We have your Decorah North NestFlix! While we expected to see a little less of DNF and Mr. North during the recent deep-freeze, it was still a relief to see them ringing in the New Year with nestorations! I enjoyed all of these videos, but I especially liked Mr. North’s successful fishing trip, his first trip back to the snow-covered North nest, and the beautiful white-tailed deer in the snow. Thanks so much to our camera operators and video makers for finding and sharing such special moments. We hope you enjoyed them as much as we did!
Decorah North Nest
January 1, 2023: Happy New Year! Mr. North (left) and DNF (right) ring in the New Year with nestorations!
January 1, 2023: The Norths Ring In The New Year with nestorations – https://youtu.be/oTICYV8UFso. The Norths rang in the New Year with nestorations, removing and trampling the snow and covering it with a fresh layer of grass and husks! Look for an expert scrape and fit test by Mr. North at about 5:29, dual nestorations at 7:09, a nice close-up starting at 8:10, and a heavily-leafed oak branch delivery at 10:56! Compare the nest at the beginning and end of the video for a nice look at their work.
December 30, 2022: Mr. North goes fishing – with success! https://youtu.be/7hmoFV9uFZQ. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Mr. North take an osprey-like dive, but it gets me every time! The video opens with him standing on the bank. He dives into the water, grasps a fish, does the breaststroke across the stream, clambers up on the bank, and flies off, fish firmly clasped in his talons!
December 29, 2022: Sub-attack – https://youtu.be/6pR7gw-ir2s. Wow! Watch it once at regular speed, and then again in slo-mo (starting at ten seconds) to see what really happened!
December 28, 2022: It’s an eagle pool party! We saw at least six adults, one sub-adult, and one juvenile eagle on December 28.
December 28, 2022: The Norths and Visitors – https://youtu.be/ycjsrfY1Nso. We saw at least six adults, one sub-adult, and one juvenile eagle on December 28. My favorites in this video were probably the young subdult with an adult (beginning at 1:27), an unknown young adult near the nest at 7:56, and three adult eagles beginning at 8:14. I’m guessing that Mr. North and DNF were perched together and the interloper was perched by itself.
We see large groups of eagles near the North nest every year, although it usually happens a little earlier than this. The long, extended fall weather most likely delayed migration – it did in Red-tailed Hawks! – which resulted in a later ‘pool party’ than we usually see. We wrote a little bit about this in our old blog spot: https://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2016/11/where-did-all-these-eagles-come-from.html.
December 28, 2022: Mr. North comes into the nest with prey. DNF wheedled and pleaded, but he didn’t feel like sharing!
December 28, 2022: Mr. North comes in with prey! – https://youtu.be/hOb9qZelydI. Mr. North alights on the snow-covered North nest with prey, with DNF hot on his tail! He mantles over his prey as she turns up the teakettle, wheedling and pleading for a share of his meal. He isn’t interested in sharing and she eventually hop-flaps up the ladder branch. Mr. North flies off with his prize at 7:03.
December 26, 2022: A young deer gets a spit bath from its mother!
December 26, 2022: Young deer gets a spit bath, beautiful deer close-ups – https://youtu.be/2IVzZK9ATo0. Exactly what the title says! The video opens with white-tailed deer searching for woody browse near the north nest. Close-ups begin at 2:32, giving us a wonderful look at their thick, wooly coats – shed hair is an excellent nest-liner come spring – large, mobile ears and, beginning at 4:57, a doe licking her fawn.
Why is the doe giving her fawn a spit-bath, especially in such chilly weather? During a fawn’s first two weeks of life, its mother’s vigorous grooming stimulates urination and defecation. She will often eat the droppings and lick away urine, which reduces the helpless fawn’s scent, protecting it from predators. While this particular behavior ends after about two weeks, mothers will continue to groom their children as long as the family stays together.
The Raptor Resource Project