May 4, 2020: DN12 is 34 days old
We have your mega-movie Monday marathon, with videos from Decorah and Decorah North! We had hatch at the Dairyland Genoa nest over the weekend and are pacing the floor at Great Spirit Bluff. Go Nova and Newman! In Decorah and at Decorah North, our not-so-little eaglets are learning to be big kids: attempting to self-feed, bantling (baby mantling), walking on their ginormous yellow footpads, playing house, and being entertained by floppy fledging fish! We hope you enjoy these videos as much as we did. Thank you so much for watching, sharing, learning, and especially for caring!
Decorah Eagles
May 4, 2020: D34 helps Mom with the housework
May 3rd, 2020: DM2’s floppy fish fledges, Mom can’t believe it – https://youtu.be/wSaLTXFGxCA. DM2 is good at catching fish, but as this video shows, he isn’t always good at killing them. His latest catch flops across the nest and escapes, startling even normally unflappable Mom!
May 3, 2020: Floppy fish, eaglet reactions – https://youtu.be/t-6eOqmey7A. Watch the whole video or skip to 3:48 as DM2’s fish begins its journey towards fledge, startling the eaglets as it flops across the nest.
May 3, 2020: Tandem feedings – https://youtu.be/dOeviJpENLk. The not-so-tiny triple threat wants breakfish in bed? What is an eagle parent to do? Mom and DM2 combine to feed three eaglets who are too stuffed to stand! DM2 feeds D36 and Mom feeds D34, D35, herself and, after DM2 flies out, D36.
May 2, 2020: Eaglet close-ups, tongue barbs – https://youtu.be/9UMoIFSTTH0. Just what the title says! Close-ups begin around 20 seconds and we get nice views of eaglet faces and tongues as they pant to cool down in the warm spring sun.
Decorah Eagles North
May 4, 2020: DN12 is 34 days old
May 4, 2020: DN12 tries self-feeding on flopping fish – https://youtu.be/YwNd1OxP09o. Suckers are spawning near both nests and eagle parents are hauling them in by the talonful! DN12 has been taking unzipping lessons from DNF and Mr. North. DNF tries to get involved, but DN12 lets her know that it wants to try eating dinner on its own! Where is the zipper on this thing? The little eaglet makes a pretty credible try through the gill slits, but isn’t quite sure how to eat dinner – or even how to subdue it! It isn’t pretty, but DN12 eventually gets a few morsels, or at least scales, out of the fish before giving up on the project!
May 3, 2020, DNF Plucks Feather – https://youtu.be/00LOEnc1EC4. DNF begins digging under her feathers at 17 seconds, plucking out and removing a large covert feather that must have been bothering her. While we don’t get to see it close up, it looks like an older, paler feather, and it comes out very easily. We get a very cool slow-motion look starting at 46 seconds.
May 2, 2020: Geese are flying over protective DNF – https://youtu.be/NP5ayLgywkI. This is a short, sweet video that shows DNF reacting to Canada Geese. While she doesn’t chase them, she responds to their presence by flying into the nest to guard DN12. The geese are not interested in the nest or DN12 and fly by quickly.
May 2, 2020: First bantle baby mantle – https://youtu.be/u7bH-1K6pNg. Sherri posted about this Saturday, but the video was so cute I wanted to share it again. She wrote: “DN12 tracked Mr. North coming in and was ready at dropdown. Little pinfeathers sort of stand at attention now anyway, but there was no mistaking the arch in the back and hackles up with wings out to squeee and lay claim to the nice fish. It took only a second to grab a fin, pivot to turn away to claim and shield its fish, all under the watchful eye of Mr. North who was critiquing the art of the steal. A few seconds later, DN12 had to holler for help when realizing this fish was not deli-sliced ready-to-eat, and couldn’t find the zipper!
There aren’t any food shortages at Decorah North Nest but the past couple of days both parents have decreased the number of daily feedings, and have also started to prep and eat the deliveries making DN12 come to them to show hunger interest. It’s all part of parenting to instill the lessons that you need to show us you’re hungry and to work for it! WTG Little Ninja!”
The Raptor Resource Project