DEC 28: No sign that incubation has commenced

[NewMexiKen]

We arrived at the nest at about 1:30 this afternoon. Luis was already there. The female (Jewel) was roosting in the tall pine just to east of the nest along Pines Boulevard.





The male (Pride) was on the nest, standing quite high and sometimes looking down into the nest.



After about 10 minutes, Pride flew up to the nest-supporting branch just to the right (west) and preened.

We watched for about 15 minutes and the nest remained uncovered. I do not think there are any eggs yet but the pair does show much fidelity to the nest site. My guess is that they will get started late because of the stress of raising a second brood and having the surviving eaglet (Spirit) under their care into the fall season.

(See my "second thoughts" about whether the events of December 23 were actually copulation or exchange of incubation duties (both wrong). After 56 years of marriage I finally have learned to listen to my spouse and realize her observations were more firmly grounded than my impressions of what I much more briefly witnessed.)