Day 104, Monday, 4/21/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was a scorching hot day for Minnesota. It was 55 degrees when I reached the valley this morning and 73 degrees when I left this afternoon. The skies were hazy and we had a nice brisk wind most of the day.

I hiked to nest 2 and spent most of the morning with Judy and The Mayor. Both eagles were in the nest area on the nest tree, and nearby. The Mayor was obviously on nest duty, and he would fly off and return, fly off circle, return, and do it again. Finally, he must have woke up Terry Gail, who began peeping at his presence.

I moved on to nest 6 and found a picture perfect setting of a male and female wood duck. This is how you'd expect to see them at a Wal*Mart, in the garden section at Menards, or rendered in some watercolor painting. However, this was as real as it gets, and both of them turned their heads towards me almost as if they knew how to pose for the camera.

Nest 6 Linda was on the nest, and Dick was perched above her. I couldn't see their eaglet(s), but I trust I will by the end of the week just as soon as the he is tall enough to stand over the edge of the sticks.

There were only a dozen pelicans on the marshes by nest 6. I enjoyed watching two of them bloating up their pouches on their bill, and contorting them in ways I never knew were possible. I shot at least 40 shots of two of them with, literally, their beaks turned inside out. No kidding. That must be how they get the goop out they collect from the pond scum?

There's a marketing name for you, "Pelican Goop".

I moved on to nest 5, but on the way came across a small garter snake who had been hit on the road. His guts were spilling from under the scales on just one side, otherwise, he looked alright. I picked him up and drove him over to the edge of a marsh where he could soak and maybe survive this injury? I checked on my way out and he was gone from the area.

I have seen animals survive much worse. Like the oppossum whose eye was popped out hanging next to his cheek, and the deer, the buck who had been hit and both front legs amputated to the knees, yet he ran on those knees. He did die shortly thereafter.

I found the nest 5 eagle on her nest and shot a few scenes of that area.

Nest 3 and 4 eagles were on their nests, up and apparently feeding eaglets. As I turned to leave a five foot fox snake appeared next to me. Their markings at fist glance always look like a rattlesnake, and they'll even coil and rattle their tail if provoked. I only stepped around him which sent him into a winding race back into the ditch full of water.

There was a rustling in the leaves and grasses and I heard another large snake, but I didn't see it. I watched a garter snake swim across the marsh and lay there floating on top. The fox snake, however, he dove under the water and then popped up and rose up several inches out of the water leaving his four and half feet of scales beneath the moss and algae.

I saved Daedee and Dancer's nest for last. I was wishing I hadn't used all my morning up already on snakes and other critters, but I had one goal only for today and that was to come out with a shot of Daniels Charlie.

May I present to you, Daniels Charlie with Daedee. Alright, so the shot only shows fuzz, but it's him, and I have two more shots just like it. Then he ducked down under the sticks. His hiding met with good timing for me as I only had sixteen minutes to get my gear and hike out, and that was pushing it.

I did however, capture some of the first video footage of Daniels Charlie today and he has a bright yellow beak dipped in black and like all their babies, the cutest expression with an inquisitive look about him. This eaglet will surely keep mom busy this season. In another photo, I can see white fuzz, which is likely his twin, but again, I need to see both heads to confirm that.

It's supposed to storm tonight and tomorrow, so I'm sure photo opportunities will be a little more challenging, but they'll be there.

I picked Em up from school, and we came home worked on illustrations for one of our books.

I'm looking forward to day 105.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 103, Sunday, 4/20/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

It was an extraordinary day, so much so, we stayed until dark. Em came with me today, eager to see the eaglets, we finally had our first opportunity. The skies were spring blue and the temperature was 64 degrees when we arrived.

We found no activity on nests 7 or 8. However, there was plenty of peeping coming from nest 1. I can, for the first time ever confirm we do have at least twins on nest 1, possibly triplets. The oldest eaglets cries were resonant against the faint peeps of the younger, or youngest eaglet up there. There were many times in the three hours we were there that we heard the soft cries overlapping each other against the louder cries.

