Baby Eagles in Nest

[Alffe]

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html

[Curious]

dang dial up. but i sent the link to my neighbor..so grandmonkey and i are going to watch over there. thanks alffe. :D

[Alffe]

It's addictive! I keep waiting for mama to fly in. *grin

[Chemar]

hehehe

I clicked thru last night and thought it must be malfunctioning :Hum:
till I realised it wasnt....just darkness of night so no view :Ponder:

I will be keeping that open while I work here Alffe....determined to see mama eagle come feed her chickies :D

thanks for linking it :hug:

[Chemar]

YES!!!!!

the mama is there now feeding them!!!! :D

[mrsD]

This is fascinating!

We have eagles up at our summer place now, we see them everyday. But
none nesting on our island that we know.

Thanks for posting this!

Boy do they have BIG feet! LOL

[Alffe]

They do have big feet! :D I haven't caught mama feeding them but have seen her cleaning the nest. I should be doing the same. *grin

[mrsD]

She is feeding them right now!

They are so civilized about it... not like perching birds who scrabble and squawk.

She left that fish there all morning...I watched the flies on it move around.
Two of the chicks tried to eat it but failed.

There was also someone working the cam, and zooming in for details/close ups...

Now both Mom and Dad are on the nest together! This is really neat.

[Shelley]

OMG they are so precious and how beautiful and strong are the parents. Breathtaking!

Thanks Alffe

[Alffe]

It's going to be fun watching them grow. I read that when they are big enough, instead of being pushed out of the nest..the parents just don't return. :o And I guess it works out fine. :D

[mrsD]

I seem to recall that some predatory birds kill off nestmates...a competition of sorts.

But this family--- right now both parents are feeding again---- seem very
congenial. I only saw one snappish fight among sibs so far. They are very
well mannered during the feedings...I am very surprised at this.

I raised some naked 3 day old nestling sparrows...and they were just hooligans, stepping all over the runt, and fighting for food.:rolleyes:

[Shelley]

I am glued to the site watching.

[mrsD]

We see them on the water alot now up North. I think the parents teach
them how to fish/hunt. We see an adult with full colors often with a brown
younger bird frequently.

We also see eagle fights... we've seen them chase each other, screeing...
and we have seen terns and crows chase and harrass eagles as well. I don't think they are very aggressive. I have seen one aerial display right overhead of them falling and flapping with talons locked together. Either that was a fight or
mating display?

[mrsD]

One of the parents is plucking a white bird of some kind... it is all over the nest!

[Shelley]

:eek: I see it, oh my....

[Chemar]

this is soooooooooooooooo cool!!

:hug: Alffe

my son has it on his 'puter too
LOL wonder why we arent getting much work done right now
but oh! it sure is worth it for this rare glimpse of awesomeness:p

[Alffe]

LOL! What is she feeding them? I see all those white feathers....this is amazing.

[mrsD]

That I have the day off!

Duck? sea gull? probably. I see some gray pinfeathers like a seagull.

I think it is fascinating how the parent is "teaching" the chicks...

[Shelley]

They seem to be constantly eating...I need to know how they stay so slim :p

[Alffe]

:D Their diet seems to be VERY high protein....and no cupcakes! :D

[Shelley]

But I bet they would like cupcakes..and choccy :p

[Babs]

I am so into it. It is cool, but it looks like that one of the chicks does not get a lot to eat. There are 3 in the nest: A real big one, a medium and the last born, who is real small, has still problems walking, so it ends up not getting any food. Hopefully it will make it.
The bird one of the eagles was plucking, looked like a sea gull or a dove.

It sure keeps me from working today.
All of you have a good weekend.
Babs

[Alffe]

I guess it's called survival of the fittest...:o I know that I've worried about him not getting his fair share but it's too early to write him off. And everyone loves the "runt" of a litter. :D

He's getting a good meal right now and is on his feet!!! *grin

[Chemar]

what a very special day of birdwatching:circlelove:

yes, I have been watching the lil dude too and hoping it will thrive...very pleased to see it tucking in to some of those errrr tasty morsels mama provided

I so look forward to tomorrow :p

[hsiw]

That sounds so exciting! Right now it is all dark and black. I wish I could see some eyes in the night or something, I will have to try back tomorrow :)

[Chemar]

mama just finished feeding them and the lil dude sure seemed to eat well now :)

[mrsD]

someone is panning the cam around to show the nature center.

The 3 chicks are alone on the nest, with one parent sitting nearby on a large
branch.

This is so interesting!

[mrsD]

If you haven't already....

http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/EagleCam.shtml

It is a blog and shows the babies newly hatched in stills.

[Doody]

They're so beautiful. Thanks for providing the link Alffe.

[Doody]

I haven't read this entire thread so hope I'm not duplicating any information.

There is an Eagle nest near where I live in a giant old oak on a river. The nest is so huge you can see it from the highway quite some distance away.

Here is some info on Eagle nests. It's very interesting.

Interior Decorating
Eagles, along with several other hawks, add sprigs of greenery to their nests throughout the spring and summer. No one knows why they do this, but scientists have some ideas.

Before reading on, name as many reasons as you can think of why eagles might put greenery in their nests.

Answer: Some scientists think the greenery :

* may serve as an insect repellent
* may be a clear signal to other eagles that this nest is well-tended so they better keep away
* may provide a bit of camouflage
* may help keep inside of nest clean That's taken from the link about nests. http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/eagle/NestAbout1.html

[Doody]

Lord love a duck. Look at the Eagle in the last picture on this page. These puppies get huge! http://www.learner.org/jnorth/eagle/News.html

[Chemar]

bedraggled birdies there this morning eh!

looks like the weather in Virginia is kinda like here in c Florida today...wet and windy!

well, at least it will wash the nest from all those feast leftovers:D

amazing how attached I have become to those lil chicks....:Heart:

[mrsD]

my husband is really getting into them too.

If you read the blog, it explains the runt...and his/her fate.

If food is plentiful all three get fed. If food is scarce, the little one is left
out and left to languish.

Last year all 3 fledged well.
I just hope no darling bunny or kitten gets recorded on that nest! :yikes:

We deal with baby bunnies here and it is very unpleasant when one of the cats brings that in! :(

The mother eagle this morning is doing a great job of protecting the babies.
I even saw her make one of the chicks go potty! That was something else...
a jet poop! ;)

[Doody]

So it figures! I go to look and get this message, lol...

The webcam feed may be interrupted or not working at times.

Someone forgot to tell us that maintaining a webcam 90 feet up in a pine tree wouldn't be easy.

Thank you for your patience. :rolleyes:

[Babs]

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/california/features/eaglesreunion.html:) Hi all eagle fans, there is an other nest with one new chick, born April 13. The Webcamera has a tone as well and the eagles are numbered, so you can see which one is in the nest and who is hunting for food.
At this point, the mom keeps the chick warm with her body, it is very windy there.
The story behind these eagles is very interesting to read.

[Chemar]

EAGLE CAM watchers take note

Eagle Cam Update: Tuesday morning, a biologist from the College of William and Mary will be banding the eagle chicks in this nest. Log on between 8:30-9:00 a.m. EDT to watch.

:icon_razz:

[hsiw]

Today I got to see the baby eagles for the first time. They look a little scraggly, maybe from rain? My computer at home doesn't let me see them, it's too slow and in need of a cleanup.

I only see 2 babies, I wonder where the third is... maybe sleeping behind the first two. And I don't see a mother eagle either.

