Eaglets Aloft

Bald Eagles are magnificent, awe-inspiring raptors. No doubt, they strike terror into the hearts of smaller creatures. I have seen ducks, woodpeckers, and others carefully consider a circling eagle. They often look like they're wondering if the eagle has locked on and is coming for them.

With sufficient awareness and time, most smaller creatures can probably escape an eagle. Eagles pick their prey carefully. I suspect they focus primarily on the slow or inattentive. Those who survive in an eagle's territory are not just lucky, they are likely to be alert, observant, and agile. I think of eagles as evolution in action.

These are the talons of an immature eagle. The hallux, i.e. the single forward-facing talon, can be almost two inches long on an adult female. Click Here to read more. 

While mating, male Bald Eagles close their talons/feet into a ball shape, so they do not harm their mate. I suspect both genders do the same thing while taking care of the young in the nest.

A huge Thank You to my friends Susan Ott and David Ralph. On Saturday, they noticed that the Montlake Cut Bald Eagles already have new eaglets. Susan and David's excitement, hospitality, and willingness to share their joy was contagious. I felt like running down the street shouting, "Monty and Marsha have young in the nest!" Instead, on Sunday with the afternoon sunshine highlighting the nest, I quietly waited for the chance to see more.

Initially, the nest appeared empty. Apparently, the warm weather released the parents from the immediate need to provide warmth. However, I had no doubt that one of the parents was close by. Monty often hangs out on a branch above the nest. By perching with a height advantage he can easily descend and defend the young from danger.

Susan had mentioned that she thought she might have seen two young in the nest. This fuzzy photo is my first proof. In the front left, one eaglet's head was obvious in the sunlight while behind it the top of a second head can be seen in the shadow. A third eaglet is possible but unlikely. 

Two is their most common number of offspring per year. They had their first two in 2018, their second set 2019, just one in 2020, and two more last year. I certainly hope both of these young survive and learn to fly, i.e. fledge, from the nest.

Surprisingly, for the next two to three months the young apparently survive without water, until they learn to reach it on their own.

After a short while, Monty returned. At this point, the survival of the young is totally dependent on the parents. No one else will bring them food. No one else will guard them with their lives, while remaining constantly alert day and night. 

For over an hour, Monty sat in the nest. Occasionally, the top of a little white head could be seen wandering around the nest to his left.

Finally, Marsha returned. Among eagles and other raptors, the females are generally larger. Not only does Marsha's bill look larger her heavy brow makes her look far more fierce.

When she returned both adults exchanged greetings. Not surprisingly, since Marsha is the larger bird she has a deeper voice. 

Marsha stopped "talking" first and Monty chattered on with his shrill almost-squeaky voice. Marsha said something more and then flew away from the nest. Monty followed.

After a few moments, Marsha returned to the nest and Monty landed nearby. I wonder if someday humans will learn to understand Bald Eagle exchanges. Did she say, "I have fed." or "It's my turn." or possibly "How are the kids?" or "Time to find more food." 

Maybe their language skills are less developed than these phrases imply, but they might also be more sophisticated. Maybe she mentioned a precise location on Union Bay where the fish were feeding? I don't know - but it sure would be fun to find out.

For a moment, she extended her wings. Often open wings help an eagle balance as they walk or hop about in a nest or tree.

Suddenly, she pulled them back, one of the young had stood up in the nest. Its mouth was open but I was too far away to know if it made a sound. I suspect it was begging for food. Marsha appeared to reconsider whether she could avoid the eaglet while entering the nest.

Carefully, she moved to the right half of the nest.

Once there, she started removing chunks of gray fur from the body of some unfortunate creature.

Soon, Marsha unpackaged the prey and began feeding the young. Although, as Susan pointed out, previously, some of the chunks seemed surprisingly large. Young eaglets must come equipped with an inclination to swallow sizable amounts of food in short order.

Eagles, and other raptors, have a crop. It is a wide spot just below the throat that allows them to store a large amount of food before digestion. I suspect it also enables older birds, that have learned to fly, to carry food less obviously and possibly improves their weight distribution.

This photo is from the Broadmoor nest in June of 2012. As eaglets grow, their plumage changes, and they gain weight. At this point in their development, the crop is particularly obvious. 

