Sunday January 22 -- Female on nest brooding (Photos)

[NewMexiKen]

We visited the Bald Eagle nest this morning at about 8:15 and could only watch or about a half hour. The (presumed) female was on the nest and sitting high all the time. At one point she appeared to be tearing at prey, and looked down as if feeding or tending to a chick. No other adult was in sight while we watched. Four or 5 observers had gotten there about 15 minutes earlier, and they also had not seen a second adult. No one had seen an eaglet by the time we departed.



A small falcon flew in and roosted just west of the Bald Eagle nest tree. It made two flights out and returned to the same tree. Its wingbeats were energetic and it flew fast and directly. It was heavily streaked and its profile showed its head to be smaller than an American Kestrel's. It had one whisker stripe and no strong face pattern as seen in a female kestrel. It appeared to be an adult female Merlin. Photos are from about 200 feet, so they are not very sharp.