Watching the eagles

[Long Lashes]

I can't keep up with how fast these eaglets are growing, although its not surprising because Guy and Lipstick keep them supplied with plenty of food ...

its just occurred to me how we never see them drink, I suppose they must get enough liquid from the food.





Something upset Lipstick the other night and she went off chasing whatever it was (maybe an Owl?)

Ooo and bless these little eaglets, they spread their wings to defend the nest. What a great team!



Here is one of the eaglets preening themselves, they're always preening and getting rid of their first fluffy feathers ...

but if you look beyond the eaglet about midway to the left ... you can see Guy and Lipstick in the distance meeting up in another tree





How impressive these wings are for ones so young...

and more practising to fly ...

The cleaners are a cheeky lot, they even land in the nest when the parent eagles are around ..

Here are a very dishevelled Lipstick with one of her brood on a wet day ..

I look the same first thing in the morning :laughing:

 

[Long Lashes]

Its incredible how the first egg hatched and a baby was eagle was born on 21st March...

quickly followed by two more ...

and now here we are just eight weeks later..

I guess in the battle for survival its vital that these birds grow quickly, but I'm in awe at how fast they develop. They have the best parents who are constantly feeding them or cleaning and repairing the nest. It wouldn't surprise me if one of this trio doesn't fledge within the next couple of weeks.

 

[9unfold]

Long Lashes you posts on this thread are excellent with beautiful photos.

Long may it continue.

 

[Biggie]

Wow they have grown.

To the best of my knowledge Eagles don't live in the wild in Hampshire. I would absolutely love to witness one for myself. Until then @Long Lashes I'm also enjoying the photos you post.

 

[Long Lashes]

All three of our young eagles are desperate to fly, they even synchronise their practise sessions ...

More flapping of wings ...

... although its very impressive to watch them learning to fly like this, they also scare me in case they go over the edge of the nest.

Beautiful wing span.




With the Eaglets having grown so big the nest is starting to look overcrowded . Here comes Guy with a chicken for dinner ..

poor chicken

 

[Long Lashes]

Long Lashes you posts on this thread are excellent with beautiful photos.

Long may it continue.

Thank you so much @9unfold , I'm in my element posting about these beautiful eagles and its impossible to get a bad photo of them.

Wow they have grown.

Recently when I've looked in on them ... just for a split second.... I've mistaken an eaglet for a parent, they look so big now. Look at these three standing and watching, always watching ...

To the best of my knowledge Eagles don't live in the wild in Hampshire. I would absolutely love to witness one for myself.

Oh so would I, I'd love to come close to a Bald Eagle.

Until then @Long Lashes I'm also enjoying the photos you post.

Thanks @Biggie :dance1:

 

[DallasFanForever]

Oh so would I, I'd love to come close to a Bald Eagle.

Bald Eagles are pretty common here in Florida from what I hear, at least compared to the rest of the U.S. I’ve only seen one once or twice in all the years I’m down here and I have to say it is a magnificent sight. I know they generally are seen on the Gulf Coast of Florida and unfortunately I’m on the East Coast. I can’t remember the last time I saw one now as it’s been many years. Perhaps we don’t have as many here as we once did? I guess that’s also a possibility.

 

[Long Lashes]

Bald Eagles are pretty common here in Florida from what I hear, at least compared to the rest of the U.S. I’ve only seen one once or twice in all the years I’m down here and I have to say it is a magnificent sight.

At least you've seen them a couple of times DFF, how lucky you are.

I know they generally are seen on the Gulf Coast of Florida and unfortunately I’m on the East Coast. I can’t remember the last time I saw one now as it’s been many years. Perhaps we don’t have as many here as we once did? I guess that’s also a possibility.

Very interesting to read this.

I wonder why they prefer the Gulf Coast? .. theirs probably an obvious reason and one I haven't thought of.



If you happen to see one of these magnificent birds again, could you please tell it to get itself over to the UK

 

[DallasFanForever]

At least you've seen them a couple of times DFF, how lucky you are.

Thank you! I’d love to see one again but it does seem rare over here on the East Coast of the state.

I wonder why they prefer the Gulf Coast? .. theirs probably an obvious reason and one I haven't thought of.

I’ve honestly never been able to get an answer to this. I’ve tried looking it up but all I can find is that pretty much all nesting birds prefer the West Coast of the state as opposed to the East. Perhaps we made them angry one time.

If you happen to see one of these magnificent birds again, could you please tell it to get itself over to the UK

LOL!! Are they common to the UK like they are here, or is it a much more rare sight over there?

 

[Trick-or-Treat Stevens]

I've missed so much. I'm glad all three eaglets are well.

 

[Long Lashes]

I've missed so much.

Is that you Lovely Michelle? :eyes: .


Ooo you've been missed around here, its so good to see you

I'm glad all three eaglets are well.

They've been a joy to watch this season, I'm now preparing myself for saying goodbye as I'm sure they will start to fledge soon.


This one got quite high ..

they now have that graceful majestic look when they spread those wings..

Guy and Lipstick continue to do 'home-delivery' and then leave the trio to eat the food themselves...

here comes Guy with a (poor) fish quickly followed by Lipstick with another (poor) fish ....

Guy and Lipstick must've been out fishing together this afternoon





Most nights the trio are left alone on the nest now ..

^ ^ they sleep close to each other for warmth and safety I guess, but they look like one big 'blob of eaglets'



how beautiful this little guy looks ..