Speaking of gaining weight, when an eaglet hatches out of an egg it weighs less than an empty coffee cup. During the following three months females can gain as much as a pound a week i.e. All About Birds implies that adult females can weigh more than 13 pounds. Imagine the weight of a ten-pound bag of sugar and three one-pound bags of coffee.

That may seem like a lot of weight but I think it is amazingly light - for having a potential wingspan of more than six feet.

In the next few months, these young eaglets should become as large as their parents, grow feathers that are longer than the adults, and learn to fly. In approximately six months, they should be fully self-sufficient and out on their own. 

Although, until they mature, in four and a half to five years, they will most likely roam about with other immature eagles. I suspect there is safety in numbers and maybe as a group, they improve their odds of finding food.

The biggest danger during the next couple of months is that the young could potentially fall from the nest - before they have learned to fly. Three out of Monty and Marsha's first four eaglets fell from the nest. Fortunately, all three found their way to PAWS and were healthy and able-bodied at the time of their release. 

If you happen to see one of the eaglets on the ground the number for PAWS is:

                                            425-412-4040

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!

Larry

ps: For the safety of eaglets, and a vast number of other young bird species, Spring is a great time of year to keep dogs on their leashes. 

Going Native:

Each of us, who breathe the air and drink the local water, needs to watch and protect our local environment. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and native creatures. I have been told that even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape. I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and to support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:

1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.

2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (When native plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)

3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.

4) If you feel you must add a new plant then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants. 

 

*************** 

New: 

My friend Elaine Chuang shared several resources (that were new to me) from the January Washington Ornithological Society meeting. The major new concept is that specific keystone native plants enable critical moths and caterpillars that in turn provide food for the great majority of birds, especially during the breeding season. Here are the top two links from her list.

Native Keystone Plants for Wildlife:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5cXccWx030

Resources for adding plants to your Pacific Northwest Garden:

https://wos.org/wos-wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/native-plant-resources-v2.pdf

***************

Click Here to access a King County publication that explains the best placement for a wide variety of native plants. It looks quite helpful.

Also, my friend Tom Brown pointed out that the application named 'Wildflower Search' is very helpful. Click on the highlighted link to see for yourself.

Also, Jane Lundin has created a small package, with a lot of critical information that looks quite handy, and light, for backpacking in the mountains in Springtime. It is titled, Mountain Wildflowers of Washington.)

Another idea that integrates perfectly with living in harmony with nature is the concept of Forest Gardening. Native Americans collected and nurtured dense multi-layered gardens of native herbs, plants, shrubs, and trees that produced food and herbal medicines. Even after 150 years of no maintenance, the gardens are essentially intact and the diversity of life remains significantly higher than in the surrounding forests. Click Here to learn more.

**************

In the area below it is my intention to display at least one photo each week to help challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms. 

Is this currently blooming plant native to our area? If so, which one is it?

Scroll down for the answer.

******************

Trillium ovatum: Yes, it is native to our area. Click Here to learn more.

*****************

The Email Challenge:

Over the years, I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements. As of 2021, Google has discontinued the service.

In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:

                Larry, I want to see more of nature. Please add me to your personal email list. 

Thank you for your patience and interest!

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

*******************

The Comment Challenge:

Another common issue is losing your input while attempting to leave a comment on this blog. Often everything functions fine, however, sometimes people are unable to make it past the robot-detection challenge or maybe it is the lack of a Google account. I am uncertain about the precise issue. Sadly, a person can lose their comment with no recovery recourse. 

Bottom Line: 

If you write a long comment, please, copy it before hitting enter. Then, if the comment function fails to record your information, you can send the comment directly to me using email.

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

Sincerely,

Larry

*******************

A Final Photo:

Watching for danger, I suspect.

Striking

Over time we develop habits. Habits help us negotiate the world without being overloaded with thousands of everyday decisions. While birding my habits are to attempt to:

• Move silently, 
• Listen intently, 
• Scan the trees and sky, and also 
• Investigate any flashes of peripheral movement. 

My goal is to locate the birds, while not disturbing them with my presence.

On March 30th, my approach came up short. While walking a well-used path inside the Arboretum I inadvertently surprised a Pileated Woodpecker. It had been hidden to me while feeding on the far side of a tree. When I came around the tree, which was located very close to the path, the woodpecker exploded off the ground in a flurry of wings. For a split second, we  were side-by-side. The startled bird flew about 40 feet and landed on a Red Alder snag. It was directly in front of me and once again right next to the trail.

