departed nest at 4:45

Posted by Trisha on
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/departed-nest-at-4-45-tp2586653.html

Nothing new to report on the whereabouts of the larger chick. It's younger sibling is now standing on the favored perch of the larger chick (about a foot above the nest on the large nest branch pointing north) It has remained mainly there...but always up on the nest watching since I arrived at 8:45 this am when I found out from watchers the the other chick seemed to sink into the woods around 7:30 after a brief flight.

One adult was sitting in the favored pine just east of the nest when I arrived. It was there for a long period of time and then flew off. Shortly thereafter, BOTH adults flew back to the nest with fish, one right behind the other, which I have not seen before. The lone sibling had a feast, with 1 adult remaining on the nest and eating and the other flying back to the pine. Later, the nest adult flew to the stand of dead tress and remained there. We were quite certain we heard the downed chick vocalizing when the adults flew to the nest and when the nest chick was talking to the adults. After that the only sounds we heard that could have been the downed chick came from far right...as in the area of the dead trees.... but watchers said that could be due to the wind direction. Except for brief periods before more fish were brought to the nest, both adults remained in the area all afternoon, which they had not been doing lately. For a while they were both in the dead trees...very close to one another.They made at lest 2 more food drops to the remaining nest chick (to the point where the chick sitting on the branch didn't even bother to jump down and eat any of the last meal).

Obviously nature has taken a turn that I wish hadn't happened. I hope the chick is able to fend for itself or the adults will still be able to care for it. It would be great for as many of us as can, to visit the nest often and listen for the downed chick or try to carefully watch and listen to the adults. It's hard to keep track of both of them, especially when they are perching in different areas or flying low through the trees. Any information we can give to FWC will help them decide if any other action is warranted.