Kick your feet up, grab the left-over Halloween candy, and get ready for some videos from Decorah and an eagle food fight at the Flyway. I loved all of these videos, but I was especially struck by ‘Just a couple more sticks’ – look at all the nestorations! – and the evening nestorations in Decorah, and of course the Flyway eagle party are both a must see! Non-territorial eagles are quite gregarious: they roost together, perch together, look for food in groups, and enthusiastically steal food and perches from one another. I’m not sure that all of the eagles at the end of the video were aware of the fish at the beginning – but they knew, based on all of the activity, that something worthwhile was up!
Thanks to tigeag and camop coqui for tonight’s pictures, to our amazing camera operators and videomakers for finding and sharing such special moments, and too you for watching!
Decorah Eagles
November 4, 2019: DM2 near N2B in Decorah
11/04/19: Just a couple more sticks! https://youtu.be/HfKfpPVc_Rc. Mom and DM2 have been hard at work on N2B! The video opens with DM2 moving sticks to the side of the nest, where crib rails are piled high and deep – more of a fence than a railing in some places! Mom returns from her stick shopping trip at about 3:12 (slow the video to watch – it’s a pretty cool fly-in). A tug-o-stick ensues, which Mom wins, followed by a very brief Beakerson’s at 3:29. Mom flies out at 6:25 (look close to see her full crop!). We get some nice close-ups of DM2 beginning at 11:09.s
11/02/19: Nice try, DM2 – https://youtu.be/f4hkrXY_cmM. DM2 attempts copulation with Mom. Although she signals interest – take a look at her posture at 22 seconds, and again at 26 seconds – he doesn’t quite get his tail right and she shrugs him off after about four seconds. Eagle copulation usually takes seven to ten seconds.
11/02/19: DM2 stick delivery, Mom joins, both to maple – https://youtu.be/pWFm4Wl_jac. Mom flies in with a stick from Nest Depot at :27. She works hard to place it. Here? No. Here? No! Like many of her wonky sticks, it is hard to place, although it helps lock other sticks and nest materials in place. After about three minutes and 40 seconds, she gets it into place and starts making some small adjustments by trimming and snapping twigs along the main branch. We get a nice close view at 4:23 and DM2 joins her at 4:45, flawlessly dropping into the nest and moving some soft materials. Mom leaves and we get a nice look at DM2 before he joins her on the maple.
11/01/19: Mice! Panning-Horses-Eagle Perching – https://youtu.be/YTfV8meixTk. Chickiedee writes “EEk! Mice have taken over the nest. I have seen them at night scampering around and this was early morning today. Enjoy the 360 tour around the nest. Fall color has exploded throughout the foliage. The bike path sure looks inviting today although the temperature is 33 degrees this morning. One adult eagle is perching today. Thanks for watching!” I had to laugh at all of the mice in the nest – a true Halloween mouse house party for the Merry Maids, who were enjoying a boo-nty of nestovers!
10/31/19: Evening nestorations, beautiful sky views – https://youtu.be/remtexDogHA. Really beautiful nest scenes from the gloaming hour. Mom and DM2 work in the nest before Mom hops up onto the Skyway to stand sentry. DM2 takes the nestbowl for a spin at around 3:39, scraping and digging to get things just right! It must be comfortable, since he sits there for almost a minute! Mom flies off but he stays, eventually perching on the left side of the Skywalk, beautifully silhouetted against the setting sun. Mom is back in the nest at 9:20 and DM2 joins her again for a little nibbling and some more nestorations.
Mississippi Flyway
November 4, 2019: The Eagle Council on the Flyway
11/04/19: One fish, THIRTY Eagles! https://youtu.be/ptpjKBikPyg. I think there may be more than thirty eagles in this mixed-age group of eagles all trying to get in on one eagle’s fishy catch! The video opens with one adult eagle fish-flopping a catfish, judging from the size and shape, up onto a snag. A subadult sidles in from the left. A juvenile (?) hops on to the log from the right. Another adult eagle arrives and goes straight for the diner, who jumps up and drops the fish in the water! the eagles begin alternately clashing with one another and searching for the fish. At 2:12, we’ve seen six eagles. By 4:15, I believe we’ve seen twelve. At 4:36, we see that somebirdy has the remains of the fish and is eating it in the water (there are eight eagles in this scene). Check 6:34 to see how Canada geese respond to one particular fly-in! I believe there are fifteen eagles in frame at 7:07. 16 at 11:13. 22 at 11:16. 26 at 12:28.Every root perch is full on the log at 14:23. I believe we have 30 eagles at 15:04 (make sure to count the flying one above the log) but again, I think there were probably more than 30 eagles with all the comings and goings)! Don’t miss the ‘Eagle Council’ at 16:45.
The Raptor Resource Project