Greetings. Saturday and Sunday were eventful days at the CNWRefuge eagle
nest. In brief, through 1204 Sunday, both chicks were active, even scrappy,
growing and seemingly in excellent condition.
0858 Saturday found the female feeding fresh red meat from new prey to
both chicks under sunny skies with NW winds 12-15 knots and temps in the
upper 30s. The chicks were active, erect, ate eagerly and sported black
eyestripes, lores and bills. The feeding ended at 0900 and she brooded. A
switch quickly took place at 0909 after the chicks were left alone at the
nest for about 30 seconds and the male brooded without feeding facing SSW
with his right wing depressed into the surface of the nest to block the NW
wind. The male did his usual wiggling, squiggling and shifting as he
brooded. At times he sat almost erect; at others he held his right wing
depressed and away from his body. At 1020 a chick was visible at the carpal
joint. At 1038 the female arrived and fed from the fresh prey. As feeding
commenced, there was a brief display of aggression by the older chick toward
the younger by pecking it about the head. Morsels were first fed to the
older, slightly larger chick; thereafter the younger chick was fed before
the female started brooding at 1043. The Visitor Center was now full of
eagle viewers and I had some errands to accomplish.
Upon returning to the Center at 1545, the male was brooding. At 1556 the
female flew in with a fish head. The male remained brooding while the
female ate from the fish. At 1559 the male left and the female fed the
chicks fish. Again the older chick made a brief show of aggression, this
time by a peck on the wing after the younger sought to steal part of a
morsel from his elder. Feeding continued ucruz.51@xxxxxxx until the monitor
was switched off at 1605.
Sunday began overcast after light rain overnight with light, variable wind
and temps in the low 40s. At 0900 the male was brooding facing WSW. No new
prey was visible and the fish head was missing while the red meat prey
looked picked over and dry (duck?). The male brooded as usual and did some
raking and housekeeping at the same time. At 0909 the female arrived with a
twig! She quickly produced a fish tail from the pine needles on the nest
surface and began feeding. The younger chick seemed listless and failed to
stand or lift its head upright while the older chick ate fish flesh ripped
from the tail. Unfortunately, some of the feedings were obscured from view
as the female stood between the camera and the chicks. The male left at 0911
and the feeding ended at 0915. The male returned for one minute at 0919.
Reason unknown. At 0923 the male again arrived this time with a twig.
Female continued to brood and the male quickly left at 0924. With the
female brooding and facing NW both chicks were visible and alert at the
carpal joints of the female facing in the same direction. At 0956 a
partially obscured feeding took place, and the younger chick was seen eating
with interest and standing erect! At 1000 the female resumed brooding and I
left confident that all was well with both chicks.
After checking out the remaining Snow Geese for collars (two winter-long
visitors seen) and scoping an adult Peregine eating a duck kill on the
Osprey platform south of the Swan Pool, I returned to find the male brooding
facing S at 1119. Raking, wiggling and preening took place and the male
shifted to the NW at 1138. Housekeeping again was undertaken and the fish
tail was buried in the process. At 1144 the chicks were again seen at the
carpal joints/breast facing in the same direction as the male. One chick
was seen to gape and to pull on the adults breast feathers. No wonder he
wiggles so much! At 1156 the female arrived and male left promptly.
Morsels for this feeding were ripped from the seemingly dry, day-old duck
carcass. Red meat seemingly came out of nowhere! The chicks scuffled
briefly as feeding commenced. This time the younger did not back down
easily. Wing flutters were seen from both chicks while the feeding was
ongoing. At least 25 total morsels were fed to the chicks and both seemed
sated. At 1203 the female abandoned the chicks. The male returned at 1204
and began brooding facing W. A 5-10 knot breeze was blowing at this time
and the overcast was breaking up as I left the Center.
The video feed will soon be available on the Chincoteague Chamber of
Commerce web site. The CNWR site will advise when the connection is
completed. I leave the area for a field ornithology job in the Everglades;
I hope others will post from time-to-time. The chicks, thanks to
experienced adults, have had a good start in severe weather conditions. The
activities at the nest will only become more interesting in the weeks to
come.
Peter Doherty
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