As soon as I comprehended the situation, I froze. I was nearly halfway between the bird and its starting point. If I continued forward I would almost certainly flush the bird again. If I moved backward I would be moving toward what attracted it in the first place. Neither option felt optimal. I wondered, What was in the best interest of the woodpecker? 

Mired in my indecision, I simply stood silent and watched. The woodpecker processed the situation faster than I did. It flew to a second tree and then to a third. In the process, it simply circled around me while moving back to its starting point. I was still surprised when it settled back on the ground, above the small piece of decaying wood, and continued to feed. Apparently, there were particularly tasty creatures hidden in the fallen chunk of the tree.

Since the bird had already resumed its previous "normal" behavior, I continued to stand silent and stationary.

Alternately, he would strike the wood from a right-handed position...

...and then from his left. The chips flew.

I have been watching our local pair of Pileated Woodpeckers for over ten years. I suspect this adult male is the bird I have been calling, Chip. 

This time of year, during the breeding season, Chip's plumage is at its brightest, with a crisp delineation between the red, white, and black. I find his colors just as striking as his actions.

Soon, his mate should be laying eggs in their newest nest. Once that occurs, the parents will take turns incubating, and protecting the site. While one is on eggs, the other will take the opportunity to find food. This means that during Spring there will generally be half as many Pileated Woodpeckers out and about during the day - as compared to most of the rest of the year. (Pileated Woodpeckers are non-migratory, year-round residents.) 

On the other hand, since the parents will have half as much time to feed, they should be twice as hungry and possibly more easily observed. I am hoping that in the future my observations will be from a greater distance and won't interrupt their feeding.

Curiously, from what I have read, it is the male who normally spends the night in the nest.

After a few more minutes of feeding Chip flew to a new tree and then on to another. 

By the way, the red "malar" stripe on his cheek is black on a mature female Pileated Woodpecker.

Chip worked his way to the top of a snag. While vertically ascending the trunk of a tree woodpeckers will seem to momentarily "rest" on their tails. If you watch closely, for a split second both feet will spring upward while they utilize the tail to resist gravity. Using this three-point maneuver they hitch their way up. Often, when they reach the top they will look around in every direction, pick their next destination, and then make a direct, nonstop flight, to their goal.

A few minutes later, Chip was once again feeding close to the ground while inside the decomposing stump of a Willow tree.

Soon he moved onto a nearby piece of the fallen willow, which had been cut and rolled to the side to reopen the trail. He used his tongue to explore the feeding opportunities. I understand that the tip of the tongue is barbed to help remove ants and their larva from the small holes that the insects have eaten in the decomposing wood.

It seems almost ironic that dead trees become critical infrastructure for life. Carpenter ants, who feed on dead trees, are considered the Pileated Woodpecker's favorite meal. Plus, the soft decaying wood in standing snags allows the woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and others to excavate their critically needed nest sites. Creatures, who are incapable of excavating their own nests, including squirrels, wood ducks, owls, and others, often reuse the sites built by the Pileated Woodpeckers. It is appropriate to consider woodpeckers (and maybe also standing dead trees) as keystone species because of the multiple benefits their respective, efforts and existence provide. 

For a slightly different but incredibly important take on keystone plants and trees, I would suggest "Nature's Best Hope" by Douglas Tallamy.

Ultimately, Chip began feeding on a decaying log. 

While searching for food, woodpeckers help to distribute decomposing chunks of woody debris that are essential for a healthy ecosystem. This is particularly true when the wood is from Red Alder trees. When Red Alders decompose they provide nitrogen (and other nutrients) to plants and trees. This is especially helpful for those florae that are unable to obtain nitrogen on their own.

After about seven minutes of feeding Chip became aware of something passing overhead. I believe it was a Bald Eagle.

He leaped onto the trunk of a neighboring tree. His upturned crest feathers demonstrated his concern. The tree trunk provided cover. His body remained very still, while his head briefly flicked around to the right or the left. He was apparently hiding - while also tracking the progress of the overhead threat.

At times, he scrunched his head down, as if to make himself as small as possible, while waiting for the danger to pass. 

Once he felt safe, he returned to the log on the ground. 

However, he continuously interrupted his feeding to keep an eye on the sky. 

