Training Update for Buddy, Location Updates for Camellia and KE, Eagle Festival at Mason Neck State Park, Feeding Liquid Diet to Raptors, Fort St Vrain Nest Loses Two Babies

There is a training update for Buddy posted today. They are working with Buddy six days a week, for several hours each day. He is going to be at the Wildlife Center's Jack Hanna Reception this weekend.

There is an update for Camellia, who is out exploring again.

And there is an update for KE from 4/11. She really seems to be enjoying the landfill... 

Mason Neck State Park is having their annual Eagle Festival this Saturday from 10:00AM - 4:00PM. This state park is located in Lorton, VA and is home to 50-60 Bald Eagles. Looks like a nice event.

There's an interesting post about a Wildlife Rehab in Utah. There is a Bald Eagle that is being fed a liquid diet. I've never seen how this is done. Having watched the video, here are my observations: I don't think it's especially a good idea to rub a Bald Eagles beak. The man seems to think he is comforting the Bald Eagle by rubbing its beak and talking to it. I don't think you should talk to wildlife in a rehab setting. The animal is already stressed enough without you adding something else foreign to the situation. And rubbing its beak? I don't think that would be much appreciated either. I hope the guy was just mugging for the camera and that he doesn't usually do those things. Anyway, I found the feeding part to be interesting. I've never seen how that's done before. The applicator goes right down into the crop -- that's a pretty efficient method... There's also a video of him feeding a Red Tailed Hawk using the same method. At one point, he's holding its lower beak and it looks like he's trying to get it to swallow. He's got part of his thumb inside the beak. He went from saying, "Go ahead and bite, I don't care" to "Yeah, that one drew blood." I thought that was kinda funny, because it was such a "duh" moment. But that was just a little bite compared to what that Bald Eagle will do once it's feeling better. A Bald Eagle on the mend is often referred to as being feisty!

The Fort St Vrain nest has had a hard few days. This nest is in Colorado. The midwest has experienced some very cold weather and snow. This pair lost their chicks last year. They were doing so good this year. But now, due to the weather, they have lost two chicks this year. Here's a picture of the two adults hunkered down in the nest overnight 4/17-4/18. It's very unusual to find both adults laying down in a nest. But the weather was that extreme and they were trying to save their last chick.

Statistically, only 50% of eagles reach one year of age. It's hard to watch eagle cams sometimes. But I think they are great to watch for the most part. This has just been a rough week for this nest. I'm hoping for happier days ahead! Here is the nest just now with one healthy baby and no sign of the snow and harsh weather that took two babies.