Just a quick round of the cams tonight. The Africam Black Eagle was in its normal position. This is a pretty good way to lay, with a wall to the back and facing any oncoming dangers. This chick lays like this a lot. Instinct!
Both of the youngsters were at home in the nest at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Dyfi Osprey Project nest.
Nobody was home when I checked the White Rock nest today. Here's one of Christian Sasse's pictures of this nest, posted here with his permission:
The White-bellied Sea Eagle cam was cutting out on me a lot tonight. And the parent on duty wasn't budging...
Bald Eagle NX checked in.
Sunday was a big day in the bird world, with a hatch and a fledge.
One of the Berry College Bluebirds hatched on Sunday. But none have hatched since. So, it looks like they will only raise one from this clutch.
It was feeding time this morning at the Africam Black Eagle nest. I didn't get a very good look at the chick, but from what I can see, there are more black feathers.
The White-bellied Sea Eagles continue to incubate their eggs.
I got to see the eggs today!
I missed a shift change during an ad playing. Darn it!
Nobody was home today when I checked the White Rock nest. So, I'll just show another of Christian Sasse's pictures from this nest, posted here with his permission:
The new camera angle on Sunday at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Dyfi Osprey Project nest was because they were on fledge watch. And one of the osprey did fledge Sunday at exactly 7 weeks old. Check out this video of the fledge. The video gives a better idea of what's around the nest. The reason I went looking was because there only appeared to be one chick in the nest this morning. I didn't think either one was done growing yet... I guess I was wrong. I like how the one in the nest is taking advantage of the extra space, with that leg stretched out! That might be the fledgling on the perch in the background.
Bald Eagle Camellia checked in.
Bald Eagle Grace checked in.
The day after tomorrow starts hatch watch at the Berry College Bluebird nest.
There is a large feather laying in the Africam Black Eagle nest. I wonder if it's one of the adult's feathers?
While trying to find pictures of individual Black Eagle feathers, I came across this picture that was taken right after a Black Eagle in flight went poo. Pretty impressive! And I did also find this picture that shows the individual feathers. It looks like one of the adults lost a feather in the nest.
There's some spider web across the camera at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Dyfi Osprey Project nest.
It's a pretty day at the White-bellied Sea Eagle nest.
It was late in the day when I checked the White Rock nest, giving me some neat silhouettes, preening the tail feathers in this first s'cap.
Appearing headless while preening.
Preening the wing-pit.
And a profile shot.
There was a huge prey item in the Africam Black Eagle nest today. It looks like a stuffed teddy bear...
The baby already had a pretty big crop.
Not hungry, the baby decided to lay down instead.
I'm not sure if Mom was preening the baby or what. That's what it looked like. But she might have been trying to get it to stand up...
She stretched, first her tail and leg as pictured below -- you can see she is standing on one foot. Then she stretched her wing.
I went to check on other nests and when I came back found fluff all over the nest. The food had been prepared and the baby was being fed.
There must have been some threat, because Mom flew away. She returned pretty quickly.
The feeding resumed.
Dad arrived at the nest.
Mom and Dad finished off the food while the baby watched.
About a half hour later, the IR light was on and Mom had settled in with the baby for the night. Here with her eyes open...
...and closed. SED Momma!
There was a different angle on the camera today at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Dyfi Osprey Project nest. Look at that beautiful sky!
Soon, the other chick came fully into view.
There was some wingercizing -- always fun to watch.
Some clouds rolled across the nest while I was watching. Even though the chicks are in shade here, I still like this s'cap.
It is really entertaining to watch the interactions between Mom and Dad at the White-bellied Sea Eagle nest. Here's Dad, wanting to take a turn incubating the eggs, but Mom won't move.
Dad is so patient as he waits.
I like how they are almost forming the shape of a heart, if their heads were just a little closer together...
Dad moved around the nest, waiting for Mom to move.
Finally, Mom gets up and moves out of the way for Dad to take a turn.
Mom throws out a wing to keep her balance as she moves to the edge of the nest. Dad doesn't waste any time settling in on the eggs.
Mom takes a quick survey of the area...
...and launches off of the side of the nest to take a break -- less than a minute after she stood up.
It was another beautiful day at the White Rock nest.
I cycled around to some of the other nests and returned in time to see a parent leave and a fledgling in the nest.
I must have come in just after a food delivery -- it looked like it was eating.
Having finished eating, it jumped up onto a branch.
I checked back in much later and found a fledgling on the branch. I'm not sure if this is the same one as before or if it's the sibling... Looks like some sticks are falling from the front left side of the nest, compared to the s'cap above. I must have missed something...
The next time I checked, both of the fledglings were at the nest. I don't know if there was another food drop or if it was nestovers, but the one in the nest was eating.
And we end with an empty nest.
Here's another of Christian Sasse's pictures of this nest, posted here with his permission. This picture took my breath away the first time I saw it -- hands down my favorite picture that he has shared! Isn't that an amazing shot!?
Bald Eagle Camellia checked in again. This was one of his rare one-day check-ins.