Pileated Woodpeckers, weigh less than a pound. Not only would they make a nice meal for an eagle, but owls, ravens, hawks, and even coyotes would be happy to consume them. While feeding on a log on the ground, if a Pileated Woodpecker forgets to be watchful, even an off-leash dog could easily edit the woodpecker gene pool. 

While he was working, we both noticed a pair of American Crows passing back and forth overhead. The crows were making supply runs to their nest site. Suddenly, one changed course and made a bee-line for Chip's log. I have no doubt that the crow knew Chip was finding food. For a split second, I wondered if the crow was going to try its hand (or beak) at securing carpenter ant larva. 

Instead, the crow chose to pick up nesting material.

It acquired a beak-full before re-evaluating.

For reasons known only to the crow, it decided the material was unfit or unneeded. It dropped everything and flew off in the direction of its nest site. Sadly, at this point Chip had been interrupted one too many times and he abandoned the area as well.

On Monday, six days later, while following the sound of a Pileated call, I spotted the female on a log next to the new Loop Trail in the Arboretum. 

Notice her forehead and her malar stripes are black, unlike Chip's.

She was also interrupted her feeding to search the skies while she fed.

Sometimes, her observations were fairly subtle...

...and sometimes not.

However, she still found moments to find food.

If this pair is on the same schedule as last year their nest should be nearly complete. Goldie, the female, should be almost ready to lay eggs, and the incubation period should be about to begin. If they continue to behave as they have in the past, somewhere in the Montlake area, there is a dead or dying Red Alder tree, with a freshly cut egg-shaped entrance hole. 

We may, or may not, have missed the last chance to see Chip throwing wood out of the nest site - as he did in this photo from March 31st, 2020. However, there should still be time to see the parents making their tag-team incubation hand-offs. If we can locate their newest nest site.

Plus, if we are lucky, sometime in May, and definitely by early June, there should be young visible in the nest.

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!

Larry

Going Native:

Each of us, who breathe the air and drink the local water, needs to watch and protect our local environment. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and native creatures. I have been told that even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape. I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and to support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:

1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.

2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (When native plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)

3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.

4) If you feel you must add a new plant then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants. 

 

*************** 

New: 

My friend Elaine Chuang shared several resources (that were new to me) from the January Washington Ornithological Society meeting. The major new concept is that specific keystone native plants enable critical moths and caterpillars that in turn provide food for the great majority of birds, especially during the breeding season. Here are the top two links from her list.

Native Keystone Plants for Wildlife:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5cXccWx030

Resources for adding plants to your Pacific Northwest Garden:

https://wos.org/wos-wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/native-plant-resources-v2.pdf

***************

Click Here to access a King County publication that explains the best placement for a wide variety of native plants. It looks quite helpful.

Also, my friend Tom Brown pointed out that the application named 'Wildflower Search' is very helpful. Click on the highlighted link to see for yourself.

Also, Jane Lundin has created a small package, with a lot of critical information that looks quite handy, and light, for backpacking in the mountains in Springtime. It is titled, Mountain Wildflowers of Washington.)

Another idea that integrates perfectly with living in harmony with nature is the concept of Forest Gardening. Native Americans collected and nurtured dense multi-layered gardens of native herbs, plants, shrubs, and trees that produced food and herbal medicines. Even after 150 years of no maintenance, the gardens are essentially intact and the diversity of life remains significantly higher than in the surrounding forests. Click Here to learn more.

**************

In the area below it is my intention to display at least one photo each week to help challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms. 

Is this currently blooming shrub native to our area? If so, which one is it?

Scroll down for the answer.

******************

Red Elderberry: Yes, it is native to our area.

In this 2017 photo, Goldie can be seen feeding Red Elderberries to her young.

*****************

The Email Challenge:

Over the years, I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements. As of 2021, Google has discontinued the service.

In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:

                Larry, I want to see more of nature. Please add me to your personal email list. 

Thank you for your patience and interest!

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

*******************

The Comment Challenge:

Another common issue is losing your input while attempting to leave a comment on this blog. Often everything functions fine, however, sometimes people are unable to make it past the robot-detection challenge or maybe it is the lack of a Google account. I am uncertain about the precise issue. Sadly, a person can lose their comment with no recovery recourse. 

Bottom Line: 

If you write a long comment, please, copy it before hitting enter. Then, if the comment function fails to record your information, you can send the comment directly to me using email.

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

Sincerely,

Larry

*******************

A Final Photo: