Fledgling - First Flight

Early in August the older eaglet, Beatrice, first flew. There have been no documented photos of Beatrice since she left the nest. The US Fish & Wildlife stated that in early August there have been no reported cases of injured eagles in the Seattle area. So even though we do not know where Beatrice is, we have reason to hope that she is healthy. Apparently she is also a quick study. It seems she must have she learned to hunt in short order, since she does not appear to return to her parents for food.

Last week the younger eaglet, Eleanor, with great calm and serenity, finally learned to fly. This was unlike Beatrice who practically bounced all over the nesting tree prior to flying. Eleanor also differs from Beatrice in that she frequently returns to the nest. She has been seen leaving the nest early in the morning (sometimes after being fed by one of the parents) and returning around dusk. Often one or both of the parents have been seen near 520 just before dusk and sometimes one will also return to the nesting tree.

The first known photo of Eleanor in flight occurred as she circled from a branch in the nesting tree back to the nest. This all started with a small clump of twigs, which Eleanor decided to attack. She leaped and landed half in the twigs and half on the branch.

This was apparently not the desired result. Her second attack was in a more committed fashion. She landed with her full body weight on the twigs. They broke free of the branch and suddenly Eleanor was in the air, gliding serenely and circling slowly to the nest.

With the twig firmly “in hand” her sprinkling of youthful, light-colored feathers created a startling contrast against her dark wings. In four or five years when Eleanor matures the light feathers under her wings will be gone, the dark feathers on her head and tail will have been replaced by white ones and her beak will have turned bright yellow.

With maturity being years in the future is the nesting instinct so strong that she feels compelled to return the twigs to the nest at an age of 12 to 13 weeks? It is amazing to think that a bird, which could live for more than 25 years, has hatched out and grown to size of her parents in less than 3 months. This is basically the equivalent of a nine-month-old baby growing to the size of an adult human. By the time she is 6 months old, the equivalent of one and a half in human years, she will need to be totally self-supporting. (If this timing worked for humans it might reduce the cost of raising children, however it might create a few other issues.)

Please keep your eyes open on 520 north of Broadmoor and on Lake Washington near Madison Park. It is fairly common to see the adult eagles, but watch to see if you can spot the dark-headed, Eleanor. The last time she was spotted leaving the nest she headed south, but where she goes remains a mystery.

Good Luck!

Larry

Life After Eddie - Mystery

Since the first eaglet photos taken on June 2, in the nest that Eddie built, the most common question has been, "When will they fly?" The anticipation has been building. On August 2nd the older eaglet apparently fledged (e.g. learned to fly and left the nest). 

For the last week and a half the goal has been to photograph Beatrice, the fledgling, in flight.  From the skies above Union Bay to the 520 light poles, to the Beaver Lodge Sanctuary (BLS), to the cottonwood trees on Foster Island, to Webster Point and of course the nest itself have all been closely watched. 

On Thursday, the 9th, while we were looking for Beatrice an eagle-eyed young man spotted this bird at the BLS. Can you guess what type of bird this is?

My good friend Marcus Roening identified it as a juvenile, Spotted Sandpiper. (This was a first for me on Union Bay.)

The parents have been seen fairly regularly on the 520 light poles or in the cottonwood tree east of BLS. This photo was taken Friday the 10th above 520.

Twice this week one of the parents has been seen returning to the nesting tree at dusk to visit Eleanor. Here is a short clip.

http://youtu.be/czhv5gX6Mf8

Eleanor in the last week has branched out and moved about the nesting tree. Her latest move (Sunday night) was nearly to the top of the tree. This is the same process Beatrice went through just before she left the nest.

While checking for Beatrice on Foster Island on Saturday a Pileated Woodpecker was seen working away a few feet off the trail, seemingly unaware of people passing by, but Beatrice was no where to be seen.

Thinking that maybe Beatrice had left Union Bay to find a more plentiful supply of food a visit was made to the Ballard Locks. There were plenty of salmon and even an osprey nest but no eagles.

