Berry College Eagles Day 80&82 Fledge Watch Continues, White Rock Eagles Day 14&15 Murder of Crows

The Berry College Eagles are ready to fledge! Look at this eaglet jumping around on the branches! Wow video (1:01). Fledge watch can really drag out. But I'm starting to think that it will be soon!

I have one other Berry College video from today. If you followed my blog last year, you know that there was a fish disaster last year. Here's a link to the Fish Disaster video. (7:04). Well, today, there was almost another fish disaster. Here's a link to the Almost Fish Disaster (1:29), or you can watch it below.

Here's my s'caps for the day.

These eaglets are losing their fear. This leap started way out on the branch behind the eaglet and it leaped all the way to the nest.

Hot eaglet...

I just think these are funny...

This is right before the "Wow" video above.

The eaglet on the left is complaining to the parent that the eaglet on the right isn't sharing their food... It looks like the parent is listening attentively.

 

The eaglet was given some time to try to self-feed. Still not very good at it. The parent ended up helping out. Both eaglets got pieces.

Must be something interesting up there.

Look at that mantle!

It was an interesting night at the White Rock nest. The nest was buzzed by a murder of crows. (A group of crows is called a murder.) I think that's why Dad came to the nest. Mom is going to break her neck watching Dad fly in!

I didn't know why Dad left so soon. Mom went on and fed the babies.

Dad came back only a few minutes later. And then it was obvious that they both saw something.

 

Upon a second review, I found I had missed this frame!



 

And then Dad ducked as a large bird flew by again. (This is right after two s'caps up.)

Another fly-by...

And another.

Pesky birds.

I guess the threat is over. Dad shakes to put his feathers right. Neither parent seemed overly concerned or gave chase. I think it was just a murder of crows buzzing the nest?

You can watch the video at this link to the Murder of Crows (2:20) video or watch it below.

 

That's all I've got time for tonight. It's 2:00AM...

Berry College Eagles Day 58&60 Branching (But No S'cap) and Mantling, Harrison Bay Eagles Day 14&16, White Rock, Lock of the Lowes Egg Watch, Bald Eagle Buddy Update

Well, I saw one of the eaglets at the Berry College nest standing just on the start of the forward branch. Probably stepped onto it. I only saw it briefly when I first brought the camera up and then it jumped to the current view and I have no idea what time it happened. I didn't realize it was an older frame and was going to jump so I didn't note the time. And I've gone back a few times trying to find it. But it's a needle in a haystack and I give up! What did happen today that I got? There was a stick delivery, the eaglets thought it was food and rushed to claim it, with a mantle from one of the chicks:

Here's the stick, already starting to slide off of the edge of the nest.

And it's gone, with Dad watching it fall...

I did see a fish delivery later in the day, but the video hung up when the adult landed in the nest so I don't know if there was a rush to claim or mantle. But a few seconds later when the stream resumed, the parent was feeding the eaglets...

The fishing is good at the Harrison Bay nest. There seems to always be something in the pantry. Today, the eaglets were huddled around the food, both getting plenty of bites. Look at those fat little butts!

A bite for you...

And a bite for you...

You can really see their size difference here. When food is plentiful, there tends to be less sibling rivalry. I haven't seen any bonking at this nest in a while. It could still be happening when I'm not watching. But I've seen quite a few feedings that were without incident.

At one point, everybody was at home:

This is how you know they've gotten enough to eat: Food coma!

The White Rock nest is still incubating. We'll be on hatch watch at the end of the week...

This is two nights in a row I've found someone home at the Scottish Wildlife Trusts Loch of the Lowes nest. We may see an egg soon... (It was during the overnight April 12-13 that the first egg was laid last year. Different female, but it still gives us some idea...) I'm going to call this nest on egg watch!

 

I hadn't checked on Bald Eagle Buddy in a few weeks and found an update on 3/22 and further explanation from Ed Clark on 3/23. Here's a link. Buddy has been acting up and they've had to take some measures to keep everyone safe. This is the time of year when his instincts tell him to protect his territory, so it's not a surprise that he might be acting feisty! Keep in mind that he is an adult now and we were warned that he might have behavior problems once he reached 5 years old. (He's 6 now...)