Saturday, February 11, 8:00 - 9:00 AM nest uncovered, no eaglet(s) visible

[NewMexiKen]

Mary Lou and I watched for over an hour from a little before 8:00 AM. It was cloudy and 70 degrees (F) with a mild breeze from the west. It had rained during the early morning hours. When we arrived we found no adult eagle on or near the nest. No eaglet was visible.



The female was drying her wings in the dead Melaleuca grove to the west of the wooded area. Oh the joys of motherhood. She gotten soaked. Her eaglet(s) has apparantly not learned to mute over the side of the nest (or has a bad aim), so she is also stained with its excrement.





The wind picked up and shifted to the NW and the eagle changed position to face into the wind.



A light rain started falling as we departed. At no time did we see any eaglet. A couple of other watchers arrived just before we left, so I hope they were able to visualize a prey drop and maybe determine whether there is another eaglet in the nest.  Please post your observations and photos, especially if you see a second eaglet in the nest.