We have nestflix from Decorah, Decorah North and the Flyway for everyone! I really enjoyed both Decorah videos, the extremely cool look at Mr. North bathing with a subadult, the lovely deer, and the extremely cool look at eagles playing in strong winds on the Flyway. I love watching eagles off their territory as they play, steal, and socialize in pairs, triplets, decades, and even larger groups. While I like the word ‘convocation’ for a group of eagles, I think quarrel, noise, or clan might be equally appropriate!
If you like the Flyway, please join us for our new Flyway Chat from 11:00am to 2:00pm CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/upper-mississippi-onalaska-cam/
Decorah Eagles
November 24, 2019: Mom at N1
11/24/19: Active morning on N2B – https://youtu.be/aiDIhCD2EiI. Nestorations, including Mom moving wonky sticks starting at 1:15, DM2 putting his back and talons into moving a large, straight sticking starting at 8:28 (this is very cool!), Mom flying in with a stick at 11:30 (watch out, DM2), DM2 biting Mom’s wing (this looks more like an accident than anything else), and DM2 grabbing one end of Mom’s stick. DM2 tests the nestbowl at 14:15, fiddling with a little soft material and rolling and scraping as he shapes the substrate and molds husks to his body. The video ends with close-ups – right where the next video begins!
11/24/19: Close-up of DM2 and stick work – https://youtu.be/yavS_i830M4. These close-ups are just wow! Fans of DM2 will love the chance to get a close look at him as he tests the nestbowl and enjoys a little break in the soft, fluffy cornhusks. Mom flies in with one of her famously wonky sticks at 1:01 and he flies up to stand guard duty as she works on getting it placed just right, moving it all around the nest as she tries to decide where it should go. Although DM2 looks down a couple of times, he resists the urge to fly down and provide advice!
Decorah Eagles North
November 24, 2019: Mr. North and subadult at DNN
11/25/19: Sub-adult and adult bald eagle bathing in creek – https://youtu.be/ns1w81neots. This is an extremely cool video! Mr. North and the unknown sub-adult have a splish-splash pool party together, splashing water over every feather and dunking their heads in the fast flowing water. The sub-adult loses its footing at about 1:24 and both eagles exit the water not long after, while cattle begin lowing in the distance. Mr. North flies off at 2:27. Junior stays behind on the shore for another dip!
This video (https://youtu.be/S_8Dw23PhIg) by eaglewhisperer is quite similar, but includes footage of Mr. North drying off starting at about 11:25. He begins vocalizing at 13:29, which is pretty spectacular to see and hear! It turns out that he’s duetting with DNF, who has flown up to perch near him.
11/23/19: Preening on the Love Branch – https://youtu.be/PVmT_5sFIRQ. Just what the title says! Ginger writes “This starts out with a beautiful fly-in from across the back cornfield. Watch from the middle top of screen. DNF flies over the cornfield and the trees at the stream and lands on the Love Branch at about 0:22. She’s just a speck at first but once you know where she is, you can follow her path. She vocalizes when she lands. There are also vocals at 06:45 and again at 10:25. We hear a series of gunshots at 08:25 and DNF looks up, but then soon goes back to preening.”
11/23/19: Early morning deer – https://youtu.be/nBALHxR5e40. This video opens with a beautiful sunrise, but quickly switches to a frosty morning scene. Two does are leisurely wandering across the North field: not foraging, but seemingly following a scent. They eventually stop for a drink in the clear, cold waters of the stream, where another deer joins them. The three ford the stream and run into the woods. Ginger has some nice footage (https://youtu.be/XmZqSetf79Q) that includes the deer, along with a male Red-bellied Woodpecker at 14:55 (his colors are stunning!), the stream rippling liquid gold at around 16:11, and starlings in winter plumage at 20:29. It’s a beautiful, pastoral morning in the valley of the Norths!
Mississippi Flyway
November 23, 2019: Eagles and swans on the Flyway
11/24/19: Eagle splish-splash – https://youtu.be/M2dXurHa6aY. We have bathing eagles all over the place! This is a very good time to see congregating bald eagles and late migrators including Tundra Swans and various diving ducks. An adult eagle takes a bath. At about 3:36, another eagle lumbers by on the sandbar, looking for all the world like a dinosaur out for a stroll. Look for another adult eagle on the left side as some ducks and Tundra swans float in and away.
11/23/19: Young Eagles Enjoying Strong Winds- Chasing & Hovering – https://youtu.be/R39RLxuWkLc. This is a fun video! The snag and sandbar are filled with eagles, who seem to enjoy chasing, playing in the wind, and playing with sticks. Check out the one-talon balance starting at 2:57, followed by a nice hover here and at 3:41, and a three-eagle hover at 4:04. As our mods sometimes mention, this is eagle college – and we’re watching an advanced flight class as the juveniles perfect flying in and using the wind to their advantage, and adults and subadults enjoy playing!
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