United eagle front

As we approached the nest over the weekend, we heard one of the eagle pair making the chortling call they use with kin. About midway down one of the trees flanking the nest tree, mama and papa were scanning the skies.

Then they started again and kept it up for an hour until dusk. Why? One of their youngsters from an earlier year came back to visit. That's a dangerous proposition until the new babies are old enough to fight back. We saw papa chase off a youngster from the nesting area about a month ago. This seems to be a frequent issue. We just wondered when one of them would be going back to the nest. Mama was back there yesterday.

Eagle lifemates

Eagle lifemates share a laugh, May 8, 2012

Finding a soulmate - a true soul connection with another - is a special gift. Finding a lifemate is even more rare - at least among humans.

Bald eagles, Canada geese, and many other birds do mate for life. That's one of many characteristics that make bald eagles so fascinating. In early February, I wasn't seeing my favorite pair around the area. I did see, and photograph, a younger almost-mature female visiting the area. Was she checking to see if the pair were still together? Was she one of their offspring stopping by for a visit?

Papa keeping intruders away from the nest - May 6, 2012

All of my questions were answered by the end of March. My favorite eagle pair had repaired their nest and papa stood watch and occasionally chased off intruders (and their kin from earlier broods), while mama was nurturing their eggs. He brings her - and now their brood - food. He also relieves her once in awhile and takes over nest duties. They're both very clear about their devotion, their loyalty to each other and to rearing young.

I haven't seen downy eaglet heads or heard them yet. I know from past years that there are babies when I can see mama's head high above the nest. Their nest is so well hidden and protected that I just imagine that I'm seeing a bit of eaglet fluff. It could just as easily be a gnarled branch. In another month, she'll spend more time out of the nest but close by as the youngsters try out their "trainer" wings in their massive aerie. Last year, I only saw one baby at a time, so I thought we had lost one of them. That is, until fledging, when they each would goad the other into flying.

I photographed the two images above exactly a year ago in May 2012. The images below I photographed May 6, 2013. Mama was clearly expecting papa, who showed up with part of a fish in one of his talons. He dropped it off, flew to a nearby tree for a few minutes, then flew back out to the hunting grounds.

Mama spots papa coming back to the nest - May 6, 2013

Papa carries a morsel of food to share.

Papa stays for a moment, then flies to a nearby tree.

Eagle clan in the air and nesting

Juvenile bald eagle about 3 years old

Juvenile bald eagle about 2 years old

Our resident eagle clan visits the ridge above the Nisqually delta when the winds are favorable for gliding and play-sparring with fellow members of the clan. I often see anywhere from four to more than a dozen bald eagles of all ages, mostly juveniles. Bald eagles get their characteristic white heads and tails when they're about five years old.

Young eagles play100 feet above the ground.

Until then, there are brothers, sisters, and cousins to practice eagle ways with high above the ridge. Sometimes one will get too close to the nest and papa eagle will chase him or her off. Sometimes after chasing one off, I'll see papa practicing with the younger ones along the ridge. Learning eagle ways takes several seasons.

Mama eagle's head has been visible above the nest. I think the young have hatched but I won't see them until they've nearly lost their down to more permanent feathers. The nest is so well protected that it's impossible to see into the nest unless you fly above it, which biologists from Joint Base Lewis McChord do on occasion. I see papa once in awhile but he doesn't need to be quite as vigilant as before the babies hatched.

I continue to add new work to my Talons Gallery. Let me know if you spot other images you think I should add.

Papa keeping watch from a tree near the nest

Mama sitting with the youngsters

Big birds beyond the front porch

About a block from my house, two stormwater management ponds attract nesting barn swallows, red-winged blackbirds, soaring eagles, geese, ducks and, occasionally, a great blue heron.

Unfortunately the ponds - right now one is full and the other is dry - also collect trash and a stray soccer ball or two. I'm always amazed to see trash and dog poop on the grass right next to a trash bin and doggy bags. I just don't get it. Are we raising a generation of people who think that somebody's going to pick up after them?

We live directly above the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and Puget Sound. The stormwater ponds help slow runoff and protect water quality and wildlife. 

