Reclutch? or is it other pair Taking over the nest?

[NotToofast]

After noticing the two eaglets had perished, we visited the nest site several days in a row, but it was empty...

Today we visited again and very glad it is occupied...

a Pair of Adult eagles was in the nest..here is the other one..

The Eagle in the nest was eating...after some minutes left the nest and the other eagle followed...
I switched to video...here the link to the video uploaded to YouTube..

https://youtu.be/VnGlMEx1Aig

here the link

https://youtu.be/VnGlMEx1Aig

It is very interesting because it looks like a mating ritual / bonding ritual...

So the question is: Is this normal? Is the first time I see such behaviour...I mean, I thought the Eagles were already bonded...

However, looking closely at couple of stills from the video It looks  both Eagles have have mottled plumage...

Here another one...

Even more, one of the Eagles had a 'gap' (like missing a feather) in one of its wings..I checked an old picture (Not that old...it is from January) below...


So I believe it is not the same pair....At least one of the Eagles looks different....And In past years I did not see "courtship'...I am calling on the experts on Eagle Behavior!! Dr Ken are you there?

It is possible One of the original Eagles is keeping Territory and nest and trying babies again with a new partner?
Would it be possible that is an entirely new pair that 'Found' a free-range nest and decided to take it over?

What do you think? Let me know!!

[NewMexiKen]

Jorge, earlier, you observed a nearly adult eagle at the nest site. It is entirely possible that a new eagle has displaced one of the original pair. This has been reported several times in other nests.

Here is a link to a report of an intruding female in Pennsylvania  which destroyed the eggs of original female

I think the interloper can be either a male or a female but am not certain so am copying Shawnlei Breeding for her information and knowledge of other such incidents.

That is an excellent video of the pair in flight!

[Sally]

Excellent shots and video.

Were eagle calls happening during their flight together?  It seems like a "friendly" event instead of a fight between them.

[NotToofast]

Thanks Dr Ken...Really interesting article in the 'York Dispatch'. The premise is: since Eagle Population is rebounding (from being really threatened), Eagles will dispute more and more the available territory...That makes sense. A friend of mine sent me a video he recorded on March 2nd of an adult pair in Monarch Lakes...just north of Miramar Parkway, which is just 1.6 Miles in a straight line from the Nest Site. I assumed it was the Miramar Pair (At that time the Nest was empty)...but puzzles me the Monarch Lakes pair looked like it was "travelling" together...
We will continue the monitoring...and port any news!....Thanks again and Best Regards! (Hope you are Enjoying Connecticut wild life!!)

[NotToofast]

Thanks Sally,
You are correct..it was a "friendly" event...They did a lot of "calls" but not in the 'aggression' side of the vocalization!
Thanks Again and Best Regards

[Rockitglider]

Hello Jorge,

i'm not sure if that was a friendly event, it seems like the were chasing each other. Did you say they were perched together? Seems like they wouldn't flap wings so much if it were not a chase. What do you think? I liked the video too, are you shooting with your DSLR, or using a video cam?

[NotToofast]

Hello Rockitglider,
Thanks a lot for your comment.
To the first question, yes...they both were together. What i believe is the female was actually in the nest eating something, while the other was in an adjacent limb, no more that 2F away.

Regarding the video, you are correct. It was shoot with a DSLR. It was late and the light was dwindling so it came a little bit in the dark side. In any case I decided in the moment against adjusting for more light while filming. I have had already the experience with fast moving birds where I missed in the action while fumbling with the camera knobs...