Thursday MAR 6 - Feeding at 1:10 PM

[NewMexiKen]

Thursday MAR 6 - Feeding at 1:10 PM

The first eaglet hatched 54 days ago-- she will be 8 weeks old this coming weekend. We can expect her to fledge when she is 10 or 11 weeks old. There are two times when eagles are at greatest risk of abandonment or loss because of human disturbance-- the first is before the first egg is laid, and the second is when the eaglets begin to helicopter and climb out on branches. In the latter case they may be startled and fall or fly before they are ready. See this table and those just above it for fledging dates and ages.

I arrived at the nest about 12:30 PM and found the male (Pride) roosting in the melaleucas to the west.



The eaglets stayed low in the nest. The older eaglet (Honor) sat up high a couple of times but sibling (Glory) was often out of sight to the left. You can just see the top of his head.



I did not notice when Pride departed, but he came in with a large fish at 1:10 PM. I love this photo, with honor going after the food and Glory waiting patiently.



Pride fed the eaglets. I noticed he deliberately fed both in turn.







The adult female (Joy) joined them at the nest, but she ate for quite a while and did not feed the eaglets.



She kept her foot on the fish.



Honor did help herself to some prey item.





After both parents left, Honor did quite a bit of flapping an hopping, actually jumping above the nest but not hovering-- this does not qualify as "helicoptering" which requires at least a second or two of hovering before coming down.



I departed at about 1:40 PM. No other watchers were present.

[tczig]

Wow, Ken, your photographs are amazing.  I really enjoy looking at them - you get incredible shots!  I was there today, and with that storm last night in that area, I was wondering if the birds were ok.  At first, I didn't see the second one, but then his little head popped up.  The other one was very, very active flapping his wings.  He didn't actually get out of the nest, but he had his wings all the way spread out several times when I was there.