The young osprey was shortly visited by its father, who came bearing fish. 

On Sunday morning near the southwest bridge to Foster Island this Coopers Hawk was seen, but once again there was no sign of Beatrice.

The hawk was carefully eyeing a number of crows that were quite upset and vocal about the hawk being in the area. What is especially interesting in this photo is how the hawk's pupils are dilated differently depending on the amount of sunlight hitting each eye.

Today around noon there was still no sign of Beatrice but one of the parents was hiding in the shadows near the top of the cottonwood tree on the north side of Foster Island. The eagle was obviously avoiding the heat of the sun. A few minutes later this Stellars Jay, who seemed to be a little more cold blooded, was clearly enjoying the heat of the sun.

With each day that passes the mystery of Beatrice's whereabouts deepens. She should be relying on her parents for food while she learns to hunt. If you see any sign of Beatrice please leave a comment at the end of this blog. Thank you!

Where has the elusive Beatrice gone?

Larry

PS: Maybe the lesson to be learned is that we should watch Eleanor very carefully during the next week as she takes to the air and leaves the nest. :-)

Eagles Disappear

Thursday morning for the first time in her life Beatrice, the elder eaglet, was not to be found in the nest or the nesting tree. Also both parents were gone. For the last four months the parents have almost always been near the nest or on a 520 light pole looking for more food. 


Thursday night the situation was the same. 


On Friday morning a more thorough search of Foster Island, the Beaver Lodge Sanctuary, the 520 light poles and the skies above Union Bay revealed no trace of the parents or Beatrice. Beatrice has apparently learned to fly, left the nest and moved up from eaglet to fledgling. This leaves Eleanor, the younger eaglet, all alone in the nest.

Even though she has not yet learned to fly she is as large as her parents and should be able to defend herself from most any creature that can reach the nest. There is no reason for concern. It is possible the parents have just taken Beatrice on her first hunting trip. 


The most important lessons for the young eagles this summer are:
     a) Learning to fly and
     b) Learning to hunt.
By winter they will need to be completely self-sufficient in order to survive.


If you see the fledgling please be aware that an eagle learning to hunt may appear to be doing nothing. While simply sitting in a tree above the bay they may be watching a distant fish or bird that you or I cannot even see. At any moment they can dive out of the tree and attempt to catch their prey. It is important for the young birds survival to not interrupt this learning process.


All of us who visit this blog have a healthy curiosity to learn more about these beautiful creatures. So this weekend if you happen to visit Foster Island or Beaver Lodge Sanctuary, if you are sailing on Union Bay or even just driving over 520 please watch for the eagles. If you do see them please add a comment at the end of this blog. The more we learn about these creatures the more we can do to ensure that the neighborhood we share is a viable place for eagles, as well as humans. to live and raise their young.


If you are curious about what Beatrice looks like the August 1st posting (just below this post) has a number of up-to-date pictures.


Thank you for your help.


Larry Hubbell

Eaglet - On the Edge

Earlier this week Doug Schurman, continuing his incredible video work, caught a very scary moment.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0LrOjYCc2A&feature=youtu.be


It is possible and maybe even probable that the eaglet could survive a fall from the nest at this point. However just like a human learning to walk or ride a bike confidence is critical. At some point the internal switch will be thrown. It will go from "I think I can" to that crystal clear knowledge, "I Can Fly!"


For all the differences between humans and eagles what's most amazing is the things we have in common.


At a time when he could not see both eaglets in the nest Doug saw an immature eagle fly by. He thought for a moment, Could it be one of the eaglets? What do you think?

Doug realized that the beak was far more yellow than the current eaglets. In addition you can see the white feathers beginning to come in around the head. This is a juvenile eagle that is nearing maturity, which usually occurs in the 4th or 5th year.


Both of the current Broadmoor eaglets still have mostly dark heads and beaks, but they are beginning the branching process.

