JAN 11, 9:45 AM Both eagles on the nest

Posted by NewMexiKen on
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/JAN-11-9-45-AM-Both-eagles-on-the-nest-tp7573904.html

At 9:45 AM this morning, in between errands I stopped at the site and saw one adult on the nest. As soon as I stopped the car a second white-head flew in and joined the first.



They stayed together for only about 20 seconds and the younger bird flew off to the east and landed on the very top of the last and tallest roadside pine at the SW corner of Pines & SW 208th Avenue.




She called a couple of times but I heard no response from Pride, who remained on the nest.










The sun was almost directly behind the roosting bird, so my images are horrible, but some observations can be made. Body shape is robust, suggesting a female. Gape is deep, almost reaching the back of its eye, perhaps also supporting female. The sides and top of beak has some dark streaks towards ts base. There are a few white feathers on its breast.   The head shots the residual "Osprey line" behind the eye and also the dark top of head that characterized the first female ("Newfee"). The under-tail coverts appear mostly white. the tail is dingy white with some dark streaks and the terminal 20% of the tail feathers are dark. This is also consistent with Newfee, though the tail appears overall darker than I remember.





Only about 5 minutes after I had arrived, the female flew two wide circles above the tree in which she had been roosting, then disappeared westbound behind the trees, seeming to head for the nest.











I did not see Pride fly off, but when I got back to the nest it was empty, and they were not roosting anywhere that I could determine. Putting it all together, I believe this bird is the original new female ("Newfee") but I will try to compare images to those of of the other younger visitor to the nest, particularly the tail and undertail as well as beak and face patterns.