Orphaned Eaglet Fostered in Pinellas Nest Today

[NewMexiKen]

Barb Walker sent us this interesting item:



Hi,

Today Lynda White from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey brought a two week old eaglet to Pinellas.  The eaglet survived after its tree and nest fell in Kissimmee.  It was just 2-3 days old and weighed only about 5 ounces.  An attempt was made to use a platform in a nearby tree in hopes that the parents would raise the eaglet from that point forward.  While that usually works, in this case the parents did not return.  The backup plan was to place the eaglet in a nest with eaglets the same age.  As luck would have it, PI20  in Dunedin was a match.  Today, the 2 pound eaglet, nicknamed Hoover, was hoisted into the Dunedin nest.  Jim Lott climbed the tree and took a photo and lowered the camera to Lynda who confirmed the match.  The eaglet was put in a small sack and hoisted up to Jim who placed it in the nest with 2 siblings.  Check the St. Petersburg Times tomorrow and Fox13 at 10 o'clock tonight for the photos and story!! It was amazing!!! We will forward more photos and links as they come in.

Attached [above] is a photo from Andrea Webb and the other titled Hoover from Wendy Meehan.  The eaglet was nicknamed Hoover because today is President's Day and Herbert Hoover was adopted by his uncle after losing his parents.  More photos to follow.  Everyone is just getting home and downloading the great shots they got.  The parents did settle down into nearby pines but had not yet returned to the nest just before dark, although I'm confident they will, probably when no one is looking.  At one point a Cooper's Hawk made a pass at the eaglets but was successfully chased off by the mature adult eagle.

Barb Walker
Palm Harbor, FL

"Hoover:"