Dancer was in the nest area, and Daedee flew off for a break, but stayed on the nest tree. I think even at this young age, the parents are trying to teach their young to cry out at their appearance. I've watched this on nest 2, with The Mayor a week or so back where he kept flying to the nest tree trying to get the eaglet to answer or cry out.

This must be something they need to learn.

When a turkey vulture came into the nest area, Dancer flew over Em and me, tail swagged us, and then took after the vulture. That is the first time he has ever done that when Em was with. He was clearly showing up to look up as if we were to notice that vulture too.

He has done that to me alone before with turkey vultures.

Dancer brought in a sopping wet fish late this afternoon, and then Daedee immediately came down and fed her hungry lot of eaglets. I still won't name the second eaglet or possibly third eaglet, until I have photo proof, which if the weather could be more like spring, could happen this week.

We moved on to nest 2 where Judy was up feeding her hungry two week old eaglet. I no more than said, "I don't think I'll ever get any shots of her baby or babies", when suddenly 14 day old Terry Gail, peered over the nest. That look, that beauty of their tiny white faces and black eyes is breath-taking. They look like baby harp seals, for only a couple weeks, and already, Terry Gail is showing her grey down.

Trying every angle I could, I couldn't see a second head on the nest, but it sure appeared she was feeding a second eaglet. There is one photo that appears it could be two heads, but I am just not sure.

We moved on to nest 6 and I found Linda up on the nest. The geese are all expecting their goslings this next week here, and I'm hoping to be there when it happens. Badger, the nest 6 2007 eaglet was playing eagle games with Dick above the marshes.
There seems to be a never-ending bond with these two.

There were fewer pelicans today, and my guess is they are just early birds, and more will arrive in a couple weeks as always. I will truly miss them when they are gone. They are like the seasonal flowers that make their appearance and leave silently for another year.

The sun was already on the bluff line and it was casting lovely golden light onto the marshes below. In one of those marshes there were four great blue heron all grouped together, backlit from the setting sun. One of those herons dipped down and stabbed a huge fish. I really didn't think he would attempt to eat something as big as a mallard duck, but he did. He swallowed it in one giant bite. I photographed it going in, going down, going further down, going sideways, sliding down sideways further, and then his short pudgy neck was again upright, long, and thin.

My only regret was that I could have been shooting this a few hundred feet closer.

The pelicans came in and flew past the sunset and it was a sight that I enjoyed watching more than photographing. I love the elegance of their flight. For being such a clumsy, awkward bird on land, they project an entirely different opinion once airborne.

Nest 5 had both eagles on the nest and nest tree. The sun had already gone done behind the bluffs, and now was that magical hour where the nocturnal animals begin their calls, the deer step out of the shadows, and the beaver feed on the edge of the marshes.

We moved to nest 3, but before that I observed an adult eagle, dive down take a fish and bring it to land where three immature eagles fought for it. I was trying to understand if this was the nest 3 male, who sits in that area daily. I had to wonder if these were his offspring from 2007, again, or is a combination of a couple years, or are they just making there migration through the area? I don't know. I wish I could have at least traveled back in that area a few times last year, but they didn't open the roads until fall.


Nest 3 appeared to be tearing up food for an eaglet. They should have an eaglet by now, as should nest 4 who also appeared to be feeding an eaglet.

We went frogging but didn't catch any. Em really wanted to catch a frog, but that will have to wait for another time.

We stayed until the hoot owls called out, and the pelicans flew across the marsh lit by the full moon they appeared to be moving lights with their white plumage.

I stopped to shoot the full moon dressed in an orange suit for this night.

It was a day to remember.

I'm looking forward to day 104.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 102, Saturday, 4/19/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

This was a perfect Saturday for outdoor recreation. There were numerous people who took to the great outdoors and did some fishing, hiking, exploring, and eagle watching. The temperature was 46 degrees when I reached the valley and the skies were overcast and merely threatened rain, but never let a drop a fall.

I spent the entire afternoon with Daedee and Dancer. Dancer was perched by me and every time a fisherman drew close, he would call out and let Daedee know, and me as well. Daedee was on the nest the entire afternoon, she fed the eaglets, and yes I do believe after today there are at least two, possibly three. Then again, I always think there are three when I am sure there are two.

She was up feeding them every hour for almost fifteen minutes of each hour. A couple of times their crying was so loud I wondered if Daedee ever tired of it? I watched and waited for that first shot of an eaglet, but still no opportunity presented itself. Two years ago I would not have had this patience.

Every day that goes by, I'm just that much closer to seeing them every day. They'll keep growing and by the end of this next week they won't be able to hide as well in that deep nest. I think we are supposed to be getting some real spring weather this week too. I'm looking forward to that.

Later in the afternoon, Dancer flew in silently I might add, I just happened to look up and see him on the nest by Daedee. It was so peaceful looking into their faces while they looked down and their eaglets and then each other. Daedee leaned in took a look at her babies and then she lifted and flew off for a break.

Dancer moved over into the nest and I could see him tipping his beak down to his eaglets, just like a father to his newborn baby, touching her hand, holding her foot, that is what I could see from the ground. A father eagle touching a beak, touching a foot, hardly able to contain his joy for his eaglets.

I left after this, and covered nests 7 and 8. No eagles.

I moved on to nest 2 and found The Mayor on nest duty there, too. He looked back to me and I just love his piercing eyes.

I didn't stay long there today. I was now short on daylight and felt rushed to get all the nests covered. I can always expect lots of activity at nest 6. Today was no exception. Their eaglet from 2007, Badger, was hanging out in the nest area causing a constant stream of vocalizations from his mother who was on the nest. The father was on guard and shoed him away a couple times.

As I was taking pictures I felt that all too familiar sensation of a wood tick crawling on me, and sure enough, when I turned my hand over there was an adult deer tick making her way to my arm. So I photographed her and flicked her into the marsh.

I was mesmerized by a snowy great egret that had arrived, the first one in 2008, again, a little early. I'll expect more of them this week. He would just stand, look down, and drop his beak into a fish and pull one up every time. He was dressed in his breeding plumage and I have never seen a bird as lovely as him.

A muskrat was up on the shallows feeding on roots and plants, not bothered at all that no less than 6 eagle eyes were seeing every move he made, and I don't know if there is any food those eagles seem to like better than a good old plump muskrat.
Brave soul that he was, he dove under the water, then came back up with more snack food.

A white pelican flew over the goose on her nest box, dusting her head with his wings, the geese were all on their mounds at mound, 1, 2, and 3. We should have geese hatching in about a week, maybe a little sooner. We'll have geese hatching for the next 3 weeks. The sad thing is, many will be eaten their first few days of life by the snapping turtles, coyotes, and eagles.

I had a blue winged teal bathing a splashing, preening and diving back in the water unconcerned by the clicking noise of my cameras' shutter. Of course, he probably knows me. Chad, my photographer friend says the animals all know me. Maybe they do, but they'll still fly. I think they know or sense I mean no threat to them and that's why they remain in my view, close view most of the time.

By the time I reached nest 5, the light had dropped my shooting to 1/60th of a second at best. I found no eagles on nest 5 and that had me concerned so I waited and waited until both eagles came back at the same time landing by each other vocalizing.
Then one dropped down to the nest, the other flew back off into the woods. Something must have been back there. In all these days I've never found both eagles off the nest.

I still couldn't see their eaglet or eaglets.

I moved on to nest 3. There was a sandhill crane walking up the ditch when I arrived. His colors were tan and velvety and his maroon crown was enough to separate him from the saturated brown and gold grasses. The nest 3 eagle was on her nest as was the nest 4 eagle.

The nest 4 male was flying past me with wet feathers and that's when I noticed an immature eagle giving him a flight run challenge. It's clear to me these immature eagles admire and forever seek to outwit, outfly, and out-maneuver their parents. I'm quite sure this immature eagle is from nest 4, probably a 2007 baby. The road was closed the entire nesting season, so I am not sure who had baby eaglets last year in the back valley.

This immature eagle had the father chasing him, flying down on him, and vocalizing to him. I wondered why two different immature eagles at two different nests felt the need to be close to their parents today. Were they curious, lonely? Did they
see their parents new babies and wanted to take a closer look?

There is a lot to learn on the behavior of these eagles and there offspring. I'm going to keep trying to find those answers.

