Counting Eaglets

In early April, Marsha's vocal defense of her Montlake Cut nest seemed to imply the existence of eggs. The invisible tether which kept either her, or her mate Monty, constantly close to the nest reinforced the idea that they were defending eggs. Given the height of the nest, I am not positive when the eggs were laid, but my best guess is the last week of March.

Surprisingly, Bald Eagle eggs are not as big as one might expect. All About Birds gives the maximum length as 3.3 inches and maximum width as 2.5 inches. A large Bald Eagle egg is probably similar in volume to a professional baseball, which is just under 3 inches in diameter. 

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By the way, Why might we say that Monty and Marsha's nest is the most strategically placed eagle's nest in all of Seattle? Read on for the answer.

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It takes roughly five weeks to properly incubate Bald Eagle eggs. Which means the eaglet(s) most likely hatched out in early May. In this May 3rd photo, Marsha may be looking down at a helpless little hatchling. It is also interesting to note how the cottonwood leaves have grown and were beginning to hide the nest.

This mid-May photo shows a first glimpse of a young eaglet in the nest. Is this eaglet an only child? All About Birds states that the brood sizes can range from one to three birds. Unlike ducks, a clutch of eagle eggs does not hatch at the same time. Younger eaglets tend to be smaller and can lose out in the competition for food. In fact, they can even become food for older siblings. The parents bring lots of food and offer it freely, but the older and stronger eaglets are more aggressive and generally eat better. 

During the last week of May I caught my first sightings of multiple eaglets in the nest. Clearly, a feather transition was taking place. As the eaglets get older their initial downy white/gray feathers disappear and new darker feathers grow in. 

At the same time, the cottonwood leaves and limbs continued to grow. It felt like a curtain was being drawn around the nest. The mystery deepened. Are there just two eaglets in the nest? Could there be three?

The adults with their white heads and tails and their larger physical size are generally pretty visible in the nest. The young, on the other hand, are often invisible when resting below the rim of the nest. Many times all that can be seen of a young eaglet is a momentary flash of a dark little wing tracing an arc above the rim as the small bird twists or turns.

In this photo, the adult eagle on the right is Monty. His 'eyebrow' does not hang down over his eye. This is one of just a few photos which shows the heads of two eaglets and parts of both adults all at the same time. 

Monty's open-eyed appearance (on the right) gives him a less ferocious look, when compared with Marsha.

In the top center you get just a profile glimpse of Marsha's perpetual frown. From this angle these two eaglets appear to be fairly similar in size. When these two snap at each other it looks like a fairly, evenly-balanced sibling negotiation. Maybe they are simply focused on gaining elbow room for their growing wings.

When this eaglet stands tall the transition away from soft grey feathers becomes even more apparent. Clearly, this one is an older eaglet.

This photo was taken on the same day as the previous few photos. The question is, Do the white fuzzy feathers indicate a third younger eaglet or is this just one of the two previously seen eaglets who is uniquely illuminated so that the fuzzy feathers stand out?

When I took the photos the idea of a third eaglet did not come to mind. I am reconsidering.

The next day, I caught a few more photos. In this one there are two eaglets visible. The one on the left looks older and darker, although the shade may be a factor. The eaglet in the center still has some light downy feathering. 

Getting an accurate count of eaglets in the nest remains an unresolved mystery.

As they get older and larger the answer will become apparent. If you are the first to spot three in the tree, I would love to hear about it.

In just three months, e.g. by August 1st, the young Bald Eagles will probably have an average weight of about ten pounds. At that point, each of the eaglets should weigh more than their parent of the same gender. Males will generally weigh less then average while females usually weigh more. Between now and August the changes will be rapid, they will be putting on weight, growing flight feathers and hopefully in late July we will get to watch them exercising their wings, while bouncing around from one limb to the next, just prior to taking to the air.

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In 1916, when the Montlake Cut opened for business it rerouted the drainage of the Lake Washington Watershed. The Black River, which was the original southern outlet for the lake, dried up. When the river disappeared so did many of the native salmon runs which accessed their spawning grounds via the river and Lake Washington. You can read more details of the story by clicking on History Link. 

Additional salmon, and other species of fish, have since been introduced to Lake Washington. For migrating fish the only connection between the Lake Washington Watershed and the Pacific Ocean is via Montlake Cut. Young salmon, and any other migrating fish must pass through The Cut on their way out to sea and years later when they mature they must return the same way to reach their spawning grounds.

To the best of my knowledge Monty and Marsha are the first pair of eagles to locate a nest almost directly over The Cut. From their nest in the Cottonwood tree, on the Southeast corner of The Cut, they have a clear view of the water and easy access to passing fish. Their Montlake Cut nest may be the most strategically located eagle's nest in all of Seattle.

If we help salmon recover in the Lake Washington Watershed we will see life flourish in and around Union Bay. We will see the growing numbers of a wide variety of creatures. In addition to Bald Eagles a few of the other direct beneficiaries will be herons, osprey, kingfishers, cormorants, mergansers, river otters and further downstream even the Orcas would benefit. 