[Chemar]

the mama is there right now feeding them, Wish :p

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html

[Chemar]

ooooooooooh
ahhhhhhhhhhhh

mama and papa are there now...grooming the nest and feeding the eaglets!:D

[Babs]

There is a big fish in the nest and mama sits a bit away on a brench watching the nest, but I think the eaglets are not hungry anymore, they seem to sleep.

[mrsD]

I am only seeing two chicks! :eek:

I had to work yesterday, but I did persuade the supervisor of the delivery service we now use (she was sitting there on the internet) to watch and keep that window open. We saw the terrible rain/storm and I saw 3 guys yesterday.

Is the 3rd chick out of the picture?

I have to leave at 7:15 am tomorrow, and won't be home til after 7pm, so please someone watch the banding. I'd like to know how that goes. Both of us have job commitments in the morning. :(

[Doody]

The 3rd one is still there Mrs. D.

[mrsD]

Thanks Doody.... I am such a soft touch... I was worried!

This pair did raise all 3 chicks last year, according to the blog... so I had
alot of faith that they could do so again. But that storm was severe, and the little guy might not have enough stamina for the cold/wet they had to endure yesterday.

[Babs]

I saw the mom yesterday in the nest covering the babies with her body and wings to safe them from the rain. What an amazing picture.
I am working out of my home, but right now I don't get as much done as I should. I always keep the picture on my computer so I can peek once in a while.:)

[Chemar]

mrsD
earlier today I was pleased to see the lil dude close to mom when feeding and managing to get some choice morsels before the bigger ones grabbed it from her
:)

[Doody]

They all seem to be getting fed right now.

I happened to be looking earlier and was very surprised to see a view of them from a farther distance!!!! OMG you should see how far they are up in that tree! You could see the nest in the crook of the branch, and on a limb farther away sat one of the parents!

It was awesome.

[Chemar]

seems the banding will now be at 3pm rather than 8.30 am
guess it is cos it is so windy there now???

Eagle Cam Update: Tuesday afternoon, a biologist from the College of William and Mary will be banding the eagle chicks in this nest. Log on about 3:00 p.m. EDT to watch.

[Alffe]

popping to see about the chicks! My, so happy they are all still there and look bigger to me. *grin

[Doody]

They are there right now with a big crane to get up to the tree!!!!!!

[Doody]

Now there are 2 guys up there! The poor baby chicks are lookin at them like what the ....!!!!

[Chemar]

poor babies:( that was a bit of an ordeal for them huh....grabbed and popped in a bag and zoomed down the tree on a rope only to be banded and inspected and then photographed from all angles by another bunch of guys:eek:

did you see the one shot of mama or papa eagle sitting on that adjacent branch looking most perturbed

anyways, glad the lil dudes are safely back in the nest

[Doody]

Yes, those poor babies!

The first chick they picked up, I think the biggest one, fought going into the bag, lol. He took his feet and grabbed the side of that bag and they couldn't get him in! You go little eagle!!!!

It was nice to see, though, that the guy who was banding them also petted them and gave them some lovin. Then back in the bag and hoisted up.

I missed it after banding the 2nd eagle. Had a dentist appointment, darn it!

I didn't see the mom and dad. DANG did you notice the size of that nest compared to the humans!? And how high up the nest is!

[mrsD]

the supervisor for the drivers/delivery service came in at 3pm and we watched some of this ....didn't expect to at all.

I stole away for a minute or two every 15 minutes... and saw some.

I am amazed at the non aggressive nature of the eagles, both chicks and parents. Maybe these parents are used to this? This was done in 2006?

It was amusing to see the eaglets stand at attention, while the humans got up there.

I had a surprise tho while this was happening. This area where I was watching is between my work area and the computer center. One of the programmers (about in his late 40's) came out while we were oooohing and aaahhing about it all, and said "this is terrible, they should leave them alone. Terrible"... We looked at him like he was from another planet!
Here we have the eagles almost extinct from DDT exposure, and now coming back, and this nature center is trying to educate people, and ensure the most success for these chicks, and this guy is NEGATIVE? I was totally stunned.
He didn't even want to LEARN about this situation, and how the nature center had spent all the time and effort to bring the chicks in 2006 and now 2007 to maturity? I guess it takes all kinds!

[Doody]

It was amusing to see the eaglets stand at attention, while the humans got up there.

That was SO CUTE! But I felt so sorry for them. They did really stand at attention, and I was shocked by their size. I thought they were a lot tinier until I saw 'the humans' next to them!

[Chemar]

has anyone seen mom or dad in the nest since the banding? Maybe I just keep missing them but I havent seen them since:o

[Chemar]

phew
relief
one of the parents is there feeding them now :p

[mrsD]

Here is an article on the results of the banding:

WVEC.com Eagle Cam: Eaglets given clean bill of health

11:56 PM EDT on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Associated Press

NORFOLK (AP) -- A set of month-old eagle triplets at the Norfolk Botanical Garden are getting a clean bill of health.

Also Online

WVEC.com Eagle Cam

Officials from the Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary say the two males and one female are growing nicely, are free of parasites and disease and appear "in really good condition."

The eaglets received a thorough examination yesterday. They had their beaks, feet and talons measured and blood sampled. The eagles were also weighed and banded to keep tabs on the eagles.

This is the fourth year that a pair of bald eagles has mated in an 800-pound nest of sticks and twigs about 80 feet in the air in a huge pine tree at the city garden.

Officials say it is also the second straight year that the parents have bred triplets -- a rarity for the federally protected species.

The youngsters will likely attempt their first flight around Memorial Day.

from http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_041807_eaglets_update.2018af5b.html

As an aside, an eagle at our summer place way up North, was found with West Nile Virus (it was on the ground and acting sick). It was taken to a vet and finally recovered. This was a few summers ago.
http://www.raptoreducationgroup.org/View_Newsupdate.cfm?NewsID=42&title_bar=West%20Nile%20Found%20in%20Birds%20Here% 20-%20August%202002

[Chemar]

800 lb nest :eek:

wow! I am impressed !!

[mrsD]

These babies aren't babies anymore! Changing FAST!:p

[Alffe]

What a difference a couple of days make! :D

Did you notice that the camera will be unavailable April 23rd thru the 25th? Bet we'll see another big change. *grin

[Chemar]

hehehe
yep.........they sure are growing!

I even saw the tiny dude swallow down a fish tail the other day:eek:

I love how they are flapping their wings so much now too:p

[Doody]

The cam still isn't back on darn it!

[Chemar]

yup...i am having major withdrawal !!

[Babs]

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/california/features/eaglesreunion.html

Maybe it will help your withdrawal symptoms. I like to look in to it once in a while. Number 26 is the mom and number 10 the dad.
Enjoy,
Babs

[mrsD]

The camera just zoomed in... and it is clearer how the eagles feed!

The color is nice too.

There is only one chick there tho. We don't see the polite dynamics of the other nest.

But it is still very very interesting!

Thanks for posting it!:D

If you have the new update for Windows media player...you can full screen the video!
Our laptop does not have the upgrade, but this one does. So if you haven't upgraded, you might
want to do that. This is a very young chick....still with the white down.

[Chemar]

thanks Babs

I will check it out later when it is daylight in California LOL...clicked thru now and found only a black screen till it dawned on me where it was:D

[Babs]

Hi,
Put your volume up and you can hear the wind and sometimes the eagles calling. I don't know if they see danger or just calling the other one to bring food. The first week the chick was born, it was always covered up to keep warm, but now, when the sun is shining its up and around, not real steady on its feet so. Kind of cute.