As I left the valley I couldn't help but to stop for this shot of the white pelican on the stump. His look just captivated me and made me laugh.

I'm looking forward to day 103.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 101, Friday, 4/18/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today turned out to be a fantastic photo opportunity day for me. It was raining most of the day in the cool 44 degree weather, but I made the best of it. Em had a headache this morning and so I kept her home, but she was feeling a little better around noon, so I asked if she wanted to come swamping with me and get some fresh air?

There was no activity on nest 7 or 8.

Daedee, the nest 1 female, was completely rain-drenched when we arrived. She was on her nest brooding over 9 day old Daniels Charlie. I could hear him pitch a couple times, but Daedee wasn't not going to let one single rain drop touch her little one. No sign of Dancer in the area but I'm sure he was watching from afar.

I hiked out and moved on. There were several die-hard trout fisherman out today throughout the valley. None of them stayed long, so I don't know if that was a sign fishing was so good they caught their limit, or they simply threw in their lines for another day.

Judy was soaked as badly as Daedee, but it didn't stop her from leaning over and feeding her eaglet, 11 day old Terry Gail in the rain. I thought I saw two fuzzy heads, but sometimes one is the head and the other is the eaglets body. They look a lot like a snowman leaning over their nests.

Dick was just flying in to nest 6 when we arrived. He landed in the nest next to Linda who was on what I believe is a few day old eaglet. She got up to leave, but then she decided not to go out in the rain which started pouring down just as she was leaning out of the nest.

So Dick left, and he flew a loop scared up the ducks, and landed above Linda on one of three favorite perches above their nest.

There was a great blue heron catching fish in the shallows again. This is one of his favorite spots in the afternoon.
There were at least a hundred white pelicans swimming close to the marsh edge, "Em, close your eyes and climb up here, if you can."

She climbed up by me and opened her eyes, "Mom, what are those huge white birds?"
"Pelicans."
"Oh--they are so pretty."
"It's been a year since you have seen them. They get prettier every year, don't they?"

She took her back seat again and we moved on to nest 5. The eagle was sitting higher, and at first I thought I was going to get shots of their eaglet, but when I zoomed in I realized that the other white spot I was seeing next to her from my 1/2 mile distance was only her tail. She was sitting at angle so her body blended into the shadows, making it look like two white bird heads.

By nest 3 I found four immature eagles flying with an adult eagle. I just have to wonder if these immature eaglets are the "teens" of the valley, the babies who have made it, or are they passing through still migrating? Two of the birds have very particular markings, and it makes me wonder if they are staying on or moving along?

I think my favorite shot today was the pied-billed grebe fishing for the little bluegill sunfish. He had a difficult time getting this one he caught to hold still long enough to swallow him head first. The small diving duck dunked him several times then just opened up extra wide and swallowed him in one giant gulp.

Yesterday I watched a fish going down sideways in a great blue herons long neck, today I watched a fish going down sideways in a short neck of a pied grebe. Then he swam off. I wondered how many of those fish he could fit in his tiny frame.

The nest 3 and 4 eagles were up on their nests. It appears we may have a new eaglet on nest 3. Still waiting for photo proof.
I think the weather is supposed to be nice -- next month.

We spent another half hour shooting the pelican images and returned to Rochester.

It was a wonderful day in the valley, it always is rain or shine. I thank you Lord for these opportunities today.

I'm looking forward to day 102.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 100, Thursday, 4/17/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

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

Day 99, Wednesday, 4/16/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

It was another windy day in the valley. The temperature was 68 degrees when I arrived under the partly sunny skies.

I stopped at nest 7 first. For a moment, after the turkey vulture blew past my view, another large black bird appeared only
briefly in the shadows. I lost track of it. The bird simply turned up by the nest and it vanished into the blackness of the shadow side of the woods.

I found turtles out on almost every marsh today, the shot above I found to be my favorite turtle shot for today. This marsh receives only a short burst of sunshine in the afternoons, and maybe that is why it has taken the turtles so long to come
out of hibernation here.

On any given sunny afternoon there will be at least a 100 painted turtles on the limited log space, sometimes stacked three turtles high, on this tiny one acre wild spot.

