There are many more wonderful pictures from this week on the
Hancock Wildlife Channel Forum Screenshots and Videos - Sidney Nest thread
And the observations I've posted are a very, very small sample of what's available
on the Hancock Wildlife Channel Forum Observations Daily Log thread
My thanks to the dedicated observers who made this summary possible.
Eagle Lover from NYC - Starr's photo - June 30
wendybacalar's photo - June 30
"she's getting very good at feeding herself!"
link to Sierra's video "All Alone with my Fish"
jkr observed, "June 30, 6:53
She gingerly turns so her tail is over the edge and starts pulling at something.
She just picked up something with her beak and as soon as she started to walk she took a terrible stumble and fell flat on her face with her right wing extended. She must have caught her foot on something. A few more steps and she seems to be okay."
wendybacalar's photo - June 30
"This is the beak of a 9 week old eaglet!!"
2:31 sitting at 6 o'clock peeping - and a series of chucks with no peeps!!!"
bociany's photo - June 30
link to Soundguy's video
"Home Alone" (2 min)
wendybacalar's photo - July 1
wendybacalar: "July 1, Exciting this morning!! Skye branched in the crooked tree trunk on the left at 5:04!!!
I couldn't believe it when she landed there, got her balance and stayed until she realized she couldn't flap her wings up there!! LOL..oh Skye!
You can see her wing feathers under the upper right branch as she flaps for balance.."
link to Skipper's video "Skye's New Branch"
wendybacalar observed: "July 1, 4:57 Wow she just let go of the j/gym and got some great height and movement while flapping - she flapped into the crooked tree trunk and continued on the front of the nest. That was a series of 30 flaps before I lost count..
4:58 A few more flaps and calls on the front.
4:59 She flaps her way over to the sticks on the back, jumps up and keeps flapping and lifting and calling.
5:04 Well I never!!! Skye has branched on the crooked tree trunk!!!!!!!! She is on the far side, can see her tail and her head moving through the break in between the trunks!!
5:06 She tries to do some wing flaps up there but decides it's too constricting so jumps into the nest!"
wendybacalar's photo - July 1
Skye and Dad
link to Skipper's video "Skye's Canada Day Brekkie"
Soundguy: "This is another fascinating study piece. Is this a planned teaching event by the parents? Female drops the fileted salmon skin then leaves. Male arrives a few minutes later, and Skye (reluctantly) shares the food. There is very little mantling, just loud protests from Skye."
link to Skipper's video "Skye in a Flap" (3:21)
wendybacalar's photo - July 1
Skipper's photo - July 2
Eagle Lover from NYC - Starr's photo - July 2
bociany's photo - July 2
"Going Up!"
bociany observed: "July 2, At 9:09 this morning I saw the highest jump ever by Skye."
link to Soundguy's video "Morning Workout" (1:40)
link to Soundguy's video "Airborne" (40 sec)
bociany's photo - July 2
link to Soundguy's video "Major Mantling" (1:50)
link to Skipper's video "Feeding Frenzy" (4:49)
wendybacalar's photo - July 2
"All 3 were on nest. Reinforcements for the single battered parent!!"
4:13pm....She is now getting some bits of food from Mom, and Dad has even moved closer. Skye continues to beseech Mom for food and Dad just might be in there also now. This interaction is very fascinating.
4:15pm.... Dad has again moved to the rear of the nest and Mom continues to eat as she makes her way through the nest with Skye at her right shoulder following every bite she takes.
4:17pm....Mom has moved back to the front of the nest and she is stillllll eating. Skye is on the other side of her and cannot be seen on the WA."
jkr observed: "4:18 Dad at 11:00 and looks like he might be eating. Mom is at 5:00 eating. Skye is behind mom and still carrying on to be fed.
4:19 Mom's had enough and flies off at 4:00. Skye then heads over to beg from dad but dad is having nothing to do with it and he makes his way to the larder at 5:00 and carries on eating what mom left behind. Skye is at 10:00 picking on nestovers or a stick. Maybe dad left a few morsels over there.
4:23 Skye wanders on over to 6:00 and pecks around at the nest. Dad is still working on the rubber fish that mom left behind.
4:25 Dad gracefully takes flight off at 2:00.
Skye is left standing at 5:00 looking to see where he went."
wendybacalar's photo - July 2
REDRUM's photo - July 3
An observation to note I noticed this morning that she's doing the pigeony head bob and weave thing that we noticed Sid and Vic doing last year before their maiden voyage.
Surely we're not that close already?"
wendybacalar's photo - July 3
2nd try at 8:41 and she's up on the crooked tree trunk!! She just put her foot on it, widened her wings and climbed right up!! Used her wings to balance herself.
