We have a NestFlix Megaroll for everyone tonight, but I wanted to go through our calendar before we get started. Here’s what’s going on!
- First Egg Fundraiser: We’d love to be able to skip fundraising, but we can’t get much done without funding. Our First Egg Fundraiser will take place on March 2nd. Join us to chat and donate – or donate now if you don’t want to wait! Chat one will happen from 9-11 am, Chat two will happen from 2-4 pm, and our final chat will start at 6pm. Donation link: https://www.raptorresource.org/support-the-raptor-resource-project/make-a-donation/
- Decorah North: DNF has laid two eggs. If she follows her usual schedule, hatch will happen on the morning of March 23 and begin a day or two earlier than that. As always, it could happen a little earlier or a little later.
- Decorah Geese: Geese have shown up to claim the nest. We have no idea when Mother Goose will begin laying eggs in this very unusual year, but she laid her first egg of 2023 on March 21 last year and I’m guessing she’ll go a little earlier this year.
- Xcel Energy Fort St. Vrain Eagles: Since Ma accepted Pa Jr. as her mate in 2021, her first egg moved from around February 14 to the first week of March. Although it’s crept back a little bit – from March 4th to March 2nd in 2023, we still think she probably won’t lay eggs until late February or early March.
- Great Spirit Bluff Falcons: Newman came home on February 15 and our camera operators began spotting Julie 90/Z at Great Spirit Bluff on February 18. She showed up last year and Savanna ran her off, but she didn’t forget about the site or Newman! Again, it’s a real crap shoot with a new falcon and very unusual weather, but Savanna laid her first egg last year on March 29.
Thank you so much for watching, sharing, learning, and caring! We hope you enjoy the videos as much as did!
Decorah North Eagles
February 19, 2024: DNF rolls her eggs and gently settles over them.
February 20, 2024: Beautiful view of both eggs at shift change – https://youtu.be/oYdtdkkG10E?si=jzea-s9hoi-eNHs-. We finally got a glimpse of the eggs! They look lovely nestled in their bed of soft golden grass: the perfect setting for two beautiful jewels!
February 19, 2024: DNF ordered red meat, Mr. delivered! – https://youtu.be/l2_gq8wtl2I?si=R9uTxyOM-IpbrXB-. DNF is incubating when Mr. arrives with a pheasant. Hello Fresh! She vocalizes softly and gets up while he flies out. It’s pretty obvious that he enjoyed a meal before delivering her order, so he’s happy to share! She steps off the eggs and begins to make dinner, expertly slicing, dicing, and using her beak and tongue to get every single morsel she can. Check out the video beginning at 4:55 for a nice look at her expert benihana technique!
February 19, 2024: DNF ordered red meat and Mr. North delivered! The fastest way to an eagle’s heart is through her stomach! #HelloFresh
When it comes to wings and ribs, I’m a five, but DNF has me beat! Bone is especially helpful right now, since she depleted her stores of calcium to create the outer shell of her eggs. Consuming bone helps her to rebuild them.
February 19, 2024: Early morning shift-change: https://youtu.be/PFoyK_xtUzU?si=c7PAgnKjL7dII0Vn. Look for Mr. North perched in a tree near the nest when the video opens. He flies out to the nest at 35 seconds. DNF greets him with a soft vocalization and gets up from the eggs. It’s been a long night and she wants to stretch her wings. She vocalizes a few times and flies off to a favorite perch. Mr. North assumes his shift under IR candlelight, although the North Eagles’ Great Wall makes it hard to see the eggs!
February 18, 2024: Frost sketches lovely patterns on DNF’s feathers. It quickly melted – or perhaps sublimated! – in the bright morning sun
Bald Eagle parents do many things to help their eaglets survive. In many species, one parent – usually the female – does all the incubation by herself, although her mate might help defend the nest. But Bald Eagles incubate eggs for a long time relative to passerine birds and usually begin laying in very difficult weather. Since both parents can trade incubation duties, one parent can hunt while the other incubates or broods and guards the nest. This leads to greater survival of young and eggs and gives both parents a break from nest duty. It’s nice to trade off!
February 19, 2024: It’s been hot and the leaves won’t unfurl. DNF pants in the warm sunlight.
February 18, 2024: DNF & the two eggs – https://youtu.be/9jgnB349dHc?si=dkKBHR9Kn9vj-yUT. Lovely DNF is dozing in the nest. She opens both eyes at 12 seconds and gets up at 45 seconds. She carefully steps off the eggs and rolls them, giving us a very brief glimpse before she settles back down.
Xcel Energy Fort St. Vrain Eagles
Since Ma accepted Pa Jr. as her mate in 2021, her first egg moved from around February 14 to the first week of March. Although it’s crept back a little bit – from March 4th to March 2nd in 2023, we still think she probably won’t lay eggs until late February or early March. But the two have been quite active in the nest and she’s stayed until late in the night a few times! Watch here: https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/xcel-energy-cams/.
February 16, 2024: Ma Returns to Nest to Eat Nestover-Pa Arrives Later – https://youtu.be/fY5wsOBc6tI?si=wPyGesD36MBTc5bC. Ma enjoys a nestover and Pa Jr. doesn’t arrive until after she’s done – not that she would have wanted to share!
Great Spirit Bluff Peregrine Falcons
February 19, 2024: Falcon Julie at GSB. Look at her lovely salmon-colored breast! This characteristic is associated with the anatum subspecies that originally inhabited the area.
February 19, 2024: Julie with breakfast and attempted mating – https://youtu.be/eYkVo9x0L_E?si=pKvGtF7j_fDOM8ut. As the video opens, Julie flies in with a pigeon and we hear chupping. We didn’t see it, but I’d guess that Newman brought her a courting gift and the two did an aerial exchange. She eats it quite enthusiastically – it’s an excellent present! – as its feathers float and drift on the breeze. Newman attempts to mate with her at 2:26, although it isn’t successful. Check out her crop at the end of the video – she’s one of the fullest falcons I’ve ever seen!
Julie is a 2019 hatch from the Ford Parkway Bridge in Minneapolis, roughly 115 miles north as the falcon flies. She seems pretty determined to keep the site – and why wouldn’t she with food gifts like that? We’ll see what happens, but it’s not surprising that the Most Eligible Falcon Bachelor has already attracted a mate!
The Raptor Resource Project