But I do hope that we can see the other 3 reals soon. We are missing too much of the progress they are making.:)
Babs

[Wiix]

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html

Gee thanks for the link. Since it's down right now I saved it to my Favorites and I'll go back every few hours and see if it's up yet. I forgot all about this. I watched it on PBS a few years ago but only 15 min at a time. I think that nest was in Cali.:winky:

Just a wonderful thing to watch. You almost feel like a Mommy. :wink: Nature is Grande!!! :hug:

[Doody]

Yippee!!!! They're Back!

And either I'm heavily under the influence and my eyes are crossing, or the camera is blurred.

[Chemar]

oh my!!! take a look at the size of that girl!!!:p wow!

I only see one at the moment.
think maybe the other two are behind the branches that form the "fence" around the nest

yep...Doody, I seem to be under the same influence as you cuz it is blurry for me too.

[Chemar]

clear now and all three eaglets grooming themselves. even baby bird has growed up:circlelove:

I saw mama there earlier too with food...they sure all know how to eat by themselves now too:p

[Doody]

My goodness they're huge! LOL

[Alffe]

My daughter and I were up at Fernwood Gardens this morning and they have a new cam...focused on a nest that two females of different species are fighting over. LOL....one comes and drops in sticks while the other quickly removes them. Only problem is I can't see it on the internet...have to be up there. I will definitely go back and this time learn which species they are and see who won! :D "OUR" kids have really grown!!

[Doody]

Crikies!!!! The babies are almost as big as the mother! I couldn't tell them apart until I saw the white on the parent!

[Chemar]

ya shoulda seen them gobblin down a fish earlier Doody....
even mama bird stood aside :D

[Alffe]

when do they get the white on their heads? That big one was really flapping his wings today....I think he's practicing! :D

[mrsD]

I read that it takes 4 years for the white to show up.

[Doody]

Now I've got my daughter checking in on them daily, lol. She's already sad that they will be flying the coop around Memorial Day. Ahhhh, what WILL we do? :D

[mrsD]

in Calif. It is not on all the time, but I have seen some interesting stuff with
that one chick!

[mrsD]

I was at work yesterday, when the driver supervisor came running in to get me... I have hooked her on the Eagle cam...she watches it between tasks in
her job.

The largest eaglet was flapping and jumping around...it was really funny/comical. I guess that one is soon to fly! It was so much fun watching
her (I think it is a "her" by her size) .. like having a baby take its first steps!

We were giggling and squealing like teenagers for a moment there! (garnering many curious stares! )

[Chemar]

I read that it takes 4 years for the white to show up.

wow! 4 years!! now that is a real interesting bit of "eagles 101" for me mrs D:p

I am really loving this ....errr....bird's eyeview of eagle life, and so enjoying doing it with the rest of you to share it with :grouphug:

[mrsD]

I guess I will be watching them alot... I am ill...some sore throat/laryngitis thing.
I had to cancel all Mother's Day Plans today (:( )

Anyway, for those of you with Firefox browser, I just discovered I can make
the eagles FULL SCREEN.... :Doh:

Right click on the video and choose zoom. To get out right click and exit full screen!

One of the eaglets is jumping around right now... testing the wings. There is a dirty on the camera lens however... a blur spot to the right.

Here is a link to the falcon babies....
http://www.wvec.com/cams/jrb4.html
Talk about a "mess".... whew! Looks like a very creative graffiti attempt! LOL

[Chemar]

:hug: awww mrsD ...you and me both! I have a nasty toothy thing and dont feel like eating anything so kinda canceled the feasties here too

Yesterday, I saw the largest eaglet doing wing flaps with mock take offs all around the nest. Her brother and sister did NOT look amused as she fluttered those yellow tootsies over their heads:D

Hope you feel better soon mrsD:hug:

[Babs]

Happy Mothers Day to all Moms,

I can't get the eaglets on screen. The site is black. Anybody else has this problem?
I really don't want to miss how they are learning to fly.:(
I am 3 hours behind your time. By the time I get home from work it is already dark in Virginia. I am in BC. Canada

Well have a great Sunday.

Babs

[mrsD]

:hug: awww mrsD ...you and me both! I have a nasty toothy thing and dont feel like eating anything so kinda canceled the feasties here too

Yesterday, I saw the largest eaglet doing wing flaps with mock take offs all around the nest. Her brother and sister did NOT look amused as she fluttered those yellow tootsies over their heads:D

Hope you feel better soon mrsD:hug:

So sorry your tooth is bothering you... that is a bummer too! :hug:
I hope it is not infected...etc. With all that smog/smoke you are dealing with too, it can't be easy where you are today!


Babs--- sometimes the eagle link is hard to get going. You might have to
close the window and reopen it ...but it does go dark around 7pm EST daylight savings time, too.

[Alffe]

All three looking wide awake and preening this morning. Looking upward...waiting for breakfast maybe? :D

[mrsD]

Target time is Memorial Day.

The website has new information on it now... this cam was elected one of the Top Ten on line!

Thanks to Alffe for bringing it here!

[Chemar]

yeppers....thanks Alffe :hug:



this really has been a rare experience and I sure look forward to starting it again next season

I have kept the cam shot minimized at the top corner of my computer and so I peep in periodically thru the day while I am working here, to see the eagle family

:grouphug:

[Alffe]

I have enjoyed as much as the rest of you...:D We are going to be out of town over Memorial weekend...at a wedding. Hope I don't miss them...I think I'll send them positive thoughts for leaving Sat, early Sunday morning or Tues.
.:D

[Doody]

Awwwww. I'm going to miss them so much. Their wing span is amazing. I love how one of them is often sitting at the side of the nest, looking over the world.

That 10 best cam web site is a hoot. I love the little schoolhouse birdfeeder at this one in Missouri. (You have to hit the arrow/play button to get the cam going.) http://www.birdwatchingblog.com/bird-feeder-cams/bird-feeder-cam-in-missouri/

LOLOL! I just saw a flyby squirrel. If you turn the sound way up you can hear all the birds chirping. For some reason I saw for a minute, the guy who works the cam too.

[Alffe]

I'm only seeing two.....has one of them flown?? :eek:

[Alffe]

Well there are clearly three now. :D

[Doody]

You SKEERED me for a minute Alffe! I'm not ready for them to leave the nest! :o

[Alffe]

Oh it won't be long now....one of them is up on the limb..jumping down to the nest and "flying" back up. ~sigh...what a sight!!!

I bet today is the day. They look so ready.

[Chemar]

now all three are up on the tree branches

how special to see them take these first ventures away from the nest:circlelove:

[Chemar]

ps one has either taken off or he has flown to a limb outside of the camera's view !!

[Doody]

Oh my gosh! The web cam is panned way out. One of the babies is up on a branch. Oh when they leave, we will all get empty nest syndrome!!!!!!

[Babs]

At 1 PM the baby flew back into the nest. So very nice to see.
They are all in the nest having lunch.
I am watching the one on Santa Cruz Island once in a while. The baby there was born in April and has some time to grow before it can fly away.
But I will sure miss watching my favorite 3.

[Doody]

Awwww. They have a link to a series of slides about the eagles going to the branches.

Friday, May 25th, the young eagles begin "branching" which is a step toward flying. Photo courtesy Norfolk Botanical Garden.

[Doody]

The pictures in the slide show are awesome.

[Silverlady]

I'm not seeing any of them at 9:57 CST. Where are they??!!

Billye

[Chemar]

out on the branches Billye :p

so far they have been doing a lot of further flyouts to the limbs.

any day now

kinda mixed emotions here ..... kinda fly baby fly mixed with careful baby careful and a big dollop of I will miss yas :circlelove:

[Chemar]

:eek: did y'all just see that fly by :D

dont know if that was a big flight or simply a trip to another branch!

[Doody]

Their news channel featured the eaglets and there is a neat video on this page that you can watch. They interview some of the people involved with the cam and are talking about the eagles wing muscles getting stronger and how it could be any moment that they leave. :eek: http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_053007_eaglets_about_to_fly.d6d8b2.html

[Silverlady]

If you look at them right now, you can see Mom and all three babies. They are gonna fly any day!

Billye
5:10 CST

[mrsD]

One of them is sitting facing the camera and he/she is not standing on his/her
foot, but holding it funny. Just pecked at it too. Could they have damaged it banding it? Has anyone seen this yet? :confused:

I see 3 eaglets and one parent now, and they all look pretty sharp!

[Chemar]

what a great view right now

3 eaglets on branches plus a parent with them :)

I hadnt noticed any one of them not balanced mrsD
Hope it was just a temporary thing

[Alffe]

I don't see any of them. The camera is panning around but I think they are gone. :D :( :rolleyes: :D

[Chemar]

oh! yes!! I dont see any of them either ....

yikes...what a tug of the ole heartstrings :p

[Chemar]

whoooooooo hoooooooooo

fly by!! :D

[mrsD]

Looks like they are using the nest for feeding still... I see breakfast activity there now.

If you go to their blog, it stated that they are considered "fledged" if they
fly to another tree..which two have done. Those two were mobbed by a
flock of crows however. (We see terrible crow behaviors like this up North--
We have seen crows destroy nests of birds just for the "fun" of it)....
So these guys may not fly off completely yet. And of course, they do need to learn how to find food.

[Chemar]

yikes! I never realised that crows were the vandals of the bird world, MrsD:eek:

yes, there sure is a feast going on in that nest right now, isnt there:D

It was such a treat seeing them fly back in earlier. first the shadows then them streaking by:circlelove:

[Alffe]

Well that is the sweetest thing...they came home for a meal...Mom serving. :D

[mrsD]

We heard a big commotion one day on vacation, my son and I, so we followed it into the woods. The gang of crows had found a bat in a tree and were harrassing it. We found it trembling on the ground...so we covered it with a flat piece of wood propped up so it would be protected.

Another day we saw and heard a commotion across the bay (there is a home across from us) so we got the binos out and watched. These crows systematically went thru all the trees around our neighbors, and "tossed" out baby birds from nests. They did about 5 different trees while we watched in horror. We didn't know how mean crows can be until then. I call them gangsters now.. the Tony Sopranos of the bird world. They also chase eagles that we can see. But then Terns also chase hawks and eagles.

[Silverlady]

Are those crows I'm seeing now about 8:57 a.m. CST sitting around the nest?

Billye

[Chemar]

nope, those are the eaglets, Billye

they are still dark almost all over and apparantly wont get their white heads for another couple of years (takes 4 years I believe)

[Silverlady]

Thanks Chemar,
I bout had a panic attack.

Billye

[mrsD]

My husband found this site:

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/baldeaglecam/index.html

It is in Maine. There is a forum there, and also video clips of the 2 eagles
setting up the nest...and defending it from other eagles. Lots of calling, sounds!

It is very interesting... this pair has used this nest for 13 yrs!

You need Real Player... however.

I am looking at the forum...and it appears that some people think there is an
egg there. So there may be some action on this for us all! ;)

I am reading the forum there...and it appears that the huge storm in the NE (which I viewed on the Norfolk cam)
resulted in the death of the eaglets in Maine. Viewers are hopeful new eggs are being laid now..to replace
the nestlings (some have seen copulating behaviors).

[Doody]

I just freaked that they were gone, but I think they are just blending in really well with the branches!

I really like the almost daily slide shows.

[Chemar]

:D they seem to still be there Doody. one or more are in the nest now, tho it is real fuzzy with the sunlight/shadows playing thru the breezy branches

I discovered I can make the webcam full screen on my computer!! Just double click on it and it zooms you wide open What a view!!! :In-Lurve:

to exit full screen just right click and exit

[mrsD]

in the slide shows....really good. Some close ups, with beaks open, etc!

One of the eaglets has alot of white feathers scattered throughout the
body...some shots he/she looks rather comical...like in dress up! LOL

[Silverlady]

They may be gone. I looked at 12:45 p.m. cst and I don't see them. I've looked really hard too.

Anyone else see them?

Billye

[Alffe]

I see one right now sitting on a branch but there's some "screen" in the way of my seeing the nest...says something about Joe Foreman???? and when I clicked off I got pop ups. 5:03 pm

[Silverlady]

Yes,
I got those popups too and my computer is supposed to stop them. Someone needs to report them. I don't know how.

Billye

[Chemar]

I dont have any pop ups (thank you Google best customozed popup blocker I ever had :D )

but I sure wish Joe would remove his stuff from my view!:rolleyes:

Looks to me like the computer screen from whoever is operating the webcam maybe??

whatever...I wish it would go away!!

seems to me that the eaglets are beginning to fly further and further afield maybe as I dont see them in the surrounding branches as much as before. But they still seem to be returning to the nest for feeding and sleep I think

[Babs]

I just saw all three: one in the nest, 2 on the first branch.

I have problems accessing the slide show, the numbers are always disappering. Someone else has this problem or is it my computer playing games with me?:confused:

Thank you for some advice.
By the way I really loved the dancing horse. Thanks for putting the link up.:)
Babs ( The posted time is 2.13 your time )

[Doody]

They are just so beautiful. I love the slideshows.

Do we know the sexes of them? We should name them before they leave home. Come up with a list and then have a vote. :D

[Silverlady]

I got so excited. I saw one fly back into the nest from their tree and then the wingspan of one coming into the picture from the bottom back into the next. Huge!!.... oh they have grown too fast!:(

Billye

[Alffe]

did anyone else see the PBS special last night on the redtail hawks nest in New York City.....documented them from hatching eggs to leaving the nest and everyone so excited to watch them. Some worry though about how very used to people they have become, living right there in Central Park. Now when we go to NY in the fall I'll have to look for them. :D

[Alffe]

There's a darling lst graders report about the eagle cam. *grin

[Doody]

Oh that 1st graders report is just adorable!!!! I loved the 'first family portrait'! LOLOL!

And did you see the slides for 6/12??? Dang! One of the pictures is a big ole fish laying at the side of the nest, and then pics of them eating it. :eek:

[Silverlady]

I haven't checked this in a few days. Have they left the nest?

Billye

[Babs]

Well, they are coming and going, still eating in the nest and sometimes sitting on a branch nearby. I guess they are learning now how to catch their own food.:)

[Chemar]

I am actually delighted to see how this process works...I kinda always thought that it would be a case of "I can fly, so bye bye"..........good to see them honing their survival skills while still hangin' out in the home nest:p

[Alffe]

Kind of like our own children when they are testing their wings. :D

[Silverlady]

I thought they were gone. Yes, I like the way their table manners are being perfected too.

Billye

[mrsD]

The Norfolk gardens put up a slide show of 2-9-07 of the EGGS, and
3-11-07 of one of the chicks just hatched!

These are terrific! The 3-11 pics are just amazing and precious.
The chick is about the size of a tennis ball, and the mother is so gentle and tender!

The nest is very different too. It has a lining of softer grass and moss, and it is interesting to see that also. As time has passed the nest has become rather trampled! LOL

Those interested must check this out...it is fabulous!

[Chemar]

oh wow!!! thanks for pointing to that slide show mrsD

amazingly wondrous:heartthrob:

[Silverlady]

it looks like there is something wrong with one of the babies. He seems to just be rolling around in the nest. At first I thought he was dead because of the way he was rolling around. I don't see any of the others.