Changes we can encourage include improvements to Arboretum Creek (e.g. increasing water flow, removing pollutants and returning the stream to the surface) in addition someday we might also consider improving Montlake Cut. Along the edge of The Cut a protective passage could be designed to protect young outgoing salmon on their way to Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean. It could be something similar to the work which was done along Elliot Bay. 

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

Larry

Going Native:

Without a well-funded Environmental Protection Agency, it falls to each of us to be ever more vigilant in protecting our local environments. 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. My hope is that 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. (If natives 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.

My intention in my weekly post is to include at least one photo each week and visually challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms.

Is this a native or non-native plant?

Scroll down for the answer.

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Red-osier Dogwood: You can read more about this unique dogwood by clicking on the highlighted link.

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The Email Challenge:

Over the years I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements regarding my posts. Even more frustrating when they go to 're-sign-up', hoping that will enable them to once again start receiving the announcements, they get a message which says 'Sorry, you are already signed up.' Google has not responded to my requests for help with this issue. 

My functional workaround is to set up my own email list and each week I manually send out a new post announcement. If you are experiencing the issue and would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Thank you for your patience!

My email address is LDHubbell@comcast.net

Ducklings First

 

Male Wood Ducks are one of the most beautiful birds in the world. In January, the female in this photo had the opportunity to select the suitor of her choice. 

Between January and May, priorities change for female Wood Ducks. Initially, selecting a handsome mate may be at the top of her list, but along the way egg-laying, incubating and ultimately the safety of her young becomes the top priority. On Monday, this female had clearly moved on.

Nearby carp were thrashing about and spawning in the shallow waters of Duck Bay. The noisy fish certainly looked big enough to swallow a duckling whole.

The beauty of a male Wood Duck, hanging out on a nearby log, was no longer relevant.

There was no sign of affection when the female charged the handsome male and chased him off the log.

She must have decided that the elevated perch would provide a safe haven for her young. Soon the ducklings began joining their mother. One, two, three...

 ...four, five six...

...ultimately, all seven left the water. While the early birds preened, the stragglers slowly ascended the log.

The last duckling struggled a bit trying to find an elevated opening between its siblings.

Finally, with all seven on top of the log, I suspect the hen counted them just to be sure.

However, young creatures are seldom patient and still.

Soon the ducklings were slipping and sliding back into the water.

Close by, the carp continued to splash. The threat had not gone away. Plus, the fish were not the only problem. American Crows, River Otters, Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, and many others could easily make off with a duckling. 

(There are also environmental threats. For example, later in the week, I came across another female Wood Duck calling loudly from under a willow along the water's edge. For twenty minutes, she called incessantly while circling back and forth between logs, mostly hidden under the foliage. Finally, just as she and her twelve ducklings emerged into view, she quieted down. A bystander surmised that one of her ducklings must have been temporarily caught among the logs and unable to get free. The mother kept up the distress calls until all of her young could proceed together.)

On Monday, all but one of the fallen ducklings made it back to safety and then...

...finally, the last duckling circled to the far end of the log and climbed up out of the water.

In the end, when the mother felt it was safe she led her young ones away from the shallow, carp-infested waters of Duck Bay. 

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This week's post is dedicated to the half a dozen volunteers who have been rising early to watch Wood Duck boxes. Since early March, our all-inspiring hope has been to watch young ducklings as they leave the nest for the first, and only, time. Amazingly, when the ducklings are only one day old they are ready and able to climb out of their nesting cavity and fall to the surface below, regardless of the height.

The ducklings will only exit the nest if their mother calls to them. The mother hens are very secretive and careful about instigating the process. The hens only call when they feel it is safe for their young to leave the nest. This year, our team's best attempts at deducing the timing of 'wood duckling departure' did not quite succeed. However, I hope we all agree that any time spent outdoors observing nature is a positive, self-reinforcing experience which is certainly worth the investment.

Hopefully, next year our luck will improve!

By the way, it is interesting to note that our first sighting of a Wood Duck duckling last year was on May 14th. This year it was on May 13th. Nature's timing is certainly amazing!

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

Larry

Going Native:

Without a well-funded Environmental Protection Agency, it falls to each of us to be ever more vigilant in protecting our local environments. 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. My hope is that 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. (If natives 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.

My intention in my weekly post is to include at least one photo each week and visually challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms.

Is this a native or non-native butterfly?

Scroll down for the answer.

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An American Painted Lady: It is native. Apparently, related Painted Lady butterflies exist in many places around the world.

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The Email Challenge:

Over the years I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements regarding my posts. Even more frustrating when they go to 're-sign-up', hoping that will enable them to once again start receiving the announcements, they get a message which says 'Sorry, you are already signed up.' Google has not responded to my requests for help with this issue. 

My functional workaround is to set up my own email list and each week I manually send out a new post announcement. If you are experiencing the issue and would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Thank you for your patience!

My email address is LDHubbell@comcast.net

A Curious Corvid

The intelligence of an American Crow allows it to find food in an amazing variety of ways. One of the most surprising for me happens in late Spring after the Sticklebacks have returned to Union Bay to spawn and die. Crows can be seen gliding down to the surface of the water and picking up the floating bodies of the small fish.