:love7:

 

[Long Lashes]

I’ve honestly never been able to get an answer to this. I’ve tried looking it up but all I can find is that pretty much all nesting birds prefer the West Coast of the state as opposed to the East.

Maybe its because the rents are lower over at the West Coast ?

Perhaps we made them angry one time.

I think it could be because you're all better drivers in your part of the world and the Eagles don't get a ready supply of road-kill?

Are they common to the UK like they are here, or is it a much more rare sight over there?

Sadly we never get the Bald Eagles here, none have ever been sighted.




Among other birds of prey e.g. Hawks, Hen Harriers, Buzzards, Kestrels etc., we we do have Golden Eagles

and White Tailed Eagles

We once has a young Hen Harrier land in our garden, I think it was lost

I was so excited to see it until it grabbed one of our friendly black birds ... I soon chased it off and in a way I wish I hadn't scared it, but my protective instinct kicked in.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Maybe its because the rents are lower over at the West Coast ?

LOL!!

I think it could be because you're all better drivers in your part of the world and the Eagles don't get a ready supply of road-kill?

If Eagles ate dead iguanas then I have a hunch we’d see them flying around here more often.

Sadly we never get the Bald Eagles here, none have ever been sighted.

I didn’t realize this! Suddenly I feel luckier about having seen two in the last 30 years.

We once has a young Hen Harrier land in our garden, I think it was lost

That’s a very interesting looking bird! I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those. They’re kind of cool looking but also a bit intimidating.

I was so excited to see it until it grabbed one of our friendly black birds ... I soon chased it off and in a way I wish I hadn't scared it, but my protective instinct kicked in.

I would say that black bird owes you a debt of gratitude as that bird looks like one not to be messed with!

 

[Long Lashes]

If Eagles ate dead iguanas then I have a hunch we’d see them flying around here more often.

Iguanas mustn't be the choice of takeaway for our eagles.





Our eaglets meanwhile continue to make progress towards independence, a couple of them can now jump/fly onto 'The Branch' ..

even eating whilst balancing up there...

sharing The Branch and sitting next to Lipstick side-by-side

Here comes Guy reclaiming his throne on The Branch..

the eaglets look like they're bowing down to him





Early morning and so full of energy ...

fantastic!





Another one learning new skills and spreading the hay around the nest ...

. and moving sticks around

despite their growing independence ... Lipstick's such a big softie she still likes to feed them herself sometimes..

"I'm really gonna miss you bro' when we leave"

 

[Trick-or-Treat Stevens]

@Long Lashes do you look in on Liberty and Freedom's nest to see if anything is going on there? I hope we get a pair to return there this Autumn.

 

[Long Lashes]

@Long Lashes do you look in on Liberty and Freedom's nest to see if anything is going on there? I hope we get a pair to return there this Autumn.

Yes I do Michelle, I check out the nest now and then but no sign of Liberty and Freedom, I do miss them




Here's a snap of their nest I took earlier this week ...

I know its just an empty nest, but I am always fascinated and impressed by how birds make these strong and intricate structures that have to withstand the weather: snow, gales, rain and then extreme heat. Plus the nest has to be solid enough to hold their weight, I imagine two adult Eagles are pretty heavy and then of course the growing eaglets who get heavier all the time. Every single stick has had to be flown up and placed in a specific place to knit-together with the other sticks .. very, very clever.

I hope this nest will be occupied in the next season, I'm not sure what happened this year? I know an Owl was hanging around earlier in the season, maybe that scared the Eagles off and put them out of their usual routine or perhaps they just didn't have any eggs this year for some other reason ? I think Liberty is quite a bit older than Lipstick (on the other nest). Here's hoping that Liberty and Freedom return next season.

 

[Long Lashes]

The webcam for Lipstick and Guys nest has been down for the last three days, so I think we might be missing our trio fledge .. its such a shame if we are.



This one was taken a few days ago and as you can see this eaglet can now fly/jump onto the branch ..

Here are two of them on the branch together ...

they make a very pretty arch




Lipstick and Guy still make regular visits to the nest, but very short visits these days just to drop of food ..

This youngster almost took off the other day ..

and this one managed to fly to a higher branch away from the nest ..

Here's someone having a sleepless night ...

I really like the night time camera and how its black and white.






That's all for now unless the webcam gets up and running soon. Its so frustrating how we are missing the trio fledging.

 

[Trick-or-Treat Stevens]

I've missed so much this year from the Eagles. My life has kept me away and I hate that. Thank you @Long Lashes for keeping us updated.

 

[Long Lashes]

A lot has happened in eagle land since I last posted.

Just as our trio were starting to spread their wings and fledge we had this sign on the webcam for two weeks ...

I thought all was lost and we'd never see our Eaglets ever again. then the fab webcam people got us back on air...

and all three are looking fit and well :hats: Ooo I was so thrilled to see them again.




In our absence they've learned to fly.

Here's Lipstick dropping off food closely followed back to the nest by her brood ...

As far as I can tell the eaglets are still relying on Lipstick and Guy to provide their meals. Its gets so crowed and busy on the nest that the parents usually make a quick delivery and leave quickly.


They still squabble, especially when it comes to food...

"its mine, mine mine!"




I love this photo with the early morning sun ..

Freedom of flight for our trio at last :love7:

 

[9unfold]

@Long Lashes you continue to offer superbly crafted posts here. Thank you.