Billye

[Chemar]

Billye

those slides are from when the three babies that we now know as the three large eaglets first hatched, some months back :D

yes, we were all pretty worried about one of the guys (there are 2guys and the firstborn girl) but he seemed to get stronger and look at him now :)
I guess he is the one I still see most frequently at the nest.....possibly still lagging behind the other two.

[Silverlady]

Chemar,
When I was posting, I was looking at the current shot from the webcam today, early this morning. Has anyone seen him move today?

Billye

[mrsD]

I have not seen the behavior Billye is describing... the nest is always empty when I look.

But birds of prey do a specific thing called mantling, when they catch something. They open their wings and cover the food, and it looks odd.
It is a behavior to protect the kill from other birds (crows, gulls etc).

Hawks with a meal on the ground will spread their wings out around them to conceal their prey from potential thieves - other birds or mammals who shop at the same market they do.

While mantling appears to be an attempt to hide the food the raptor has captured, it might also be that the bird looks larger and more imposing while mantling which makes it less likely to be challenged for its food by other predators. When people drive by and see the outstretched wings, they perceive it to be a bird in distress.

I have seen one of the eaglets jumping on another...perhaps mating practice?
Some sort of rivalry etc?

[mrsD]

of the eaglets at 2-3 weeks is now available...they are really cute!

I missed all of the early shots...so this is especially interesting and engaging for
me. The whole nesting period was so enlightening...how noble and polite they are as birds (looking so ferocious!).

[Alffe]

Thanks for calling this to our attention....they are darling and their feet look just huge!!! :D

[Doody]

I miss them. :( And their nest fell down. :( I wonder if the 'juvenile female' has left yet.

[BJ]

Bumping this back up. They've built the nest, mated and they even have a night camera now. :D

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html

[mrsD]

The slide show is terrific! I had no idea they had set up already!

I just saw a show on a science channel called "Thunderbirds" and they had
African eagles, catching monkeys!

Thanks for the bump up!

[BJ]

They were testing in all last week and finally turned it on Friday. :) I never knew eagles ate squirrels and I'm glad he got away. ;)

[mrsD]

They were testing in all last week and finally turned it on Friday. :) I never knew eagles ate squirrels and I'm glad he got away. ;)

Yes, I wondered about this last season. Where we live, in the summers, we see eagles mostly fishing. And I have read they also do road kill.

But I have also read --a story from Alaska, where a small poodle was taken.
And I have read about small cats being taken.

So while I was watching the nest last season, I thought== How horrible it would be if a puppy or kitten were to appear for lunch on that nest! :yikes: I can handle squirrels, myself. But some other type animal would be disturbing, for most people I think.

I also wonder that these eagles are catching gulls. When we see eagles on vacation, (there is a nest 2 islands over from us), we see gulls harassing the eagles often. They chase them in the air, etc. We have never seen eagles hunting the gulls. But I'll keep watching for it.

Edit-- oh this camera is so much better! And on full screen, it is fantastic!

[Doody]

Oh awesome!!! This is so...well, I was thinking about the eagle cam just a few days ago, and boom! Here it is! Yay!!!!!!!

Thanks BP for bumping it up! :hug:

[Chemar]

:D now I am gonna have the cuties to watch on minimized while I work away at the 'puter all day :p

and have fun doing it with all of yas :grouphug:

thanks soooo much for the heads up BJ:hug:

[Corkybird]

We visited the Norfolk Bot. Garden in summer of '06. I remember taking the little tram ride around the park there, and the tour guide pointing out the eagle's nest off at a distance, Believe I got some shots of it too!!! Wow, it's such a cool thing to see how they spread their wings to try and protect the babies, even when they're venturing out onto the branches.

[mrsD]

Here is the link to the blog.... which has archives, and also mucho information.

http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/EagleCam.shtml
Last year the first egg was laid on 1-31
and it hatched on 3-11

[Looking4hope]

I can handle squirrels, myself. But some other type animal would be disturbing, for most people I think.
mrsd, I'll never forget this instance...

I was exiting off the highway in the middle of town when I saw a large bird flying low, crossing the exit ramp in front of my car. It was a hawk (not as large as an eagle) struggling to get altitude because it was carrying a rabbit in it's claws! It wasn't a little baby rabbit, but not full grown either, but it was a pretty good size. I could see the bunny's eyes!!! It was going to be lunch. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/sad024.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

[tamiloo]

I just wanted to thank you for giving us the links to the Eagles...I love it!! I live in Northern Utah and they are stopping over right now during their migration...we live by a pond and usually see a few everyday...!!

[mrsD]

there was a nice person there from Virginia, and he/she seemed devoted to the site too! We had a brief nice chat there.

It was easy and worked well with my slow DSL even.

There is a new set of pictures today, of a Great Horned Owl visiting the nest
in the dark! With the night cam!

So some here might want to try the chat. No password is needed just a name.

[mrsD]

The first egg has been laid... and during that event, a Great Horned Owl attacked the eagle! It is in the slide slow. Hard to make out tho.

It appears that the owls want to take over the nest! :yikes:

[Curious]

bumping this up for those who haven't seen it. i'm addicted. :)

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html

[FeelinGoofy]

I didn't get to see the eagles last year. our old computer wouldn't let me view them :(. I'm so excited... The mother is so beautiful!!!! :hug:

[Curious]

:D i'm watching right now.

i couldn't watch it last year either vicky. ole dial up. with dsl...no problem.

[Looking4hope]

:D i'm watching right now.

i couldn't watch it last year either vicky. ole dial up. with dsl...no problem.
OH, so that's what the monkey in your avatar is looking at!!! :D

[Curious]

:D yup. you caught me!!

:hug:

[mrsD]

I watched this morning as Mom handed off the nest sitting to Dad. He is still there patiently taking care of the egg.

It takes 6 WEEKS for them to hatch... that is alot of sitting and patience!

and.... just now she has returned! It was about a 2 hr tradeoff.

If anyone has trouble with the feed showing in the window...wait a minute or two and
right click on it to make it full screen. Or I have found double click on it will increase the
size too (on Firefox).

I have a slow DSL and it works okay for me this year.

[mrsD]

This is courtesy of my husband:

http://birdcam.xcelenergy.com/dayinthelife_eagle.asp

If you Google eagle cam you can visit other places.

This birdcam one has an OVERHEAD view... stills only... but really a novel
different point of view. The nest is empty now. But later in the year it might
prove very interesting.

(can you see how committed I have become? LOL)

[CayoKay]

I watched this morning as Mom handed off the nest sitting to Dad. He is still there patiently taking care of the egg.

It takes 6 WEEKS for them to hatch... that is alot of sitting and patience!

and.... just now she has returned! It was about a 2 hr tradeoff.

I raise Muscovy ducks...

they are excellent mothers, and don't share ANY of the parenting duties with the drakes.

Mama-duck must sit on her nest for 35 days, AFTER the daily visits to add an egg each day.

which adds up, sometimes, to 15 days, plus 35 = 50 days.

Mama only emerges from the nest box twice per day, to grab some food, water, and take care of elimination.

so, by the end of her stint, she starts lookin' pretty darn raggedy and bedraggled!

then, she must herd her 5 to 15 ducklings, protect them from jealous drakes, and teach them to forage for food.

this is Mama Buffy (named because she's buff-colored, and defends her family fiercely, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, lol!)

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/2320/dscn4143zc5.jpg

I tried to take pix, but Buffy had a hissy-fit, and all the ducky-babies crawled under her, and hid.

