It’s time for your favorite moments from 2024! There was a lot to love at the North nest this year: the Norths have a strong bond, their valley is beautiful, and DN17 and DN18 were a delight from hatch to fledge! But you especially enjoyed Mr. North’s first look at his eaglets and first brooding shift.
Eagle watchers cherish an eagle dad’s first glimpse of his offspring, especially when the eagle is an experienced, dedicated dad like Mr. North. When we began watching the North Nest in 2016, we believed Mr. North was a first-time father. First-time parents make more mistakes than experienced parents: care is instinctual, but skill is learned, and sometimes instinct takes a back seat to confusion. “What is this? How do I care for it? What is it doing in my nest?” Instinct, as Rosemary Mosco noted, is weird: https://rosemarymosco.com/comics/bird-and-moon/instinct-is-weird.
But under Mrs. North’s steadfast guidance, Mr. North became skilled at all aspects of caring for young. He was an excellent mentor to new mate DNF in her first year of nesting, and so the legacy of care and dedication continued this year, unbroken and strong.
Watch the full version of this video on Tulsaducati Decorah‘s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/4oXVsVb8vds?si=ozShPTmIMyv2Rmc5. And a big talons up to any of you who thought of the Decorah Shimmy while Mr. North was getting DN17 settled: https://youtu.be/Ovrk3xkyors?si=8TIHkaZAiNvbCQHN.
The Raptor Resource Project