Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Bald Eagle Ozzie Released!, Africam Black Eagle Day 20, Dyfi Osprey Day 16,18&19, Harrison Bay Eagles Day 80&82, Loch of the Lowes Osprey Day 24,26&27, White Rock Eagles Day 58&59

Bald Eagle Ozzie of the Southwest Florida nest was released back into the wild today! There's tons of news stories, I like this one. There are two nice videos embedding into the story. CROW also put a video of Ozzie's Release on YouTube.

Mom was being stingy with the baby at the Africam Black Eagle nest this morning.

Dad Dyfi Osprey brought a nice size piece of lumber to the nest. Time to build up those guard rails!

This is not what I consider "wings up" at the Harrison Bay Eagle nest...

You know these babies are getting plenty to eat when this big fish can lay in the nest and both Eaglets, who were in the branches, leave it alone.

Bald eagles relax and/or spread their wings and pant to cool off.

One of the parents came to the nest and polished off some nestovers.

This is not "wings up" either, just wingercizing.

Finally got a s'cap with both babies in it!

Hot baby! Pretty s'cap!

Both babies are perched on the same branch. The cam can only look so far up before the housing cuts off the view. This is about as good as it gets when they perch in the higher branches... This is the branch they were on when it got dark.

The Dad at the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Loch of the Lowes Osprey nest demonstrates just how easy it is for Osprey to take-off. Bald Eagles have to bend at the knees and launch themselves into the air. The Osprey just put their wings up...

...and with a downward flap, they are airborne.

Dad is crowding Mom a bit. But she didn't even bother to put down her other foot, just ducking as he took off.

Then straightening back up while still standing on one foot.

You can tell by the feathers coming in that the youngest is farthest from the cam, while the oldest is closest to the cam. The lighter tips on the youngsters is how you can continue to tell the parents from the kids after they reach full size. Those lighter tips will eventually wear off and they will have the same uniform brown as the parents. But that won't happen for a while.

Look at the tail feathers coming in on the oldest Osplet.

The babies make a puddle in the middle of the nest. You can see how their coloring provides them protection from predators. They just blend into their surroundings. (An all-brown Bald Eagle juvenile is pretty well camouflaged too! I can't tell you now many times I've gone to an area where Bald Eagles hang out and someone will point out where an Eagle is perched. And I'll still have a hard time finding it!)


The chicks got dinner before being tucked in for the night.

Last call for potty break!

Everyone must be full. Mom was ready to feed some more, but one-by-one they all laid back down.

Mom does some feaking on the crib rails to clean her beak off.

This is Dad leaving with the nestovers. There was a lot of fish left-over!

Mom settles in for the night, making herself as big as possible in an attempt to cover her babies. Her wings are out from her body and her head is bent protectively over one of the chicks.

It was a pretty day at the White Rock Eagle nest.


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