that last marsh. Enough food for a thousand eagles. The otters have been around snacking on them as I found their tracks heavily covering a long path to a from the heap of shiny
scales.
Day 100 was a day filled with discovery and promises.
I'm looking forward to day 101.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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