Thank you so much for your support on Giving Tuesday! You gave $6,481 online yesterday: enough to qualify for the match from Explore.org! We also appreciate the Norths showing up on Giving Tuesday. Our camera operators counted 28 sticks yesterday: 16 from DNF and 12 from Mr. North. Two of DNF’s sticks didn’t make it to the nest and one fledged shortly after arrival, bringing their in-nest total down to 25. They noted that Mr. North in particular seems to be getting more specific with sticks placement, and both eagles seem to be filling the gap between the tree trunks.
Tonight’s North NestFlix feature stick shopping highlights, a cornhusk rose, and sweet moments between two deer. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did, and thank you again for your support! We couldn’t do it without you!
Decorah North Eagles
December 4, 2024: Stick shopping highlights – https://youtu.be/muuyO6FyuQQ?si=Zu49Wzb6jaRg19Di. There were a lot of highlights to choose from given all the nestorations that went on Tuesday! But I especially joined the sequence that started at 10:41! Look for sticks in unexpected places, a tug-o-war, some nice stick prep, and a tiny stick tango! I also like the stick fledge at 3:32, when DNF drops a very long stick as she appears to be pondering how to get it into the nest, and the nestoration sequence that begins at 15:04.
December 4, 2024: Mr. brings a cornhusk for DNF – https://youtu.be/WgM6kFT0x5Q?si=FZTc4aMGs3_4Ej7r. As one of our followers pointed out yesterday, the Norths appear to be doing a corn husk decor theme for the holidays this year! The video opens with DNF flying into the nest, which is really taking shape. The camera zooms in at 11 seconds and Mr. North arrives with his gift at 45 seconds. The two probe, spread nesting materials, and fiddle with the husk before she flies out at 2:51. At 3:51, Mr. North briefly gains some new footwear as the cornhusk gets caught on his talons!
How do Bald Eagles keep their eggs from breaking given the rough, bulky sticks that form their nests? They haul in layer after layer of soft nesting material – grass, husks, stalks, or whatever is most common in their environment – and probe and dig, loosening hard spots and filling gaps as they resurface the nest’s floor. As egg-laying approaches, they’ll create a central depression, or scrape, by rolling their bodies and churning their powerful legs. They’ll pile even more nesting materials on top of the depression to create an egg cup: a snug, insulated cradle that cushions and supports their eggs while protecting them from harsh weather. It takes a lot of work to build a nest bowl and egg cup capable of withstanding the bitter conditions of an Iowa winter!
How do they probe the nest for gaps and hard spots with their hard, horny beaks? A Bald Eagle’s beak is packed with pressure and temperature sensors that help it feed eaglets, place sticks, and probe the nest for hidden spots that need attention. More here! https://www.raptorresource.org/2024/03/25/bald-eagle-tongues-and-beaks-2/.
December 2, 2024: Sweet moments, deer mother and child – https://youtu.be/W3IA8_kiq98?si=KZFaVy-IYVgoE94Y. Look for a few minutes of ‘awwwwww’ starting at 2:43! Why do deer lick and groom one another? Licking and grooming promotes social bonding and removes parasites. This video shows an older and younger deer, but the younger deer is past nursing and the two might or might not be related. Whatever the case, the video is charming!
Grooming is generally initiated by the more dominant deer – in this case, the older one – and does with nursing fawns will often lick the tarsal glands and anal areas of their fawns to strengthen the mother/child bond. Bucks and does also lick as part of communicating information, especially at scrapes and rubs.
The Raptor Resource Project