6:43 She hops down like she's been doing it forever, goes to front and does some wing flaps.
There must be a low perch on the far side of the crooked branch we can't see from here cause she didn't have to fly up..but did use her wings for balance."
wendybacalar's photo - July 3
sandra gee observed: "July 3, 1:26pm.... .an F.Y.I......Just want to note here the last time Skye ate anything was the feeding yesterday afternoon between 3:00-4:30pm....as good as it was, it was almost 24 hours ago. Dad was in this morning briefly at 08:12am, not sure if he brought anything. Skye beaked him and actually lashed her talons out at him and needless to say he didn't stick around very long. Shortly after she picked something up from the center of the nest, but did not really eat any of it, just picked at it then put it down. Yesterday afternoon was the last time Mom was seen on the nest also....."
trek observed: "2:43 pm The babe has been vocalizing for the last few minutes as if a parent might be close by. He has made his way to the pile of sticks. Re feeding..or non feeding today. It was posted this morning that a parent visited the nest and that the babe did mantle..try to grab the parent and after the parent left the babe did appear to pick up something. This behaviour has shown in the past that food may have been delivered. I can't say for sure as I did not observe it...but I am not sure we can say for sure that the babe has not eaten. If eaten whole a small fish can take seconds to eat."
wendybacalar's photo - July 3
Soundguy observed: "A Classic Eagle Pattern Developing: In the last few days, there's been a flurry of feedings, and suddenly they drop off. Not a single morsel of food dropped all day. Watch for the parents to withold food for the next few days. They might even tease Skye, landing on the nest edge with prey clutched in their talons, then fly off as the hungry eaglet charges the food. This eagle blackmail is intended to encourage Skye to take the leap. Hunger, now plays a key role in the upcoming maiden flight."
JudyB comments: "There seems to be a variety of opinions as to how common it is for parents to use food to lure an eaglet to fledge - it will be interesting to see what happens here."
No additional food deliveries observed July 3.
wendybacalar's photo - July 3
kate_oneill observed: "July 3, 12:55 Skye used the medium sized, leafed branch protruding from the 5 o/c position to practice wing-flaps: a nice bouncy springboard with only 40 feet of air between her and the earth.
12:56 cross nest wingflaps. Then leaps with huge height, as in yesterday's wingersizes."
link to Skipper's video "Out on a Limb" (1:46)
wendybacalar's photo - July 3
Janner observed: "July 3, 4:34 Skye is getting better at standing on one leg - the other day she had to lean right over to keep balance - now she is on her right leg - and quite upright!! She is still centre front - facing WA!"
link to Soundguy's video
"Nest Trampoline" (35 sec)
link to Soundguy's video
"Ready to Fly" (70 sec)
with great shots of her wings
wendybacalar's photo - July 4, 4:40 am
"Skye was active. Lots of wing sillhouette antics!"
Skipper's photo - July 4
"Skye flies to Lookout Branch"
link to Sierra's video "Majestic Skye!" (33 sec)
elle observed: "July 4, I will pass by the nest after work and let you know if and where Mum and Dad are. For those that are concerned about their long absence from the nest, Soundguy is most likely right. It's fledge time.
Lately Mum and Dad spend long hours in opposite trees on the property where they can see the whole territory. The entire length of the beach and the nest and surroundings.
They have also been observed eating in a tree next to the nest and overlooking the beach. They are not taking all the food to Skye any more."
lyndabird observed: "7:50 am PDT Skye, after jumping down from her branch, started digging and looking for bits to eat. She found a large piece of leftover something around 7 o'c, her favourite eating spot. She's been steadily pulling pieces off of it. Her hunger has made her more resourceful. She dropped a piece and went after it, just like Mom does. She isn't wasting any of this.
I'm constantly in awe of how the parents innate and/or hereditary senses kick in, in preparing their little one to fend for itself in the world."
REDRUM's photo - July 4
ostrich observed: "11:07am eaglet time - adult arrived with food - I guess they haven't given up on feeding Skye yet. Skye down immediately and rushing over to grab and mantle the food."
Sierra observed: "11:07 am,
Finally. Looks like it is Mom that brings in food. Couldn't see what it was because Skye grabbed it and mantled. He is chuping to her and hasn't started eating yet. Probably wants her to leave him alone."
sandra gee observed (after describing eaglet looking for place to eat): "11:14am...is now eating...can hear the ripping and tearing. CU view is good. Skye knows what to do and gets to it. Has a stringy piece in her mouth and walks to the rear and downs it."
Paula observed: "1:10 Parent arrives with lunch on right side of nest, stays about 1 minute. Skye peeping all the way. Parent quickly took off to the right."
