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Carolyn, Al and I spent a lot of time at the nest today hoping to spot 3 eaglets. We only saw 2 with absolute certainty. One incident in question happened when all of a sudden an eaglet flew low through the woods heading due north, straight at our faces. It tried to land on the top power wire but I began screaming and waving my arms and it abandoned that idea and made a big circle to the east and then south. The 3 of us took off trying to see if/where it landed. We couldn't spot it again and when we got back to the nest there was only 1 eaglet, so we can't confirm seeing all 3 at 1 time. There were also times when 2 were in the nest and we heard calling that seemed to come farther away than the nest....but no visual.
The adults made several drops....one time almost 2 hrs between feedings. The 2 eaglets are fighting a lot in the nest over the food. It seems to be smaller portions and they both want it first. They keep talking loudly and stealing the food and moving it away from the other eaglet with lots of wing flapping. I really didn't see this much aggression with Hope and Justice. I wondered if the smaller eaglet, even if it is in the area and flying would be allowed to land in the nest by its older siblings.
As upsetting as it is to see only 2 eaglets, a watcher told me some information that is of equal concern. He has seen a man with a beard, over 200 lbs, going under the fence and back towards the nest several times. He said he has climbing spikes on his shoes and a jack device. The last time he saw him he confronted the man, who told him he was from "the city." He was not in a city truck and could not show him an ID. The watcher, who lives in the area and has seen the eagles there for many years gave a policewoman who stopped by all the information. She wrote it up and said they would be patrolling and watching for him! She stressed that tampering with the eagles is a federal offense. Please observe as often as you are able, not only looking for the 3rd eaglet, but watching for this man as well.
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