Nest 6 Linda was on the nest and I was there only a few seconds before a storm of beating wings flew past me waving orange webbed feet like flags that screamed, "eagle alert". Sure enough there was Dick in the arrears giving them all a reason to fly from marsh to marsh, away from his talons.

He flew up and landed on the perch above Linda. Today was day 39. I believe they have one eaglet on the nest, but I still seek to prove it with photos or video.

I moved on to nest 5 and found an eagle up on nest 5 feeding their 10 day old eaglet(s). By this weekend they should be big enough to see, if they aren't sitting under their parents.

Nest 3 and 4 eagles were on their nests. No news from either of these eagles nests.

Judy was on the nest both times I passed her nest today. Her beak was covered in blood from feeding her 9 day old eaglet(s) Terry Gail.

Nothing going on at nest 8. I am still not giving up.

Daedee was on her nest at nest 1 when I arrived. She was sitting so contently, it's a look I have observed four years in row, a
peace that surpasses words. When I see her with that look it describes a bond, a love between eagles and their young. I will until the end of my days say eagles have a love bond with those in their family, a deep connection in their stares that is something to admire.

We were going to have that overdue fondue dinner, the one was cancelled on Valentine's Day, tonight for my husbands birthday. However, it was cancelled due to an employee calling in sick, again. I am selling that fondue pot on Ebay, unless I
find any takers here.

To my husband: Dave, I know you'll be reading this so I want you to know that I have had you in my heart all day. A day that has gone all wrong. From being told you "HAD TO GIVE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER" in order to get a driver's license, (Yes, it's true. In Minnesota, you will be refused a Driver's license without giving them your "social track-you-everywhere- security card." Then to be hit with a double negative when you went to the courthouse booth next to the Driver's License Dept.

I know it's unfair, and frustrating that we again received the incorrect, non-Homesteaded taxes paperwork. I know it's nearly impossible to find people to help you correct their mistakes, even for the second year in a row. How that paperwork was changed, well, we both have our suspicions. I know it cost you $25 bucks to correct it AGAIN this year, and again, we loose the $200 extra, but I just knew today there would be a gift for you.

As I drove along on my project, I passed the sand marsh as I do every day. Nothing was going on there so I didn't stay. I did a double check for my muskrat who has been building there in the ditch. My muskrat has been missing for two days now. I deeply fear he was the one Dick brought to the nest yesterday.

However, when I returned to this same spot a half hour later over 200 pelicans had arrived. They are early this year. When I saw them, I thought of you. How many times have we watched them? I am just sure that was good news feeling and gift for you. I felt it was somehow connected to your special day.

See, the day turned out good afterall, you still have me, and Em, and a flock of pelican's who picked today to land in your pond, a pond of dreams. Oh, and one cattle egret who thought he was a pelican. I wish you could have seen the pelican standing up next to the goose on her nest box. Can you imagine how that must have felt?

Dave's birthday 2008: I know you'll know this one when I copy from the King James Version Bible, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

I'd say it was a perfect day, a day that only the beating wings of two hundred pelicans could deliver: a symbol of wishes and dreams coming in for your day. I love you, Happy Birthday.

Looking forward to day 100!

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 98, Monday, 4/15/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was windy, with wind advisories out all day, but it was mostly sunny. I enjoyed the 48 degree morning air temperature when I arrived and the 65 degree temperature when I got back to Rochester.

It was likely too windy for the DNR to do any controlled burns today, but as I moved along my project area I discovered they had burned almost 3 miles of the areas I work in daily. I wish I would have been there when they did the nest 3 an 4 areas. Those would have made neat shots.

They'll be back in another five or ten years to do it again. I'll just have to be ready the next time.

I started at my old marsh project today. The one I shot daily for 580 days. I had been waiting for the snow to melt to go to the back areas, as I wasn't sure what was land, and what wasn't since the summer flood. It was like walking into a new world, with familiar traces of what had been there surrounding the innermost places I photographed.

The shot above with the pond in the foreground was all part of a sand prairie. You can see how the flood washed away all the land and left a pond in its place. The entire sand prairie where I shot about 60% of my Winter Bugs! book was now sand dunes
that would challenge the dunes in Michigan for size and shapes.

