How are the Tree Amigos doing? Our observers on the ground and online report that they seem to be enjoying their newly acquired flight skills! We’ve seen them lounging around N2B, attending outdoor school with Mom, practicing eagle table manners (“My fish!”), and coping with red-winged blackbirds and blue jays. Grab the popcorn and get ready to catch up with D34, D35, and D36 with a Wednesday Nestflix megaroll!
July 5, 2020: The Tree Amigos at N2B!
July 7, 2020: D34 closeups on the nest – https://youtu.be/Ptq-ehh6tNw. Just what the title says – beautiful close-ups of D34!
July 7, 2020: DM2 in with fish, D35 with great mantling – https://youtu.be/DpP8uF95PQU. You might remember that DM2 took a little vacation last year after the eaglets abandoned the nest early. It was his first year and he had no fledglings to help care for. This year, he and Mom have their talons full with D34, D35, and D36. In this video, DM2 brings in a fish, D35 takes it, D36 comes in, and DM2 flies out as the screenami sirens begin!
July 6, 2020: One of the D’s Perched by Trout Creek-Panning – https://youtu.be/LReBHA3c35E. It’s time for outdoor school! In addition to learning how to fly, hunt, and compete for food, D34, D35, and D36 are building navigational skills and learning their territory. Where are the good hunting perches? Where can you stay cool in hot weather? Where are Mom and Dad DM2 hiding, and do they have food? We’ll see their explorations widen as they improve their skills, learn their territory, and start feeling the pull of dispersal!
July 5, 2020: Siblings getting bitey – https://youtu.be/JWWbrwKJf_M. This is a really sweet video! The Tree Amigos are hanging out on N2B, nibbling, preening, and lounging around together on a lazy Sunday evening.
July 5, 2020: D36 Does A Fly By Around Nest To Get Fish – https://youtu.be/X6UBYXMV_tY. Everyone wants to know when the eaglets will begin catching fish on their own. It won’t be long, but they are clearly busy refining their eagle table manners right now! Mom brings a fish and D36 moves right in on it! When D35 comes in, he mantles over it, making it clear that he has no interest in sharing with a wing whap!
We know that eagles are quite social off their territories. The eagles have to know how to fish, but they also have to know how to compete for and keep food. Practicing and improving on instinctive skills with family members helps to prepare them for life in larger groups of wintering and non-territorial eagles!
July 4th, 2020: D35 to the Y, bluejay is relentless – https://youtu.be/m0OzkyfJiwo. And we thought the gnats were bad! This video also contains some really lovely close-ups of D35.
July 3rd, 2020: Mom with fish, D35 gets it, D34 fails the steal – https://youtu.be/lJSqvuzTxFA. I almost didn’t see D35 up on the Skywalk! Mom comes in with a fish and the food fight begins! She quickly gets out of the way to avoid having her toes bitten in the fracas! D35 wins the fish with a very convincing mantle, while D34 expresses its unhappiness with a mantle of its own. Check out D35’s size and tail feathers – she seems to have puffed up to about twice her size and dramatically changed shape! Once she is convinced she has the fish, she stops mantling and starts eating!
The Raptor Resource Project