Male deep on nest NOV 28 -- Interesting!

[NewMexiKen]

Only a single eagle has been seen and photographed at the Pembroke Pines Bald Eagle nest since October 30. We intended to make a spot check of
the nest, arriving at 9:40 AM. The nest appeared to be empty, so I checked the usual roosting areas, particularly the Melaleuca snags west of the nest
tree, finding no eagles. Upon returning to the nest, at 9:56 AM I was surprised to see the male on the nest.



Mary Lou had been watching from our car, parked across the road and did not see it fly in. Subsequent events led me to believe that he had been on
the nest all the time, because he started to rearrange nest materials and looked down into the nest for a couple of minutes...











...then settled down deep in the nest, remaining out of view from about 10:01 until we departed at 10:20 AM.Is it possible that he is incubating eggs?
Has the female been down low incubating during several of our visits when we found either no eagles or only the male? Very interesting!  

[KellyHeffernan Proj Perch]

Ken -

If the eagles build onto the sides of their nest each year, making it
taller as they go, this may be the first year they are totally obscured
from being seen from below.  Maybe by comparing pictures of the nest,
there would be a way to tell how much taller the nest has gotten.  What a
great answer that would be!

Regards - Kelly

Kelly Heffernan
SFAS's Project Perch
[phone]

>
>
> *Only a single eagle has been seen and photographed at the Pembroke Pines
> Bald Eagle nest since October 30. We intended to make a spot check of
> the nest, arriving at 9:40 AM. The nest appeared to be empty, so I checked
> the usual roosting areas, particularly the Melaleuca snags west of the
> nest
> tree, finding no eagles. Upon returning to the nest, at 9:56 AM I was
> surprised to see the male on the nest.
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15711422658_e7663c0816_b.jpg>
>
> Mary Lou had been watching from our car, parked across the road and did
> not
> see it fly in. Subsequent events led me to believe that he had been on
> the nest all the time, because he started to rearrange nest materials and
> looked down into the nest for a couple of minutes...
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15279277973_b0b2f67e95_b.jpg>
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15276651884_58aecbbb4c_b.jpg>
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15873105626_fe20c2e79f_b.jpg>
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15279276413_af6f852827_b.jpg>
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15898916275_c8e5cde7ea_b.jpg>
>
> ...then settled down deep in the nest, remaining out of view from about
> 10:01 until we departed at 10:20 AM.Is it possible that he is incubating
> eggs?
> Has the female been down low incubating during several of our visits when
> we
> found either no eagles or only the male? Very interesting!
>
> <http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/file/n7573700/15712875139_ddb0a067cb_b.jpg>
> *
>
>
>
> -----
> Ken Schneider
> Web site: http://rosyfinch.com
> Blog: http://rosy-finch.blogspot.com
>
>
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[NewMexiKen]

Let's keep a close eye on the nest as I almost went home thinking it was empty.Why was the male so still and low in the nest? Could he have been incubating egg(s)? If female is lost after eggs are laid, males have been known to continue incubation duties but are almost always unsuccessful.

Normally the pair exchanges incubation duties every 2-3 hours during the day and the female seems to sit on them at night. We must keep open the possibility that this may be happening but observers have missed the exchange.

Or, is the male unaware that the female is gone and is still working on the nest? Interesting indeed!

[NewMexiKen]

Kelly suggested:

If the eagles build onto the sides of their nest each year, making it
taller as they go, this may be the first year they are totally obscured
from being seen from below.  Maybe by comparing pictures of the nest,
there would be a way to tell how much taller the nest has gotten.  What a
great answer that would be!

It is certainly a possibility. So here are some comparisons over the past 6 years. Not all may be from the same angle or distance, but I do not see a significant difference. Some years the nest loses sticks-- once a big mass of nest material fell to the ground from the right side of the nest, but I do not remember when. I got my first DSLR camera in 2008, so I have no photos earlier than these.

Judging from the relationship of the nest rim to the bend in the branch to the right in front of the nest, there has been little variance. However, the location of the nest cup has changed from year to year, and is probably a more significant factor. When it is on the far side of the nest the incubating adult is most difficult to see.

November 23, 2014:



January 1, 2014:



October 20, 2013:



November 29, 2012:



January 21, 2010:



October 17, 2008: