APR 16: Remarkable news-- TWO Eaglets reported today

[NewMexiKen]

Phil Martin texted to say:

"At 09:15 today I saw and photographed both eaglets. They were both alive, and moving throughout the nest and doing well. Mom was also in the nest. Phil"

My response was that either the second chick was paralyzed with fear and subsequently recovered, or could the deceased eaglet actually be the third of the brood? In support of this second theory, the eaglet that was lying motionless on the rim of the nest did appear to be younger than the second eaglet. Its wing feathers were not as developed and it was covered in white down.

Phil will send us his photo to be published here. I wish I could get out to the nest but am out of town.

Thanks, Phil for this startling news!

[NewMexiKen]

Here is a photo taken by Phil Martin (©2016) on April 16 clearly showing both eaglets present. He also observed events of the April 11 confrontation between the eaglets and does not believe that the small eaglet which appears to be lying lifeless outside the near rim of the nest was a third nestling. He thinks it was lying there passively in response to the attacks by its sibling. (Because of its small size and extensive white down I am not convinced that is was not a younger eaglet, but I was not there and really cannot offer any other useful observations. We have seen apparently vicious fights between siblings in the past but never had reason to believe that any of these resulted in serious injury or death.)