We have your Sunday matinee nestflix megaroll, with videos from Decorah, Decorah North, and the Flyway. In Decorah, Mom and DM2 make a visit to N2B, while the Decorah North eagles busy themselves with nestorations and copulation. Check out the Flyway videos to see an eagle flying in very unusual way and relax with two sandhill cranes preening. As always, thanks to our camera operators for finding such special moments, our video makers for sharing them, and to you for watching them! Eagle on, everyone!
Decorah Eagles
December 27, 2020: Mom and DM2 in a tree
December 27, 2020: Decorah Mom D and DM2 Sitting in The Trees – https://youtu.be/fbXBRAHzJOM. Mom and DM2 sit in the trees on a snowy Decorah day. While we didn’t see them at the nest today, it was nice to see them nearby.
December 26, 2020: Mom or DM2 near the bluff – https://youtu.be/Lbeh4NU5qac. This has been a (relatively) popular hang-out spot for the eagles: a tall cottonwood tree at the base of the bluff, over a stream. The trees provide excellent perching and hunting spots, and the rock provides some protection from windy weather.
December 23, 2020: As the nest turns Wednesday visit – https://youtu.be/l06_TIYNo_s. What’chya doing, Mom? Mom flies into the nest 19 seconds into the video (7:01am nest time). She looks around and hops up on the Skywalk to perch. At 1:58, we see DM2 in the nest. He moves some soft materials with his beak and Mom hops down the Skywalk to join him at the side of the nest. Note her posture in the third minute – it looks somewhat like she is inviting copulation as she hunches down and tips forward. He gives her a cute little nip at 4:01 and the two move materials around the nest together. She flies out at 5:39 and he joins her. The two perch side by side and vocalize, although they don’t copulate. DM2 brings a stick into the nest at 10:31.
Decorah Eagles North
December 27, 2020: DNF on the babysitting branch
December 27, 2020: Snowing at the North Nest – https://youtu.be/zLrSNIxNkHI. A beautiful sight – eagles against softly falling snow on a winter day in rural Iowa.
December 26, 2020: Saturday visit – https://youtu.be/HbAcE-mes8o. DNF has just brought a large clump of grasses in to cover the snow. While she works in the nest, Mr. North stands sentinel above her. We get a really nice look at both eagles starting at around 4:04 and a lovely fly-off at 5:46.
December 21, 2020: Evening visit and 1st copulation on cam – https://youtu.be/q7oMxXXyv9o. DNF comes to the nests and finds a few muskrat nestovers in the bottom of the bowl. She is joined by Mr. North at 1:47! The two move materials around the nest while they cope with a very windy evening – the nest is rocking and rolling at around 2:40! The two leave the nest and fly over to the Love Branch! Copulation takes place at 5:50.
December 21, 2020: Eagle Table Manners, North Nestorations – https://youtu.be/U_sYlx5nfT4. Mr. North flies into the North Nest with a muskrat. DNF is hot on his tail! She goes in for the steal and gets the muskrat, but she doesn’t keep it for all that long. After Mr. North makes a grass delivery to the nest, he steals the nestovers back and eats them in peace on a nearby branch. The video concludes with both eagles arranging soft materials in the nest bowl.
Mississippi Flyway
December 15, 2020: Sandhill cranes preen on the Flyway
December 24, 2020: Eagle snatches a duck or fish – https://youtu.be/Sf_p1kr_TTA. Watch this video starting at about 14 seconds to see some very cool flying! An eagle takes off from a low perch and howvers over the water, eventually catching something we can’t see. It is short but beyond cool, since this is not a common way for eagles to fly.
We talk about how adults are almost always more skilled hunters than juveniles and young subadults. This is a really good example. I’m not sure that the longer flight feathers of a juvenile would allow the ‘hovering’ we see here, or if a juvie would have the skills to do so. I really enjoyed this video.
December 19, 2020: Sandies extreme preening – https://youtu.be/-YRf4UWs6zM. Exactly as Tulsa says, a lovely video of two beautiful birds preening!
The Raptor Resource Project