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