Sierra observed, "1:28 pm,
Dad stops by and Skye is squealing and mantling every time Dad comes near, afraid he will take it. I am thinking Dad wanted to offer to feed her, but she is having no part of that.....so far. Dad keeps hopping up on Mom's branch and the peeping slows but doesn't stop."
Janner observed, "1:38 Dad comes back down to the nest - takes the fish - it's one of those tough flat ones - gently slides it away from Skye - who lets him - sort of!
Dad is feeding her - but she still peeps in between mouthfuls!"
Janner observed: "1:55 this is turning out to be a relatively civilised feeding - for them - she is taking the pieces without attacking Dad's beak!!
And he is getting some as well!!"
jkr observed: "4:53, FOOD DROP"
Skipper's photo - July 4
"Airborne
" Skipper: "You can see the tip of Skye's wing between the two tree trunks on the left. I say her wingspan is wider than the nest."
jkr observed: "July 4, 4:18 pm,
Head movements as if she's focusing on something in the distance (triangulation)."
terrytvgal observed: "Yes!! that's the thought I had too, but sometimes people say it's something to do with passing food out of the crop so I never know what to say is happening when I see that."
jkr observed: "Terry, what I have noticed is that when she "casts a pellet" her head goes front to back as if she's coughing. I think she does the same type of thing when she's moving food from her crop.
When she's focusing on something her head movements make more of a triangular pattern."
birdofprey's photo - July 5
queenie's photo - July 5
link to queenie's video "Branching with Parent" (4:00)
sandra gee observed: "July 5, 8:43am....Well, I think this is a first....Parent stretches a wing......Skye is up and vocalizing and gets right up on the balcony with the parent. She is vocalizing and I think also in a submissive pose there for a moment....with her head down....and is being very still......The parent is the one in the back behind the the branch and Skye is the one closest to us. Parent just stretched a wing."
Janner observed: "9:42 - balance on left leg - and scratch head with the right!
9:48 - Skye preening now - they are both still on the branch!!"
gemini observed: "10:11 ..... Skye and parent still on the balcony."
kringlecat observed: "10:14 am,
Skye peeps loudly; off branch. Lots of flapping, hopping and flapping around the nest.
Now looking up at parent who has remained on the branch.
Now up on the branch with parent again....."
Some observers thought parent was Dad
Sierra's photo - July 5
bociany's photo - July 5
link to Skipper's video "Skye's Feather Bed" (2:29)
link to BBE's video
"So Close -- to the Edge and Fledging" (4:04)
terrytvgal's photo - July 5
terrytvgal observed, "July 5, 10:58 pm FYI --- the last reported delivery of food to the nest seems to have been on WEDNESDAY JULY 4 at 4:53 when JKR was the first to note it...
David says in Hancock's comments from the field to look for fledging approx 2 days after the cessation of food deliveries:
Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:20 pm
Post subject: The Day of Fledging
In the wilderness it usually takes an unexpected wind or two or so days of no food to prompt the first flight. Food brought to the nest holds it off. Remember last year. Lil was almost two weeks late and probably due to Ma and Pa continuing to bring in food."
Jo UK's photo - July 6
wendybacalar observed: "4:09 a.m. I am looking for Skye on the balcony. I hear rustling but don't see her on the balcony which is where she was seen last evening at dark."
It's not clear if she slept on the balcony, but she was clearly hopping on and off as it grew light.
wendybacalar's photo - July 6
(eleven weeks old)
bociany's photo - July 6
sandra gee observed: "July 6, 5:50am?......Skye, a big wing stretch and shriek herald the arrival of parent bringing in a fish. Skye rushed parent and grabbed it, could see it in her mouth...one of those fat chubby ones. Parent did not hang around, left right away."
lyndabird observed: "12:28 pm PDT Parent landed and looks like a fish was dropped. Skye mantled over it, the parent left and then Skye spent two minutes just looking at it.
12:30 pm Finally she picked it up and moved it to mid nest, near 6 o'c and started to eat. She's not in a hurry and there's no peeping at all."
bociany's photo - July 6
closeup of Skye mantling over fish
wendybacalar's photo - July 6
(eleven weeks old)
sandra gee observed: "July 6, 9:56am....Skye has been off and on the balcony a few times since the last post...however, this last time I noticed she actually went higher than the branch and came in/down for the landing...have not noticed that before. Almost like she is practicing her landing technique...anyone else notice a difference with this landing on the balcony.????
link to Blue Heaven's video "Skye Flies High"
"I think this is the greatest height achieved so far."
skipper's photo - July 6
(eleven weeks old)
