Day 116, Saturday, 5/3/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was an exceptionally gorgeous, and unexpected sunny day. I don't know who took our storms, but I for one was
grateful to see the blue skies and the sun again along with temperatures in the low 50s.

I had research to get caught up on this morning so I only had the afternoon to spend with the eagles. Nests 7 and 8, as you probably already have guessed, were empty. However, today a pair of falcons were soaring around near it on the river. I don't think that it's there nest but for a moment I had hoped it was.

I was surprised to find the valley full of spring yellow dandelions. That must mean the morels are popping up by the dozen, and I suspect the woods will be full of mushroom hunters this week and for the next two.

Nest 2s Judy and The Mayor were active in their nest area. 27 day old Terry Gail was asleep, or at least not in a mood to climb around the nest while I was there.

Linda, the nest 6 eagle was on her nest feeding what looks to be only one eaglet. The magical week lays ahead, where the eaglets all double in size and should be more visible. The great blue heron was fishing his hot spot, and all the other geese were still on their mounds or nest boxes. Only nest box 1 has hatched. I just don't know where they have taken their goslings.

The nest 5 eaglet was five days old today and was active up on his nest while one of the parents perched above peering down on him. A lone sandhill crane flew along under the nest and I wondered if it had a nest back there. Almost all the sandhill cranes have moved on.

As I moved on there were numerous little yellow, black and white birds, some kind of warbler or bird that I have yet to identify. They have been here about a week now, and seem to like the marshes, and edges of the woods above the marsh.

Nest 3 and 4 were feeding their eaglets.

I found a new six-pack of goslings trailing their parents through the marsh and up on the land.

When I arrived at Dancer and Daedee's nest, Dancer was up on the nest with Daedee and she had a large chunk of food draped from her beak. I must have arrived as Dancer brought the food in.

I watched her stuffing her little eaglets beaks, but I only could see the eaglets briefly, just barely above the nest today.

It was a great day in the valley and we are supposed to have good weather the next few days.

I'm looking forward to day 117.

See you on the journey--

Lisa