Shelley Lake, Raleigh, NC
July 21, 2019
There’s Something New!
We cannot say when an eagles’ egg is laid in the nest. I can say that the eagles were attempting to mate on January 26 when I took the picture “Mating time” shown in my earlier blog post. https://www.fbarrywheeler.net/marital-bliss-eagle-style/
The picture above is about 15 days after the mating attempt I pictured. My references say that a bald eagle’s egg may be produced approximately 5 to 10 days after mating. I watched this eagle climb out of the nest, stand on the branch looking into the nest, and then return into the nest. So I feel sure there is at least one egg, perhaps two, in the nest.
Reinforcing the idea there are eggs in the nest is the constant presence of an eagle in the nest – I think! In early February it is impossible to prove there’s always an eagle in the nest because …
the nest is so big that if you don’t actually see the eagle enter, you can’t say for sure if it’s in there! This time, I know there is an eagle in the nest – I saw it go in!
Watching an eagle leave the nest and then seeing the mate fly in seems to be another indicator that there are eggs in the nest. I photographed this switch on February 8th.
Eagles generally produce two, perhaps three, eggs in a “clutch.” There may be three or more days between eggs. There also may be failures. The vet who examined our two eaglets thought there might be as long as two weeks between them. So it is very likely that there are two eggs in the nest at this time. Incubation takes about 35-38 days.
Yes! Our male eagle delivers a fish to the nest on March 14th! (You may have to study an enlarged version of this picture – there is a fish in the eagle’s talon on our right.) It is certain that there is at least one eaglet in the nest, right on schedule.
Baby eagles must be fed. My grandkids are fine when a fish is delivered. But Shelley Lake is a small lake. The eagles are seen at other nearby lakes. But if there isn’t a fish to be caught a squirrel will do. The grandkids aren’t as happy. Over time, we know these eaglets ate fish, squirrel, heron, even a turtle!
With very young eaglets, mom (it’s usually mom!) stays to feed them. Dad is happy to get out of the way. We watched dad not-walk up the branch in my previous post. https://www.fbarrywheeler.net/sidebar-eagles-dont-walk/
When the eaglets are young, one parent is always in the nest.
But as the eaglets get older – say 4 to 6 weeks, an adult is nearby, but often not in the nest. Sometimes they are in nearby watch-trees. As they get older the adults only return to feed the hungry kids.
Here, at about five weeks, is my first glimpse of a baby eagle! I had been waiting for this day. Other photographers had already spotted this eaglet but the eaglet disappears into that huge nest and I didn’t see it until this picture on April 10th.
Here, on April 16th, this eaglet, probably the first-born, is beginning to exercise his wings.
Watching them grow is amazing!
By May 11th the first born is big!
On May 11th I can finally see them both!
On May 11th, I can hear them both! They are hungry! We can see the open mouths as they squawk like the little children they are. This day food will come soon. But do you see the problem? I didn’t.
On May 14th they are bigger, stronger. Yet as we are excited to see them grow, worry begins. The nest is almost gone! In my previous post, we saw the powerful wings in motion as the male eagle left the nest. We’ve seen the eaglets move, exercise, and stand on the nest. Additionally, a couple of days before this picture, a huge rain and hail storm pelted Shelley Lake.
Eagle nests are huge, heavy, and surprisingly fragile. Compare this picture with the same view of the nest in picture 3 earlier in this post. The nest is nearly gone.
On May 17th, as I was studying the nest with my camera, a young woman approached and told me that there was an eaglet in the creek. She took me to the creek and showed me the young eaglet, now on the creek bank.
What happened? We don’t know. But this eagle was too young to be on the ground. Its wings were not strong enough to lift it more than a few feet off the ground. I felt it would not survive on the ground and so I called Steve Stone of the American Wildlife Refuge. Steve is certified and skilled in handling eaglets and other raptors.
Steve headed into the woods, found and captured the eaglet, and brought it up to the greenway surrounding Shelley Lake. Steve felt if he could capture it, any predator, such as a dog or a coyote, could also catch it. He introduced our eaglet up close and personal. At about 11 weeks old, this eaglet is big! Steve has a gift – the bird was calm and relaxed. (Steve does have a very heavy glove on his lower hand.)
Steve took the time to show those of us crowded around him the eaglet’s features, including its tongue. Then he covered the bird with the towel and took him to the refuge.
On May 20th I watched as the female eagle brought food back to feed the younger eaglet. She fed herself first as the youngster screamed!
She took her time! Then I watched in awe as she feed her eaglet.
Piece by piece.
I’m presenting this entire series still amazed I was able to witness this.
Now one last bite for herself …
and off she goes.
A few days later, friends couldn’t see the second eaglet. Steve was called in again, located the younger eaglet which was injured in its fall, and took it to the refuge.
On May 22nd, with both eaglets gone, both eagles were back. Mom brought food again – and ate it herself.
As dad stood watching, looking out for ??
I still feel sad as I watch this series. I hadn’t seen both eagles together at the nest in weeks. I feel the food was for an eaglet that was now gone. I felt they both expected and didn’t find their eaglets.
Calls and cries.
Only the remnants of the nest remained.
We hoped the eagles would stay. Eaglets need to learn to hunt. They need about six weeks of time with their parents, watching, practicing. Then they have the skills they need to survive over the four to five years they need to mature.
On May 25th the male eagle brought food back to the nest. I watched as he ate it, then left. As far as I know, this is the last sighting of an adult eagle.
Postscript: The eaglets are still at a raptor center. They needed time to heal, to strengthen, and to learn to fly. Then we hope they can be released near an active nest where they might be adopted for the training. We’re still hopeful.
That was an amazing read! I love the timeline and description with every picture
Thanks Chad. It’s nice when someone who has been through it with me appreciates my posts!
Awesome Barry! Grateful and thankful to have been involved in the 2nd rescue and to have seen our babies since then 🙂
Wow! Great pics and nice commentary. You invested a lot of hours in this. Here’s hoping we have eagles next year for you. It’s not that long til they would start nesting.
Thanks! Here”s hoping!! Meanwhile it’s nice having such a great group to work with!
Barry! Incredible story! Now I know why your grandchildren love your stories. I’m going to share this with mine.
Thank you! I will mention that the grandkids love posts on puffins and eagles and say, “Pop Pop! How cool!” But on wood storks their comments are “Pop Pop, you’re weird!”
Barry these are amazing pictures and such interesting commentary. I was sad to hear that both eaglets fell out of the nest. I hope they can be released somewhere where they can learn to take care of themselves. Could they come back to where their original parents are? Thank you for this amazing story. Bonny
Thanks! And I owe you and Celia and Chuck a long email. I’ll send it off tomorrow!
Amazing and very cool! I’m waiting for you to go to Africa and photograph flamingoes at that pink lake!
Well I’ve got Iceland, Greenland, and hopefully Antarctica first!
Wonderful Barry! Well done!
Keep us posted.
Don Lendle
Amazing story, sad, hopeful, inspiring and informative. We get to see how the internals of nature works with cameras and live feed videos, and being in the right place at the right time. Just wish mom and dad knew that because of caring people their babies were safe and being taken care of….thank you for what you do, amazing!!!
Thank you!
Hope we get a repeat next year. Thanks for all the hours put into this project. I never would have expected this in the middle of the city.
Yes, I never expected this so close. Oh, and you have seen that I passed my final exam, so expect a call soon!
Thank you for Sharing this wonderful story! Your images are great! I recently read in the new Marie Read book, “Mastering Bird Photography” about slowly/gradually building a scaffold system to gain access to a nest. You probable would not be able to do this at Shelly Lake? Even though, your images are great and sharp. You were able to deal with sky backlight very successfully. Congratulations on a wonderful story that I will also share with my grandchildren. Thanks for your efforts and for including me in your posts.
THANKS! I appreciate your comments. Since the nest is gone and the adults probably feel they did not successfully raise their chicks, we don’t know if they’ll return. So they’ve started discussing putting up a platform this fall. Raleigh Parks is actively considering this option and they might add an “eagle cam” in the process. Even if our eagles didn’t return there is a good possibility of attracting a mating pair. We hopeful!
Once again, Barry, a marvelous post. You certainly have a talent to photograph as well as comment. I was caught up in the commentary as I viewed the pictures. I hope the babies survive!!!!!
Thank you! Megan says my writing has improved through the practice I get writing my blog!
Beautiful photos…loved the story. You have a way with words. I went to Shelley Lake every week since February observing and photographing this beautiful family. We went back for weeks afterwards hoping we would catch a glimpse of a parent. Fingers crossed they come back next year. We have fallen in love with Shelley Lake …the people we met and The wildlife.
Thank you Barry for these great pictures you sent. I m just amazed at the clarity and the “on time” click needed to produce these with great captions. Hopefully, you ll hear from your friend on the success of the eaglets.
Great regards to you from Bonnie and I !!
Bob Doney
Thank you! You ought to come down and visit me!
Wow!! So interesting!! This presentation will make my eagle watch more interesting than ever!! Thanks so much for your time and energy used in producing this series!!!
THANK You Heidi! I do appreciate visitors and comments. Especially nice comments like yours.
You’re a gifted storyteller, Barry! Keep ’em coming.
Oh yes! I’ll keep them coming. And please keep posting your pictures too!