This week provided another American Crow surprise. While walking along the gravel road, north of the Montlake Cut, I glanced up just in time to avoid flushing a crow. The black bird was intensely focused on something in the middle of the road. 

Looking more closely I noticed a small snake. The snake's little red tongue was frantically tasting the air. Its body was coiled and tense. The undersized serpent studiously stared at the crow, obviously aware of every move. Given the size difference, I expected the crow would grab the snake by the tail, snap it like a whip and fly off with a fresh lunch.

In a surprisingly slow manner, the crow simply crept closer. Clearly, its curiosity was tempered by something - uncertainty, fear or possibly well-informed respect for the tiny snake.  

Later, a family friend explained that garter snakes have tiny needle-like teeth which can pierce the skin. Also, multiple websites state that garter snakes are now known to have a mild venom, which was a surprise to me. Apparently, their venom is fairly harmless to humans. Even so, 'snaketype.com' recommends having a doctor take look if you are ever bitten by a garter snake. I was also surprised to learn that garter snakes can eject a foul-smelling musk, which is used to discourage potential predators.

In retrospect, I wonder if the little brown spot on the righthand side of the bird's bill might have been a bit of the snake's musk.

The crow was clearly curious and quite tense. I wonder if snakes and crows experience adrenaline, like humans. The focus and intensity sure looked familiar. I suspect it felt similar to when I met a mother bear and her cub, while alone in the woods.

A moment later, the snake struck. The crow leaped back. For the first time, I realized one of the benefits of having legs which bend backward. The reverse bend, as compared to humans, appears to make it easier to leap away from danger, without turning to run. This enabled the crow to avoid the strike while also staying perfectly focused on the threat.

When the crow circled counter-clockwise, the snake took another shot.

Almost immediately, the snake was coiled up and ready to defend itself, again.

The crow moved a few feet away and even turned its back on the snake. Maybe, the crow was hoping the snake would disappear while it was not looking. I certainly expected it to quickly slither away.

Instead, the snake simply watched and waited

Soon, curiosity got the best of the crow and it circled around for another look.

Once again, the snake struck and the crow leaped back.

The snake recoiled and flicked the air with its little red tongue as if to say, 'I'm ready, take your best shot, big guy.' 

Hesitantly, the crow crept closer.

This time, as the crow circled to the south it apparently opened up an escape route. The snake began wiggling away to the north.

With the crow in close pursuit, I thought for sure the snake's tail would be irresistible.  Of course, this is the same end of the snake which may have sprayed the crow with musk.

I was surprised by how easily the snake attempted to navigate the nearly vertical surface when it reached the curb without being detained.

A moment later, the snake lost its traction. It fell back - landing directly in front of the crow. The crow was now perfectly positioned to strike. The little snake was almost literally between a rock and a hard place. 

Surprisingly, the crow lifted its wings and stepped back, apparently, fearing the snake would attack it. Later, someone suggested that crows may have an innate fear of snakes, just like humans. At the very least, this crow had a healthy respect. 

The snake seized the moment and leaped vertically again. The crow edged closer.

But, this time, the snake made it all the way up and over the curb. As the crow watched, the snake silently slithered away. Belatedly, the crow made a half-hearted attempt to search through the foliage, but the snake was safely hidden somewhere beneath the bushes and the brush.

Afterward, the crow wiped its beak on the curb and attempted to clean its face with its foot. This seemed to reinforce the idea that the snake may have sprayed the crow with its foul-smelling musk.

Update: There is some debate about how the musk exits the snake's body, e.g. spray vs exude or excrete. I cannot say positively, since I have not see it happen.

Thank You to Eric, Gary and Richard. Each of whom wrote in to confirm that garter snakes do not spray their musk. Apparently, they excrete it. Richard even provided a link to a scientific study of garter snake musk. You can read his perspective and see the link in the Comments section below.

Finally, just before flying away, the crow turned and glanced in my direction. The closing of its inner eyelids gave it a bit of an evil look.

I am left to wonder about the crow's hesitation. Was the smell of the musk what made the crow unwilling to attack? Are garter snakes actually dangerous to crows? If so, Do the crows understand the potential danger? or Do crows simply fear and respect all snakes? One thing is for certain, this crow was intelligent enough to be both curious and careful. 

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

Larry

Going Native:

Without a well-funded Environmental Protection Agency, it falls to each of us to be ever more vigilant in protecting our local environments. 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. My hope is that 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. (If natives 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.

My intention in my weekly post is to include at least one photo each week and visually challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms.

Is this a native or non-native plant?

Scroll down for the answer.

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

Orange Trumpet Honeysuckle: Surprisingly, this is both a native plant and a garden favorite.

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The Email Challenge:

Over the years I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements regarding my posts. Even more frustrating when they go to 're-sign-up', hoping that will enable them to once again start receiving the announcements, they get a message which says 'Sorry, you are already signed up.' Google has not responded to my requests for help with this issue. 

My functional workaround is to set up my own email list and each week I manually send out a new post announcement. If you are experiencing the issue and would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Thank you for your patience!

My email address is LDHubbell@comcast.net