Don’t forget to join us for the kick-off of hatch watch in Decorah today! RRP Director John Howe will be talking about incubation and hatch on our Decorah Eagle stream beginning at 1:30! You can listen here: https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/decorah-eagles/ and here: https://explore.org/livecams/raptor-resource-project/decorah-eagles. We look forward to seeing you!
We have your morning cuteness overload from Decorah North and beautiful looks at beautiful eagles from Decorah, along with great video of DM2 fishing in the pond! As Sherri wrote: they are strong, spunky little spitfires that are already beak bonking each other, shoving, and squabbling. Neck and head strength are noticed each time the lid is lifted from the feathered carport of a parent, and we’re enjoying seeing the antics of the weebly wobbly baby bobbleheads!
Decorah North Eagles
April 2, 2020: Feeding at Decorah North
April 1, 2020: Sweet feeding-eaglets DN11 & DN12 – https://youtu.be/zw0ZugdMFpY. Cuteness overload warning – look at those tiny beaks and bites! DNF feeds DN11 and DN12, carefully depositing tender morsels of food into hungry little beaks! She patiently picks up dropped bites and turns her beak and head to line up things up just right! The eaglets still can’t see very well – they are still learning how to focus – but food is a wonderful motivator and they are already reaching for bites!
April 1, 2020: Good feeding and PS – https://youtu.be/ABLyTQ043YY. Compare this video to the one taken a little earlier in the day. Is it just me, or are the eaglets already a little better at grabbing food? The eaglet ‘twins’ sit side by side, reaching for DNF’s bites. I especially enjoyed the 24th second, when DN12 (I think) got a bite that looked like it had been meant for DN11! At 46 seconds, we see a very quick PS by DN12. All systems are go!
April 1, 2020: Mom is feeding cute DN11 and DN12 – https://youtu.be/BRdBk2GPOWQ. Mr. North brings a squirrel into the North nest, causing DNF to put the tea kettle on! Like the excellent eagle Dad he is, Mr. North hands it over without a fuss. He tries to take a little piece for himself at 1:32, but DNF objects and he hands it back. Check 5:42 to see a quick babylet beakdown as DNF feeds the eaglets a very messy dinner. Little crops are swelling and little heads will soon be nodding!
So when will see our first pellets? It will be a little while. Pellets are formed of indigestible materials like hair, scales, and bits of bone. As we can see, DNF and Mr. North are feeding their young tiny bits of mostly-digestible meat right now! As the eaglets get older and more proficient at feeding, they will take larger chunks that include more indigestible materials. Last year, we saw our first pellets cast roughly a month after a hatch!
Decorah Eagles
April 2, 2020: DNF’s egg triangle
April 1, 2020: Mom closeups – https://youtu.be/eOSRI2SN-48. Beautiful close-ups of beautiful Mom! I especially liked the look at her wing in the fifth minute!
March 31: DM2 goes fishing – https://youtu.be/IxOy1FXThtg. DM2 leaves the new maple around 1:45. From the viewpoint of the nest, we see him catch a fish and fly up to a nearby branch with it! He eagles it down and feaks his beak while Mom watches from N2B.
March 31: Mom’s huge stick, shift change, Mom closeups – https://youtu.be/hnloSfN4w_g. Mom is a lumberjill! She flies in with a long, straight stick and DM2 departs. Don’t hit the eggs, Mom! She settles over them, rolls them into her preferred position, and shimmies into place! Closeups begin at 6:06!
March 30, 2020: DM2 stretches his wings out – https://youtu.be/yOev7_7Ymbk. Mom flies out, giving us a great look at the eggs. We hear her vocalizing in the distance and a starling singing nearby. He sits down on the eggs and settles in, but his wings go out in a wing-flap starling snap at 3:40! Or (check the 4th minute) is he just catching a power nap? He snaps his head back up at 5:18, but keeps his wings out for the rest of the video.
The Raptor Resource Project