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/5452/dscn4145um6.jpg

yes, her wings are looking rather ratty, but hey, I figure I'd look pretty BAD too, if I spent 23 hours a day on a nest, for THIRTY FIVE DAYS.

mi esposo waited until Mama left the nest for the afternoon whole corn toss, and snapped these pix:

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6739/dscn4147gv7.jpg

gotta keep warm, since Mama's out to lunch... huddle UP!

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/6866/dscn4150tl6.jpg

"HELLO there !! Who the heck are YOU ??"

I know domestic ducks aren't quite as EXCITING as EAGLES, but I wanted to share my hatching-day JOY with y'all, anyway!

:winky:

[mrsD]

What a treat to have them around.

What happens to them when they grow up?

I have a retirement dream of having a home in the country, and having
animals like your ducks. I saw some tame fancy quail, in Maine once on a trip.

Not far from me near my friend's home, there is a guy who keeps
Guinea Hens... these are large birds. They walk around
his front yard, and sort of adopt several houses. They are left overs from a farm that used to be there. And zoning there is allowing them.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Guineas/GuineaFam.JPEG&imgrefurl=http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Guineas/BRKGuineas.html&h=300&w=336&sz=32&tbnid=1207BS4DDNPPuM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dguinea%2Bhens%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1
I always look for them when I am driving over there!

[mrsD]

I noticed on the slideshow, that Dad came by to watch... that is really interesting!

Today it must be warm there...she is panting...

[FeelinGoofy]

There is a second egg :) how exciting!!!!!

[CayoKay]

What happens to them when they grow up?

I have a retirement dream of having a home in the country, and having
animals like your ducks.

my flock provides me with heart-lifting joy when they fly overhead, and perch in the trees, and do splash-landings in my pond.

I refuse to clip their wings, so they are free-ranging, and free to fly all over.

the ducks provide us with eggs, which we sell and barter.

we also market live ducks, and dressed ducks...

[Corkybird]

Ya know...some baby birds are so ugly they're cute!!!! The pics of the 3 babies in the nest in 2007 is adorable!!!

We have so much water in our back yard this morning from all the rain that's hitting Ohio and rest of midwest. Thankful we weren't in the tornado area such as Memphis & Nashville areas. My prayers go to any families effected by that devastation yesterday.

Dear Hubby said that perhaps we should invest in a couple of pelicans and flamingos for our huge puddle in back lawn..at least we could still do some birdwatching!!! HA HA

[Alffe]

Both of them were working hard on that nest this morning..I felt like they were rearranging the furniture. *grin...she finally settled down on the eggs.

[mrsD]

Yep-- rearranging the furniture for the 3rd egg which was laid after dark on
Feb 8th!

It is a great event, and not common. This pair raised 3 eaglets for two seasons, if they succeed this year it will be a rare event!

[Alffe]

Wow...fingers crossed that they repeat last years show!

[mrsD]

It is raining and windy on her, and she is valiant on that nest!

She luckily missed the last storm, it passed a few miles west of her.
But today it is tough going!

The eagles in Maine lost their babies during a big storm in April last year.
So weather is a big challenge for these birds.

[Alffe]

Mrs.D. did you click on "intruder" and see those 21 pictures of the pair of them protecting that nest? I never did figure out who they chased away.
And now rain and wind...:( What an awesome job.

[mrsD]

Wow.... that looks like another eagle who wants the nest!

If you go to Nat Geo webpage, there is a video with sound of the eagles in
Maine driving off other eagles who wanted that nest....the sound effects are amazing..
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/baldeaglecam/
When you go to that site, the video loads automatically --after the commercial, of course.

I've been watching a little bit each day, and see the female ducking and
watching stuff out of range of the camera. I assumed it was crows.

So now we have pics of an Owl and now another Eagle who wants the nest!

Nature in the raw!

[Alffe]

I've never heard their calls! thank you Mrs.D...it would scare me off!

[mrsD]

It is pretty dramatic!

Also the blog has this info:
One of the consequences of the successful recovery of the Bald Eagle is that there are now more...Bald Eagles! This has been evident over the last few weeks as the resident pair has had several interactions with other Bald Eagles. On Feb. 2nd a visitor to the garden caught this following photo as an unattached adult eagle was chased fom the area by the male as the female watched from the nest.

On Feb. 7th a pair of eagles were noted by observers at the garden. These birds were escorted off by both the resident birds.

All of this culminated today with three incursions at the nest itself by an adult male. Mature unmated eagles will try to take over the nests of established pairs, requiring extra vigilance. In each case the trespassing eagle was driven off.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/eaglecam/
click on entry 02-01 to 03-01

[Doody]

I am SO behind on this thread! I haven't had any chance to watch them at work, been too busy.

Thanks for all the updates you guys, you rock! :hug:

[mrsD]

The eagles are not sitting on the nest today. Only for one hour, and it is empty now for over an hour...it is 40 degrees there, quite cool.

I went on the chat, and one person said the Gardens employees are out with
binos looking for them. :( :confused:

[Curious]

:( oh no!!!

wait the eagles back!!!

[mrsD]

gone since 12:30 and was off the nest most of the morning.

I wonder....

[Curious]

i'm glad she's back. she swooped in as i was typing.

i wonder how the eggs will be. :(

[Curious]

:eek: she flew out again

[Abasaki]

:eek: I don't see her anywhere... where did she go???:eek:

[Curious]

she is still gone. i'ts been 1 1/2 hours.

you can see a good shot of an egg right now.

[Alffe]

ohhhhhhhhhhhh this doesn't bode well. :(

[Abasaki]

She's back....
wonder where she went?!?!?

[mrsD]

we think they might have to really chase off the other eagles...I mean like
chase them in the air for MILES and MILES... to get them off the territory.

Now it looks like the male is sitting on the nest. He is smaller, shorter in body length, and has a shorter more curved beak.

We see bird fights up North alot...there are breeding eagles 2 islands over from us, and they come over our place alot. The season before last was filled with fighting. This last season was quiet in that regard.

The loons also fight over our territory...the bay with the small islands is ideal for the loons as well. (lots of little fish for the babies). We see more loon fights than eagle fights. And most of all the Terns...boy were they noisy last summer!
The terns have taken over the gull's rocks across from us. There is an island park up the St. Mary's River that is all terns, and they have spilled down to us.
They scream from sun up to sun down until late August when they fly off.
If a canoe or anything goes near their rocks...it is noisy mayhem. They chase gulls, hawks, crows, and yes, eagles all day long!

[Alffe]

I was just in the chat room talking to some ladies that say their will be a press release about the Eagles this evening. They claim that there are at least three eagles fighting over the nest. And said the same thing you did Mrs.D....that is a male sitting on it right now. 5:37

[mrsD]

When I went into the chat room...it was still highly questionable what was going on. I took a massive nap today (not feeling so hot)... and we came to the
chase scenario after I woke up.

Three eagles are being chased? I wonder if any are old fledglings? I wonder what happens to them? Since it takes FIVE years to get the white head and white tail markings of an adult?

Thanks Alffe! I hope the eggs don't freeze. It is cool there lately. Not 80 like it was for a while!

[Alffe]

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/eaglecam/

[mrsD]

wow... I see a male on the eggs at sundown. Whether it is the real dad or a new interloper, is impossible to determine.

I worry too, about them being too cool for too long to survive. How awful this is.

You know at the Santa Cruz eagle cam last year, the birds were marked on their wings, so we could tell them apart. A red dye marking.

At the chat room earlier today I was given this link: I haven't checked it yet...but I will tomorrow probably...
http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/index.php?mforum=raptors

(today has not been a good day for me).