This is the process of hopping/flying from the nest to nearby branches. 

http://youtu.be/9nthGg3qQ2I

In particular the elder eaglet, Beatrice, is moving further and further out on the limbs and away from the nest. First to the left.

Then back above the nest.

And then way above the nest.

Even at this distance above the nest every move was a short "hop" from one branch up to the next. Still it is obvious this is the last step in the process of learning to fly. There is nearly no where else left to go.


More to follow.


Larry Hubbell


Odds and Ends:


The eaglets appear to watch a jet pass by with great interest in the idea of flying. See at:


http://youtu.be/Bd41b-hXvhM


***


This is what used to be called a Rufous-Sided Towhee. It was spotted in the Arboretum this week.

The western version of the RST is now called the Spotted Towhee to distinguish it from the eastern version of the RST.

Eaglet - Flight Prep

For the last week or two Doug Schurman has been watching, photographing and taking video of the Eaglets' progress. First of all here is a huge "Thank You!" to Doug for his excellent work. 

Doug has seen that the parents are still returning to the nest...

and they are still involved in the housekeeping.

The eaglets continue to have the usual sibling disagreements.

However the most interesting aspect of Doug's work is his documentation of the last stages of flight preparation. Beatrice, the older eaglet, has been working to develop her wing strength. 

Repeatedly.

She has even been practicing lifting off...

 for very short hops.

Her feathers are long enough, her wings are the size of her parents and each day she grows stronger...

as Eleanor watches and waits for her turn. 

It could be any day now that Beatrice takes her first real flight.

To see Doug's video of this process follow the link below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seattlebirdman/7642122802/in/photostream

Keep one eye on the sky as you pass over 520 or visit Foster Island. If you see a large dark eagle with interesting and unique white markings under the wings, you may be seeing Beatrice's maiden flight. She could take to the air anytime in the next few days or weeks. We will all just have to wait and see.

Thank you to Gail Hayes for being the first to photograph and point out the eaglets' winged work out.

Thanks again to Doug as well.

Larry

Odds and Ends:

Here is a photo of a Hawaiian Pueo or Short-eared Owl taken this week on Haleakala (at about 7000 feet) in Maui.

This is another photo of a Short-eared Owl (SEO) taken this winter near Stanwood, WA.

The birds are very similar but it is also interesting to see the different patterns and colors of the lighter feathers near the ends of their wings. It makes one wonder how far back these two branches in the family tree diverged. For more about rare and exotic Hawaiian birds see last weeks post at:

http://www.unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2012/07/paradise.html

Here is parting shot from last winter in Stanwood.

Paradise...

In the middle of the largest body of water on the planet, volcanos have created a handful of beautiful and exotic islands. Historically, these islands contained unique flora and fauna found no where else. After a thousand years of human intervention water has been brought from the perpetually wet areas of the islands to the perpetually sunny areas. The result is place so attractive that humans with discretionary time and funds come from every corner of the globe. The Hawaiian Islands may literally be the most popular place on earth.


The native Hawaiian flora and fauna has been in many cases squeezed out of existence or in the best case out of the prime locations. High on the side of Haleakala (an active though currently dormant volcano) exists a relatively small preserve containing a remnant of native forest and creatures. This preserve is just below the Haleakala National Park and while owned by the Haleakala Ranch it is managed by The Nature Conservancy. Entry is limited. The entire preserve is fenced in an attempt to keep out non-native mammals like goats, pigs and even cows that can literally consume the native vegetation. The entry of humans is also limited to those with a proper permit and a guide who:

• Checks their boots for non-native plant seeds, 
• Keeps visitors on the designated path and 
• Teaches them about the exotic and unique lifeforms they encounter.

My guide was Chuck Probst one of the few people on the planet who can identify native Hawaiian birds by their calls.

Even before entering the preserve Chuck found two of the endangered Nene geese. 

All other endemic species of Hawaiian geese are now extinct.

Upon entering the preserve one is initially greeted with a forest of non-native trees that originated in North America, Japan and Australia. These were introduced in the previous century after the native forest in this area was destroyed. Chuck would like to see native trees and plants reintroduced to replace these non-native pines, cedars, spruce and eucalyptus trees.

Even in this area some of the native birds can be seen. This bird is the endangered I'iwi which is pronounced "E'e'vee"

Its red-orange beak is specially adapted to fit into the flower of a plant that may now be even more rare than the bird. As one progresses deeper into the preserve the non-native vegetation is left behind.

If one were to leave the designated path it would be easy to become lost in this ancient and primeval forest.

The farther one progresses into the native forest the more birds one hears. The thick forest is generally covered in clouds and relatively dim. It is far easier to hear the birds than it is to see them. The birds are wary and seldom approach very close but they have so little contact with humans that they do not seem at all scared or nervous. The I'iwi seems mostly curious as we approach.

The birds keep a safe distance but  when they fly it appears that it is simply to get to the next blossom, bug or branch.

One of the most common native birds is the Apapane. At first glance it appears similar to the I'iwi, however the shorter and darker beak, the white rump and the longer tail are actually clearly distinctive. 

An immature Apapane has yet to develop all of its color and it appears curious as well. Here is another shot of an immature Apapane with its tongue stuck out. That is a tongue that can get to those hard to reach spots in the flower.

The Maui Alauahio or Maui Creeper is somewhat easier to see in the forest since it is not feeding on the flowers in the tree tops but rather "creeping" up or down the trunks and branches of the trees looking for its food.

The immature creeper also seems to have a bit of curiosity.


The most rare and endangered bird spotted was the Akohekohe. There may be as few as 3000 of these birds left and they all exist either in or near this preserve. This crested honeycreeper is incredibly unique.

Here is the same bird feeding. Now the white crest is hidden but more of the red-orange on the back of the head is visible.

The last bird seen on this trip was a young Amakihi.

An expedition into the Waikamoi Preserve is a memory to treasure for a lifetime.

These birds and the forest that supports them are a unique treasure. The people who work to protect these creatures are pushing back against the tide of extinction. They need all the help and support that we can give them. Learn more about the preserve and how you can help at:


http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/hawaii/placesweprotect/waikamoi.xml

Larry


Odds and Ends:


To those of you in Madison Park near Eva and Alberts nest, Would you please keep an eye on the eaglets? If you spot them sitting on the side of the nest and flapping their wings like they are getting ready to fly please add a comment on this blog. In my absence Doug Schurman has graciously agreed to try and photograph the eaglets in flight. However since he has many other responsibilities it would be helpful if we can all work together and help optimize the time he has available. Thank you!!!

Eaglets Named

After hundreds of votes the process is complete. In third place and beating out four other sets of names are Alo and Eto. In second place are the names Monty and Maddy representing the local neighborhoods Montlake and Madison Park. Congratulations to Josephine who suggested the regal and majestic set of eaglet names which received the most votes. The names are:


         Beatrice and Eleanor!

The struggle this week has been to find the perfect picture to demonstrate these new names. In some shots an eaglet may appear very regal (look at the size of those wings) but in the shade.

Some shots show one eaglet in the light but the other appears to be sleeping.

Sometimes both eaglets are in the light but in an awkward pose.

Sometimes they are in the nearly perfect pose, but not in the light.

Since no single photo seems to really state the case here are a few more that at least show an interesting if not regal point. This one shows a well lit wing.

A quiet moment.

The nest beginning to feel a bit small.

Stretching.

Curiosity.

Even taking out the trash.

Saying, "Good-Bye".

A new challenge will be trying to tell which eaglet is Beatrice and which is Eleanor. Feel free to offer suggestions based on inspecting the photos.

Thank you all for your comments.

Larry

Odds and Ends:

Early on Saturday morning (7/7/12) the moon was directly above the nest but too high to get them both in one photo. Still it was beautiful all on its own.

Eva having one of those shivering moments.

On Monday evening while kayaking out to see the Eva and Albert sitting on the 520 light poles three young swallows stopped nearby and one in particular struck a nice pose.