Suitor? Lost Son? Passer By? Soap Opera Drama!

[NotToofast]

Visiting the nest on Feb 19 the male bald eagle was the outskirts of the bushes, by the canal...

While the female was in the nest tending to the eaglet...with a really non stop peal call...

The vocalization was loud and clear...it showed some distress on the female eagle...the internet agrees this particular type of peal call is an order to the partner and means "Bring food..." and continued for hours

However that urgent peal call seemed not to have any effect whatsoever on the eagle that was nearby sunbathing!

On Feb 20th same drama continued...The Eagle in the nest (this time the eaglet showed) peal calling...

...and the Eagle by the canal ignoring the call...

However, on closer inspection, the Eagle in the picture above is NOT the partner of the Eagle in the nest!! This eagle still has some dark feathers in the head and looks small!! Who is this guy?!!
And to confirm the observation, from the west the real guy arrives! ..

The female eagle goes from the nest to the top of the tree to greet her partner and to tell him that another male Eagle is near by!

Both then vocalize and let the visitor know that is not tolerated!

The young Eagle leaves...

And some calm is restored in the bushes...


For us humans there are more question than answers! Three theories:

1- The Young eagle is in fact a child of this couple...was born in this patch of bushes and it is known that eagles come back to their place of birth...he just wanted to say Hi Mom, Hi Dad, look at me! I am and Adult now!...The couple, brooding another eaglet let him know is not tolerated but did not attack him!

2- The Young Eagle, having reach adulthood, is looking for a partner. It is known youngsters lurk in the territory of established couples and eventually dispute the territory with their same sex counterpart...Is this youngster a suitor for the female eagle? Is he bidding his time?

3- The young Eagle is scouting the territory and prospecting the terrain to get himself a girlfriend and a nest... In the process caused some domestic disturbance for the Miramar Eagles, but is just a passer by!!

What do you think? Will keep you posted of any new development...

[Patti]

I have been watching the nest in Miami and the adults Ron & Rita were seen mating.  They were sure she was going to have eggs any day and a sub adult came and sat in their nest. Stayed there for 24 hours, in that time there was no sight of Rita.  Ron came a few times and seemed to have "words" with the intruder, but it wouldn't leave.  Stayed over night and just left the next day.  Shortly after, Rita came back to the nest and a couple days later layed her first of three eggs. They were thinking that maybe it was one of theirs from a few years ago.

[Sally]

My vote is that it was a son returning home.  Glad an attack was avoided.

[NotToofast]

Thanks Patti Ann...
I like Ron and Rita and follow their webcam...I did not know about that detail. Thank so much..

[NotToofast]

Thanks Sally...That is the otion I like the most!