And now the ponds themselves are supporting wildlife, cattails, and native plants. All just a short walk from the front porch.

 

Congregation of dozen eagles

Right after walking out my front door, I spotted four bald eagles soaring and gliding on thermals along the ridge above Puget Sound and the Nisqually delta. Mostly juveniles that appeared to be a year or two old, there was at least one adult with characteristic white head - second from the left in the photograph above.

Nine bald eagles - three others were just out of view.

Altogether there were 12 in the sky but spread far apart with two pairs and combinations of three, four, five, and seven. Their flight patterns shifted every few moments like a kaleidoscope.

For much of an hour, I was enthralled with not only their flight maneuvers but activity in the small pond below that's formed by stormwater. A nesting pair of red-winged blackbirds and a hunting great blue heron occupied opposite sides of the pond directly below the eagles.

I'll post those images later this weekend. The light was pretty dim and would've benefitted from a fill flash. Maybe next time. This is the second time I've spotted a number of bald eagles in this same spot. We have two nests within a square mile of where these birds can be seen.

They are all related in some way, perhaps brothers and sisters from different broods, or cousins. A few years ago, I photographed four fledglings in a snag near here. Four adult eagles were nearby.

One pair mirrored each other's flight patterns and occasionally circled each other mid-air, sometimes with talons locked, one nearly upside down. 

Their actions seemed choreographed; their ballet lasting well past sundown. 

Eagles return to ridge and nest

There have been far fewer bald eagles wintering in the Nisqually delta than I've seen in a long time. The chum salmon run was much less bountiful than last year. So much so that the chum fishing season was closed early.

In winter of 2011, I spotted at least a dozen bald eagles at a time along the Nisqually River. I shared the company of eagles - lots of them - to bring in the new year in 2012.

I've wondered if my favorite eagle pair would return to the nest this season. Occasionally I would see a juvenile in the area and, once, saw both male and female mates flying in the area in January. For the past couple of weeks, though, I've seen papa in his favorite snag where he watches over his mate and the nest. He spends a lot of time stretching and cleaning every feather - twice. No sign - or sound - from mama though. In the past few years, they would talk to each other - he from the snag and she from the nest.

Padme the wonderdog, and occasionally my son, would walk with me down the street where we can see the nest, watch papa for awhile, then head on our way. Papa was always patient, ever-vigilant. Young eagles, in fact many young raptors, wouldn't survive without two devoted parents.

These two are truly a team and are quite fond of each other. They talk together, fly together, roost together, hunt together. And take turns caring for their young.

Last weekend, we had glorious sunny weather here with temps in the 60s. I took the opportunity to visit the nest area at least once a day. Early evening about

an hour before sunset always offers at least a couple of chances to photograph last activity before sleep.

Papa lifted off from the snag and headed for another favorite tree directly over the nest tree. Meanwhile I spotted mama flying out of the trees near the nest, and they both started talking to each other in that chortling call they use with kin. They both circled around the nesting area, then settled atop the tree close to each other. And talked and talked. The whole experience lasted maybe 10 minutes.

Then mama flew back to the next and disappeared into its depths. She's probably still sitting on eggs, so can take short stretch breaks but cannot leave for more than a few minutes. Looking at these images again, though, I think that's actually papa who left the shared tree for the nest. Mama is bigger and has a bill that comes almost straight out from her head. Papa has more of an indent at the juncture between his forehead and bill. These two are fabulous parents, to be sure.

I started photographing this pair in April 2011. Since then, I've observed and learned their routines, how they interact with humans and other animals. And, of course, photographed hundreds of eagle activities.

And, so it begins again.

Waiting herons

 

Many great blue herons hunt in the Nisqually River delta and Puget Sound. I once watched a heron hunting at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for half an hour. They are very patient hunters, slowly walking or wading, then like snapping up prey in the blink of an eye. Wait for it...BAM!

I wrote about Today's Pterodactyl last month in this blog. I'm hoping to photograph one of the heron rookeries this spring. In the meantime, I'll scan the skies for those massive wings and the river delta for patient hunters.