Thanks, Alffe.

[Chemar]

:( I am so concerned reading the updates

stuff here at home has kept me kinda unable to check in much and for some reason I have been struggling to get any video feed on the cam this last week (dunno if it's my puter or what)

i do hope this will turn out well

we are brrrrrr here in Florida so I can only imagine how chilly it must be in Virginia:(

(((((((((((((((mrsD)))))))))) and everyone :grouphug:

[mrsD]

The feed often does not load for me... I have slow DSL.

But if you right click on it and enlarge the screen, then it pops up easily.
Don't ask me why. So I wait a few seconds and enlarge it. Then going back to small it always works...but does not always show much. It seems to be centered on the larger scale.

Our weather here has been totally painful for so long, I don't even think about it anymore. I am glad you survived the severe storms.

[PolarExpress]

This is SO awesome!
We've had a bunch of bald eagles near the river this winter..I try to make it to the park over my lunch hour, and I've counted as many as 14 birds either sitting in surrounding trees or flying over the river..I never get tired of seeing them!
Thanks so much, Alffe, for posting this!

[Alffe]

I woke up thinking about the eagles. I hope you feel better today Mrs.D and Cheri I hope your "stuff" improves. :grouphug:

I'm trying to redefine this situation in my mind. Eagles are eagles and it's about survival....so I shouldn't take sides or play favorites. ~sigh :confused:

[Curious]

:hug: good morning my eagle watching friend. :D

i've got my coffee...you?

[Alffe]

Howdy! Waiting for Mr.Alffe to bring me a cup! How's by you?

[Curious]

noisy you know who woke me up at 3:30am when he was getting ready for work. :rolleyes: i'm achey and kinda cranky after a bummer valentine's day. i think i'll have a pity party!!! :p

i'm really worried about the eagle eggs...:(

[Alffe]

I know...it's only 35 there but at least some big bird is sitting on them.
I'm sorry you had a crappy day yesterday. Did I send you that card our son in law made us? :hug: Still waiting on that coffee.

They promised to update us here...http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/eaglecam/

as soon as they know anything.

[BJ]

I've been watching this off and on all night long and there were long periods when no one was sitting there, I think anyway. I just don't get it. If they don't think the eggs will make it, why don't they just go get them out and put them in an incubator? Why let them die? It's not the circle of life, they haven't even lived yet. :(

Curious sending you :hug:for a better day.

[Alffe]

Finally got that coffee! Good morning BJ...how are your critters? *grin

[BJ]

Good morning to you too Alffe. I'm sitting here drinking coffee too but I had to get my own. ;) Benton is doing fine but I'm worried about Hooper. I was going to start a new thread but I didn't want to take away from the eagles. I don't know if she was abused or not but she just collapses when I call her. I let her out to do her business and I call her to come in and she just collapses on the ground. Just now I let her out, called her, she collapsed in the middle of the yard and I had to trudge out in the middle of my frozen yard and pick her up. She only weighs 18lbs but my back is not the best and all this lifting up and down is doing a number on it. I called the breeder and she said that Hooper never did that there. I'm not believing her though. I think she was just a cash cow and lived in her crate all the time. :(

[Alffe]

That is so sad BJ...she is a beautiful dog. Has she been doing it from the first day you got her? :hug:

And I think you should start a new thread about it...maybe someone else has had experience with this.

[Curious]

looks like we are early birds this morning. :D


awww bj...it does sound like she isn't used to being loved. someone else might have some ideas if you copy that to a new thread.

i'd love to doggy sit and love her up all day. :D my daughter just got another boxer puppy. too far for me to puppy sit this one. i enjoyed my first grandpuppy. got to love him..spoil him..and send him home. :p

[BJ]

She's been doing this since the day I brought her home. I thought maybe she was just nervous or something and she'd realize that it's okay here. I bought her toys, little ones to not frighten her, and she doesn't even know what to do with them. I leave the crate door open and she goes in there all the time. I close it and she just sits by it. I pick her up and put her on the sofa with me and she's fine. She's just so terrified of everything. :(

[mrsD]

Just got up and checked the eagles... this morning looks like the original female to me. Her feather pattern on the back of her head seems the same.

A few days ago she was ducking and moving around on the nest as if something were happening out of range of the camera. I thought then it was crows...but maybe "this incident" started then?

This morning she is watchful again.

I wonder if her mate strayed into another territory, and that brought them out to this nest? I guess the biologists will be busy with this predicament!

I really hope the eggs are okay. Perhaps nesting places the eagle at a great disadvantage, and makes her vulnerable, and so then aggressions are possible?

In regards to the dog that falls to the ground... sounds like loud voices were used to subdue him/her in the past? Try some head movements or hand movements instead of calling. Do you have a little bell handy that you can ring, to get his/her attention, then just tilt your head in the direction you want her to go. That might work. Cats get that message very quickly. I do it all the time for them.;)

[Chemar]

yay! I can see them again...seems my firewall settings had put the vide0 feed on block so I have to shut it to open the cam:rolleyes:

I do hope the eggs are still viable

(((((((BJ))))))) good idea to try the bell or some other sound to call...could be a nervous reaction he is haviing

[BJ]

Thanks MrsD I'll try the bell when I can get one.

I'm sitting here eating my lunch and was reading the forum where the eagle fans are. It doesn't look good for them. This is what I found.

I’m sure you have already read the blog on VDGIF site. They truly are taking a wait and see attitude. They don’t want to speculate what will happen next. We will all have to watch the activity as it unfolds. Time and nature will provide the definitive answers to everyone’s questions. You know more than I do about what is happening in the nest, I am not able to watch during the day at work. Unfortunately for all the out of area eagle watchers, the camera can’t show what is happening around the nest and in the air. There will be more watchers showing up at the Garden to observe, I’m sure they will tell about any sightings outside of the nest. I really don’t have any information beyond what you observed yesterday. I wasn’t with them when they reviewed video. This upheaval has resulted in neither of the adults present devoting time to incubating the eggs. Even if they were on the nest last night, it is doubtful those eggs are viable. The female sat nearby for a while yesterday, then momentarily sat on the eggs and left. My “female intuition” tells me she just was making sure, again, that the eggs were cold and not viable. I will be anxious to get to work this AM to look out my window and see who is hanging around the nest today. I know you were hoping for more info, but that’s all I have. Just wanted to close the loop this one time. I am not able to write back and forth. Hopefully, other observers who visit the Garden will be reporting what they observe. Happy eagle watching.

I don't think I can watch anymore :(

[Chemar]

(((((((BJ)))))))

It doesnt seem likely that these eggs are gonna make it :( but I wonder if the birds may return to their old nest and start again? I dont know much about how often a breeding pair like this will try for a brood each season?

:grouphug: sure hope there will yet be some lil ones for them and us :grouphug:

[mrsD]

But you know it is early enough in the season to try again.

Maybe the eggs cracked? Can those biologists inspect them?

Just now, the camera is panning to the pavillion there and watching some
people with binos leaning out over the balcony, and watching "something" in the air.

It is tough to watch, with all the high expectations, esp from last year! :confused: :Sob:

[mrsD]

and there is speculation that another male has taken over this territory.
There was a mating observed, yesterday in the trees.

Since these birds are not tagged or marked... how do we really know if
this is the original pair, in the first place? <shrugs>

[Alffe]

They have posted incredible pictures of the residents defending their nest!

