Thursday, November 12, 2015

Bald Eagle Update

Adult Bald Eagle with chicks (Audubon image)
Yesterday (November 11, 2015), one of my organization's members observed "our" two adult Bald Eagles mating - three times!  Of course, there's no guarantee that the birds will attempt to nest in my preserve again this winter, but it's a good indication that they might.

After last year's pair of eaglets fledged on June 16, 2015, we occasionally observed the adults and the immature birds throughout the spring and summer.  The fact that they stayed in the area was another good indication of their intent to attempt to nest again, but we couldn't be sure.  After all, Bald Eagles nested at the mouth of my creek along the Delaware River for several years and then abandoned that location, so they could have done the same here in the preserve.

Now, we just have to make sure that we have a sufficient number of roadkilled deer to sustain them through the winter.  Fortunately for the eagles, but unfortunately for the staff and the deer, retrieving enough roadkilled deer is not usually a problem.

10 comments:

packrat said...

Although several opportunities for puns and bad jokes reside in your first sentence here, Scott, I'll resist the urge and simply say that it's really cool that you a) have Bald Eagles in your preserve and b) that they may stay around for another cycle of eaglet raising.

Carolyn H said...

Nice: I hope your eagles are successful! I saw 7 on Sunday without even trying. Compared to those years after DDT, it's still a miracle by my standards to see them so frequently and in such numbers.

Anonymous said...

How lucky to see Bald Eagles there in your preserve. I do hope they will decide to nest there. We used to see them so often when we lived on the Olympic Peninsula, but it's been many years since we've seen one.

Scott said...

Packrat: I appreciate your holding your "tongue"--or keyboard, as the case may be. I agree that it is cool to see the eagles. Of course, I'll keep my readers posted as the season develops.

Scott said...

Carolyn: Seven without even trying; I'm jealous! It is miraculous that we see them. I wrote an article for my organization's newsletter about the successful nesting last year, and I have gotten more compliments and comments about that article than I have for all other articles combined over the last 28 years!

Scott said...

Robin Andrea: This will be "our" eagles' second nesting in my preserve if they decide to stay. We're all keeping our fingers crossed. Kali and I saw countless eagles when we went to Alaska years ago, and it's possible to see lots of eagles overwintering below the big hydroelectric dam on the the Susquehanna River at Conowingo, Pennsylvania, but I've never bothered to go there to see them. (1-1/2 hours away).

Mark P said...

That's great. We haven't seen the eagles that nest at Berry College since last year, when I caught one at a carcass nearby. I wish a pair would nest closer to us.

Scott said...

Mark: Neighbors living near the site of last year's nest have observed the eagles perching in trees together. Things look promising...

Bobo Uzala said...

I have seen the Bald Eagles several weeks ago perching in the treetop together.

Bobo Uzala said...
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