First Five Years
From the very beginning the cold days and nights of February are tough on the eagles. It is at this time the adult pair will start their nesting and the female will go down on egg/eggs. If there is more than one egg the second will be laid two day’s after the first. Incubation takes about 35 days. It is during this time the birds need very little disturbance from man. Disturbance at this time (on eggs) can drive the birds from the nest and abandon the egg/eggs. The nest is than lost for the season and may even drive the pair from this nest for good. It is suggested at this time that all monitoring be done with a telescope and any photos taken with a very long lens from a distance not to disturb the birds in any way.
From the time the young are hatched the parents are kept busy with hunting, as these little calorie-consuming machines never get enough. The male does most of the hunting, as the female is likely to want to remain on the young for warmth and protection. They are very good parents.
To monitor and watch the young eaglets grow is a treat that cannot be described. I can sit and watch in the scope for hours and see things that make me laugh, the time goes by very quickly and the young grow fast. It is a sad thing to realize that only 16% of these birds will make it to become an adult bird.
Some photos will show the progression of these birds as they try to get that white head and tail.
| Banding | 5 week old | Irate Mom while banding | Feeling the wind at 10 to 12 weeks | 16 weeks and doing great | The ugly years about 2 to 3/12 |