[BJ]

Yes they fought but they didn't win Alffe. They believe the male was sitting there the last few days and the female is gone. The just posted this..

went to garden 3:00 no eagle in nest
1 adult did a flyover at 300 ft from 11 going to 5 at 3:17
back same way 3:23.
did not attempt to near nest
Observers think barring a miracle no eggs viable
Off nest about 4 hrs

It's too painful for me to watch anymore :(

[Alffe]

I haven't given up on them yet BJ. After the incredible job they did last year raising 3 babies, anything is possible. (((BJ)))

[BJ]

I have it minimized on my computer Alffe and no one has been there all day. I can't believe I'm sitting here crying over these little eagles that weren't even born yet. What got to me was when this lady said...

The female sat nearby for a while yesterday, then momentarily sat on the eggs and left. My “female intuition” tells me she just was making sure, again, that the eggs were cold and not viable.

I just feel so bad for the eggs and the parents. I can't believe that at one time I wanted to be a vet. And I can't believe that I have a client coming in in 15 mins and I look like I've been in a fight :o

[mrsD]

an eagle has just perched next to the nest with nesting materials or maybe food in her talons. Couldn't make it out..
it was a brown mass.

They have been off the eggs since 11am.

This may be another female, hoping to start another clutch.

She has just moved in and sat down on the eggs. Why would she come back if she thought they were goners? Maybe she knows something we don't?

One person on the chat said the sun on the eggs was helpful.
Maybe the eagles chose this new tree so the sun would do some of the work?

She is now assembling new soft nesting materials around the eggs, very carefully.

But there are 2 new slide shows depicting the fighting...and I'd suspect getting
caught with those talons must hurt and do damage!

I asked raptorman in the chat if they are SURE the first eagle pair is the same as last season, and he said no one really knows. So it might be any kind of fight for that matter.

It is so hard to interpret this experience. I don't think humans have had such intimate opportunities to view this reproductive cycle. As much as it hurts to watch, we must keep in mind that we are people, not eagles!

One summer we watched a bunch of crows attack nests across the bay. We watched with binos...and they did this for sport and trashed at least 4 nests, and perhaps some bats (we know they attack bats in trees because we rescued one). We watched the crows toss things out into the air from high spruces. My son was appalled, but I guess that is how nature works, as awful as it is. (they made so much noise it alerted us to the fracas).

[Curious]

she's back :D

[Alffe]

Are you sure it's a she?

[mrsD]

I think it is a female. But it is hard to say if it is the original one.

[Curious]

they were just mating. is that a good sing for the eggs or a bad one...or did he just forget when valentine's day was? :wink:

[mrsD]

so this male just moved in to sit on the eggs?

This is becoming like a soap opera now? I can't keep who is who straight anymore, LOL!

[Curious]

hehehe..she just shoved him out of the "bed". :p

lol..mrsd. yup!

[BJ]

I guess this answers the question of weather it was a female or not :D

I'm confused about this whole thing now. If the eggs are somehow, someway still viable, why are they mating? :confused: Does that mean the eggs are doomed? I just with the original mom and dad would come back and they live happily ever after. But it's dark, the temperature is dropping, and no one is in the nest. :(

[Curious]

that's what i was wondering. but if the eggs are not viable..then the mating was a good thing.

[Abasaki]

It's dark...but there's no sign of mama or papa eagle....

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html

[Alffe]

No fair being intelligent on top of everything else! :D

[Abasaki]

Either the camera is not working or they have shut it off....

It's been black for a while now....


Maybe it's just my computer can't see it....???


LOL Alffe... not intelligent... just do things to make life a bit easier when i'm feeling lazy....


Found out that cam has been going up and down all day... on/off....

[PolarExpress]

I've noticed the video went black here, too..Thought maybe I did something cuz it was working fine earlier..

[mrsD]

and empty. The raptor forum thinks the new female has taken over the nest, and driven the original female off. They think this is a very young female that has taken over.

My husband and I were discussing this, and we came to a possible interpretation. Maybe as the older females age they become infertile. And the young ones are fertile, but don't know how to build a nest. So this type of take over would be an advantage overall, for survival. The Channel Islands had two females to one male and biologists took some of the eggs out (there were too many to brood) and hatched them separately, one year.

The raptor forum I posted above has some interesting comments and explanations on it.

It is difficult to see the experienced female driven off this way...she built that nest after all over several months' time.

[Alffe]

In the chat room they are saying that a tree company is coming to remove the old eggs. The new floozy :rolleyes: female has chased off the original female and taken up with the original male. I thought they mated for life! :eek: And they say the new "pair" came to the nest today but didn't mate so they are hoping if the eggs are removed....we may get a new batch.

*whisper...reminds me of real life a bit..new, younger feathers....:confused:

[Chemar]

yes, how sad for the older "wife":( all that hard work on the nest and years of partnership.

maybe this would have been ok if they had stayed at the old nest:o

I hope we will get updates on the first female, and will be tuned in for where this saga takes us ..............

[Curious]

well, i bet she can't cook. :wink:

[Looking4hope]

LoL........ :D :D

She probably maxed out the credit cards too. :eek:

[mrsD]

eagle menopause!

On the blog is an interesting picture... of the intruder female next to the resident female. Notice how close they are, and how odd..
Could this be one of her daughters?

That last confrontation, the new female had a huge talon-ful of new soft nesting material. I bet she covered the eggs with it...betcha..
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/eaglecam/

The new slide show sort of supports, the "incest" model. But you know, this male is NEW to the resident female. He replaced her old mate who died in an airplane collision before they moved to Norfolk. This could be a daughter from the previous mate?

I think getting the old eggs out, will be helpful. JMO.

[mrsD]

yes, how sad for the older "wife":( all that hard work on the nest and years of partnership.

maybe this would have been ok if they had stayed at the old nest:o

I hope we will get updates on the first female, and will be tuned in for where this saga takes us ..............

I think if I recall correctly... the original pair only had 2 broods at Nolfolk.
This female's previous mate was killed, and she found this new male, fairly recently.

It is really hard to watch those eggs get abandoned...but the behaviors must be there for some survival advantage. It hasn't been long since eagles were endangered.

[Alffe]

the Young & the Restless isn't this interesting! :D

[Doody]

LOL... floozie. :D

[Corkybird]

ooo my gosh I had to enter some notes of THANKS on some of the posts prior here!!!! Talking of maxing out credit cards and that she can't cook!!! LOL I mean where does one purchase an "EAGLE CUISINE" cookbook anyways? Let me guess, at the BIRD store!!!! Hoping that they do get another bunch of eggs, especially neet to watch with the eagle cam on them.

[Curious]

i think we gotta watch these bald guys. mid life crisis. :rolleyes:

[Alffe]

http://www.wvec.com/video/topvideo-index.html?nvid=219190

http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_021908_eagle_eggs.ae8540e.html

**************************

[mrsD]

That was a great story!

I hope the new pair returns to that nicer nest. With all the fancy camera improvements and interest, it would be very disappointing if the nest were
abandoned all season.

[Doody]

Wow. What a situation we have going on!

[Alffe]

I was just in the chat room and raptor is saying that the original pair were seen at the nest this morning. The "other woman" has not been seen in the garden since Wednesday. They have positively identified the pair as the original ones but have not yet seen them mating.

Well, good for her! A girl has to have some pride! :p

[Looking4hope]

He took her credit cards away..

and he promised to cook more often :p

[Alffe]

LOL. and now we have a little grey squirrel in the nest...dismantling it one stick at a time???

[Curious]

hehehehe...looks so tiny in that big ole nest.

[Looking4hope]

He must be the landlord... I guess after Mrs. E maxed out the credit card, they couldn't pay the rent. :rolleyes:

[Alffe]

I think he's living very dangerously....he could be someones lunch!