Eaglets look older than two weeks

Posted by NewMexiKen on
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/Photos-of-two-chicks-SATURDAY-January-29-How-old-are-they-tp5864861p5974488.html

The photos of the two chicks are now on Greg's web site-- click on "eagle" photos and scroll to the most recent images, at the end of the collection. To my eye, the two eaglets appear to be older than two weeks. In the previous two years they did not sit up straight and look over the nest rim until they were respectively about 23 and 18 days old. The latter chicks were seen on a video through the nest structure, and did not raise their heads over the nest rim for at least two more days.

Therefore, it is probable that the first egg was indeed laid on December 4, 2010, when Trisha observed the female sitting very low for 3 1/2 hours, barely visible through the nest materials. She then briefly flew away, only to return and resume sitting very low. No one saw a second eagle until 7 days later,  December 11, when it was confirmed that incubation was indeed underway. Indeed, the incubating eagle remained almost invisible on several occasions thereafter, causing some concern that the nest had been abandoned.

Supporting the assumption that the first egg was indeed deposited on or around December 4 are these photos I have taken of the eaglets in the past two breeding seasons, at comparable ages:

22 day old eaglet, February 9, 2009



20 day old eaglet, February 12, 2010