It was like walking across a sand covered canvas, each footprint became a step in the new history of this barren landscape.
I was surprised to see the old cocoons I photographed daily to see how long the silken threads would last still hanging, blowing in the breeze. The flood cutting its path just inches away from where these cocoons have been dangling since 2005.

I walked down to the pond and I sat listening to the chorus of spring peepers, leopard frogs, and wood frogs. I spent so much time on that marsh edge for a moment I could close my eyes and see where I had been and how many things had changed since those frogs hibernated and returned twice now since my last visit.

I hike up the little hill and the grapevines I photographed from their very first leaves were still there, twisted around the pine tree, longer and more spread out. I passed the mullen plants I photographed daily, they take two years to mature and their towering stalks were still standing tall.

The marsh had taken my entire morning, but it was worth every step and I'm glad to have had that opportunity to revisit.

I moved on to nest 6 where I found Linda up on the nest, and Dick scaring up all the shoveler ducks again. This time there were a couple hundred. He went down and grabbed a muskrat from the marsh and flew it back to the nest where I am just sure they have an eaglet, I just can't see it yet.

Linda stood up and flew off the nest for her afternoon break on the powerful wind gusts.

Nest 5 eagle was on their nest, still can't see their eaglet(s).

When I arrived at nest 3 and 4 the areas were charred black from the DNRs controlled burn. The eagles were both up on their nest with no eaglets in view, yet.

I saved nest 2 and 1 for last. The winds were so strong that The Mayor on nest 2 leaned over his 9 day old Terry Gail, and possibly a second eaglet. We have thunderstorms predicted for tomorrow and Thursday. I hope to get a shot of the eaglets before those hit.

As I got out of my truck at nest 1 hike-in access, I saw a morning cloak butterfly, about where I saw the one yesterday. I wondered if it could be the same butterfly? Their colors are so stunning with a deep purple black velvety wing edged in ivory and dotted with sky blue, they make one of the loveliest butterflies and are like the robins of spring, faithful to return each year.

There were four vehicles around so I knew there were fisherman back on the river. I was surprised that Dancer was on nest duty. Every time a fisherman moved he flew off the nest circled them and came back. I always knew where they were.
I was hoping to get a shot of Daniels Charlie and possibly his twin, but they are still so small.

It was a wonderful day in the valley.

I look forward to day 99.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 97, Monday, 4/14/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was a one a wonderful spring day. The skies were cloudless and lavender-blue. It was 46 degrees when I arrived and 56 degrees when I left.

There was no activity on nests 7 or 8, and I probably should just admit they are 100% inactive nests, still a small hope remains that I will come to them one day and see a hawk or a great horned owl claiming squatter rights.

I hiked out to one of my nest 1 posts and found Daedee up on the nest. I sat for awhile, but the sun was so intense I moved to the river. I still managed to get a sunburn on my windburned face, just on one side. That's what happens when you spend half you life peering through a camera, especially when eaglets are born trying to get that first shot.

Today I heard them. One cry overlapping another. I'm sure there are two eaglets, but I still have to wait to get photo proof. In the picture above Daedee was watching the vultures flying above her. Then she got up and fed an eaglet, then it appeared that she was feeding a second one.

I had limited today so I left and hiked out moving on to Judy and The Mayors, nest 2. Judy was on the nest brooding her eaglet(s).
Maybe tomorrow I'll get the first good shots of 8 day old Terry Gail.

Up at nest 6 I could not tell which eagle was on the nest. There was a muskrat chewing on the plant roots. Across the way was a dark colored woodchuck. This one had a long busy tail, moreso than any other woodchuck I have seen. I saw three woodchucks in a miles distance, all drinking from the road. Unfortunately, that is how many of them get struck by vehicles, too.

I moved on to nest 5, but on the way I saw a familiar bright orange road sign, "Caution Smoke Ahead." The spring controlled burn was well underway by the time I reached nest 5. The guys had burned at least 100 acres by the time I arrived, and I took several shots of them working.

The nest 5 eagle was up on her nest feeding her eaglet(s). As she did, a red-tailed hawk flew back and forth through the white and blue smoke and orange flames running to the edge of the marsh, leaving a black charcoal trail.

Nest 3 and nest 4 eagles appeared content on their nests, but both watching the billowing smoke rising from the marshes a mile away.

Each day I complete, I arrive one day closer to seeing the 2008 eaglets on a frequent basis. I'm already thinking how they'll be fledging in 9 to 11 weeks, on a couple of the nests. That time will go fast.

I'm looking forward to day 98.

See you on the journey--

Lisa

Day 96, Sunday, 4/13/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today the sunshine returned and it again seemed like spring with the temperatures raising the mercury in our Minnesota thermometers at 46 degrees.

Em and I hiked out to our north nest 1 post. Dancer was on the nest. We weren't there long before he stood up and stretched.
Then the moment I have waited for 96 days happened. He dipped his beak down into the nest and then he lifted his head watching the surroundings, then went back down, up, down, then he went over to the east side of the nest and did the same.

It's my honor to officially announce, Daniels Charlie, named after our country legend Charlie Daniels of the Charlie Daniels Band, has officially hatched. I promised Charlie last summer during a Support our Troops two hour special show on my Lisa's Walk The Talk Show that the first eaglet of 2008 I would name after him. I told him that I always name the nest 1 eaglets starting with the letter "D" so I will name the first born Daniels Charlie.

Welcome to the world Daniels Charlie and I do believe your official birthdate is 4-11-08, I just couldn't confirm your arrival until today. Daniels Charlie was born in a rain-sleet-snow storm and protected by the two eagles who protected him.
I do believe, you have a brother or sister in that nest as of today.

Dancer fed the eaglet(s) for about 20 minutes and then he laid back down on the nest. It may be a week or two before I can confirm the second eaglet. The long feeding, the moving to two sides of the nest are good indicators that we have two eaglets.

We moved on to nest 2 and I found The Mayor taking care of our 1 week old Terry Gail. He was antsy today. He flew off, then returned, then he lifted thumping back onto the edge of the nest peering down below, and I think he was trying to wake the eaglet. I've never seen the eagles do this. Then he flew off, circled and landed again. Leaning into the nest a moment, then he flew off and joined Judy in the air then they both landed a tree apart and called back and forth to each other.

Maybe an egg was hatching? I don't know what the survival rate would be if an eaglet hatched a week after its sibling, but the size difference alone would be a disadvantage for the younger eaglet.

We moved on to nest 6 where I found Linda up on the nest, with what looks like a fuzzy white head to her left. (Right, in the photo). Dick was stirring up all the shoveler ducks on the marshes, and had the Canada geese on their nests titling their heads up at him.

His talons were full of grasses and mud, so the ducks and geese had no worries. He flew in and took the nest and put down his bedding for what I believe is their first born eaglet. Then Linda flew off for a break.

Nest 5 eagle was laying on their nest when I arrived, nothing to report here.

Nest 3 eagle was on their nest day 36 incubation. Nest 4 eagle was on their nest for day 33 incubation. The valley was full of life people, Sunday drivers, fisherman, families enjoying the outdoors. It truly was a perfect Sunday.

We headed back to Rochester and stopped along the way to look for fossils. We found about dozen of them from little teeth, to shells, to fish fins. Then we ate at the new Kingdom Buffet that just opened up.

The place is gorgeous inside with an attractive fountain and wishing pond as you walk in. The staff, all authentically dressed in their Chinese garments, greeted us in a friendly, professionally manner. There are several dining areas to sit in which gives a relaxed atmosphere, and made for a more enjoyable dining experience with having some space around. The food was impressive, served fresh and hot. I was impressed with the large assortment of soups, salads, fruits, meats, and appetizers.

The only problem I see is saving room for your fortune cookie after scooping up a hand-dipped ice cream sundae. I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see some scooped from the tub, ice cream varieties rather than the all to familiar soft serve: vanilla, chocolate, twist, or orange sherbet found in 99% of the restaurants in and around Rochester.

As we left the restaurant a courteous, and grateful manager told me to tell all my friends they were open and to come for a meal, so I'm passing their invitation on to you.

I'm looking forward to day 97.

See you on the journey--

Lisa