Happy Thursday! Mr. North and DNF have been busy with nest prep and we’ve been busy watching them. From cozy nest inspections to bonding moments and a few feathered visitors, the Norths are keeping us enthralled. Put your feet up, grab a snack, and chill with the Norths! Prosit, eagle friends: we’ve got a reason to celebrate at the end of today’s NestFlix!
Decorah North
December 19, 2024: A cozy holiday feast for Mr. North and DNF! Mr. North enjoys his meal.
December 18, 2024: Mr. North brings his fish snack to the nest – https://youtu.be/bCWWC7ONMDI?si=2MITZTzAe1d8mSjC. DNF and Mr. North enjoy a cozy holiday feast together! I looked at our camera operators’ notes and we’re not sure what they were eating, but it was fun to see their dinner date!
Love is in the air – and on the branch and the nest! On December 7, Mr. North and DNF copulated, a key step in their bonding process. They’ve been busy strengthening their connection with food gifts, shared perches, vocal duets, pecking, footing, and brushing against each other (check out the “Morning wake-up” video for a sweet example). If all goes well, we could see eggs in just two months! Dive deeper into eagle courtship and copulation with this blog: https://www.raptorresource.org/2024/02/06/bald-eagle-mating-courtship-bonding-copulation-and-other-things-romantic/.
December 17, 2024: Mr. North gives the nest his seal of eagle approval!
December 17, 2024: Nesting season can’t get here soon enough for Mr. North! – https://youtu.be/ABTUYkLfqpo?si=fVZFfexZnXasuGz3. In just twenty-nine seconds, Mr. North gives the nest bowl a thorough inspection, because when it comes to nesting, every detail matters! He appears to give his eagle approval to the softness, evenness, and warmth of the nest bowl, but we know that nestorations are never done. I love what a devoted and skilled eagle Dad he has become!
If you missed our Decorah North time-lapse, check it out: https://youtu.be/aquGuxotn_U?si=VbcclJMdbAMpWNVI! If you are curious about the nest rebuild and haven’t seen our photos: https://www.raptorresource.org/2024/08/26/decorah-north-nest-rebuild/. It’s hard to believe that was almost four months ago! The Norths have been busy fixer-uppers!
December 19, 2024: The quickest way to an eagle’s heart is through her stomach! DNF enjoys her portion of the holiday feast.
December 17, 2024: Morning wake-up, nest visit, sunrise – https://youtu.be/tZZj564W4Sk?si=yd0NpNvQWmAY2a3S. This lovely video by Tulsaducati captures the Norths’ early morning routine. The pair starts perched together near the nest before DNF swoops in at 2:31 for some nestorations, while Mr. North supervises from a broken limb. By 15:34, he can’t resist lending a talon and joins her in the nest for a few minutes of cozy domestic bliss. Don’t miss the breathtaking sunrise starting at 21:46 or the stunning overhead view of the nest at 47:38. Bonus: eagle yoga makes an appearance…even eagles need a good stretch after staying still for too long!
December 17, 2024: dzięcioł z wizytą u DNF i Mr North (Woodpecker visiting DNF and Mr. North) – https://youtu.be/TqF0egOlFfQ?si=mFPMro7otnBK_17d. Here’s a lovely look at an adult male Red-bellied Woodpecker. Perhaps while Audubon is changing bird names, they could change this to ‘Vermilion-naped Woodpecker?’. These woodpeckers do have a bit of blush on their bellies, but it’s not nearly as vivid as their vermilion napes! A stunning look at a stunning bird!
December 17, 2024: A handsome male Red-bellied Woodpecker forages for scraps at the North Nest.
December 16, 2024: Red-bellied woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatches, a wild turkey, & 2 eagles – https://youtu.be/u6Oh-k4qw54?si=UmX7RtTgrvrYC6gR. The North nest was bustling with activity on December 16th! A Red-bellied Woodpecker, nuthatches, a wild turkey, and two eagles made appearances. Why all the action? Warmer-than-usual weather and a drop in barometric pressure likely brought more birds out to forage before an incoming storm. If you’ve ever watched a feeder get busy ahead of a storm, you’ve seen this behavior in action! Learn more about how birds sense severe weather here: https://www.raptorresource.org/2022/12/21/can-birds-detect-severe-weather-storms-cold-and-bald-eagles-in-winter/.
It’s time to celebrate!
So cool! The Bald Eagle is widely believed to be our national bird. It isn’t, although it appears on our Great Seal. But, thanks to Preston Cook and the National Eagle Center, that is about to change! https://www.audubon.org/magazine/bald-eagle-about-officially-become-our-national-bird-thanks-man. Prosit, Cook – I’m raising an Eagle Rare toast to you!
If you’d like to read more about the Great Seal and Benjamin Franklin’s feelings about Bald Eagles and Wild Turkeys. follow this link: https://www.raptorresource.org/2024/11/27/the-wild-turkey-vs-the-bald-eagle/.
The Raptor Resource Project