Hello Eagle Friends,
As I type, I'm considering turning the heat back on as it's already down to 45 degrees. It was only 55 degrees when I reached the valley this afternoon. The overcast skies made for shadow-free subjects.
Once again, I saw movement on nest 7. Not enough to prove any particular species, but enough to make me pay closer attention to see who is up there and what the are up to.
As I moved along I noticed a doe standing motionless on the edge of a marsh. The way she was acting certainly indicated she was being cautious not only for herself, but for a fawn who was hidden in the tall grasses.
As she turned and jumped over the grasses, tucking all four legs underneath her, I could see her fawn following behind. The first fawn of 2008 that I could document. That is a special fawn indeed. They are late this year.
I hiked out to nest 2 and sat with 51 day old Terry Gail for about an hour. The eaglet was busy picking through the nest for a tidbit to eat. Then the eaglet sat and preened and I watched the white down blowing up and off her carried on the winds.
At nest 6 I found the twins both biting each other on the beak, then they separated and I watched only one eaglet looking down on me.
The geese were all on the backside of the marsh on the smaller marsh, but on the big marsh they were all feeding on my side in the tall grasses. The gosling's still follow
close to mom and dad and I see more and more goose families coming together, probably for safety.
At nest 5 the twins were moving around but the branches on their nest tree block most
of my view. I can only see them when they move to the far north side of the nest.
When I arrived at nest 3 I could see Victory Bell picking up sticks in his nest. I
could only see sticks on nest 4. As I scanned the marshes for activity I saw the firt
water lotus bloom. When I see these, I know the hot weather is just days away.
Their yellow-white blooms add just the right amount purity to the ponds surfaces.
The only thing missing from my shot was the bullfrog I could hear, but not see.
As I headed back to go to nest 1 I saw an immature eagle flying furiously towards the other side of the spring-fed pool. Then I saw why. Dick was there and the immature eagle raced up beside him and challenged him to what seemed to be a race across the marsh and back to the wood.
Dick took the challenge and they both flew side by side, and then Dick sprinted ahead and the immature eagle picked up speed and they both turned and raced back. One over the other, then both disappeared into the shadows of twilight in the woods.
At nest 1 I found Daniels Charlie sitting up on the nest peering down. Gloria and Donald, the robin documentary pair both were guarding their nest. Gloria has tamed down to where she flies just a few feet away from me and looks me up and down. If I make chirping sounds she checks me out again making sure I don't have any of her little ones.
The babies have pin feathers and will be fully feathered by this weekend. It's amazing to sit and watch a nest of robins grow so fast while watching the eaglets take months
longer to make that same journey to the sky.
I brought out a snack for Gloria and Donald, but when I looked down there were slugs all over it. Of course, what robin wouldn't enjoy a cookie with slugs?
I hiked to the north side of the nest and found D'ODEE Brian Michael moving all the sticks around on the nest. His comical expressions just steal my heart.
Dancer came in to check on the twins about 7 PM. I decided to head out and on my way I found some tent caterpillars. I didn't figure the valley would miss three blue and cream caterpillars, so I brought them home for Emme.
I tried to set free the female swallowtail again tonight after her 1/2 feeding of nectar, but this butterfly just won't fly. She flaps her wings, waves her feet at me, and now after a few days of feeding her she unrolls her tongue when she sees me too.
All I could tell her was, "I failed miserably trying to fly as a child, so if you're looking for flight lessons you'll have to go to the eagles."
She tilted her tiny head and put down her antennae as if she understood. Maybe she did.
I'm looking forward to day 141.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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