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Saturday, March 22, 2014

Bald Eagle Nest (Guest Blog)

I feel lazy and am letting Graciela, our 9 year old granddaughter who is visiting us from Illinois, write her observations. Graciela already has some experience writing in my blog: Grocery Bag Birding Boots and Illinois Back Yard and Neighborhood  Enjoy! 
 Ken 

Today my Grandfather took me out to see the eagles. First I had trouble adjusting the binoculars but Grandpa helped me and I could see the eagles plain as day.
 Graci at eagle nest 20140317
I saw two eaglets. One was standing up and the other was sitting down.
 Bald Eaglets Glory and Honor 20140317 
The one that was standing up did not have any white on its chest whatsoever and was also exercising its wings.
 Bald Eaglets younger Glory flapping 20140314
When the other one stood up it had a white V on its chest. Grandpa said that the one with the white was Honor, the oldest one, and the other was Glory.
 Bald Eaglets older Honor on right 20140314 
We went over to some dead trees to see if we could spot the parents but they were not there, so we went back. Then Grandpa heard and saw a Pileated Woodpecker. I didn't see it but heard it nice and clear. Then one of the parents flew in. Grandpa was pretty sure it was Pride (the Dad) but wasn't so sure. It could have been Joy (the Mom). Whichever parent it was, it brought a fish. Honor picked up the fish in her beak but Glory just waited nicely.
 Bald Eagle male Pride at nest 20140317 Bald Eaglet Honor eating fish 20140317
The eaglets mobbed the parent and he flew to a branch just over the nest and stayed there for a few minutes. During that time they were calling to him.
 Bald Eaglets with male parent 20140314
Then Pride flew over to some dead trees along the road.
 Bald Eagle Pride 2-20140317

We darted over and Grandpa wanted the bird to look straight out so that he could see whether it was the male or the female by the shape of its head. Its feathers were all ruffled up and it had its back to us so he did not get a good glance so he checked the pictures as soon as he got home. It was the male (Pride). 
Graci at eagle roost 20140317 
When we got home he asked me if he could take a picture of the Mediterranean Gecko we caught. I told him where to look for it because I saw one there the last time I was visiting. At that time I found a baby Gecko. This time when Grampa caught it he scared his tail off! He thought it was a worm of some kind because it was wiggling, but I knew it was the tail. I was laughing so hard! When a gecko sees one of its most feared predators, it will drop its tail so the predator will go after it, which allows the gecko to sneak off and regrow its tail.
 Mediterranean Gecko 20140317 

16 comments:

  1. Terrific shots, and fabulous commentary by Graciela!

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  2. oh, such an awesome viewing of the eagle family! and i like your 'scared-the-tail-off' gecko, too! thank you, graciela!

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  3. Well done. An enjoyable post. Some nice shots.

    Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.

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  4. Great post Graciela! You or your grandpa took some great pictures of the eaglets -- you are lucky to have two of them. We have a nearby nest, but only one baby getting ready to fledge. (I guess it is really a teenager, not a baby, now!). That was funny about the gecko. I'd laugh too.

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  5. Awesome photos of the eagles. The gecko is cute too.

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  6. Graciela...I always enjoy your posts. You definitely know your way around with all the birding 'how to's' ...well done.

    Great photos. The eagles are so regal. And the gecko!

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  7. Loved your post Graciela! Beautiful pictures, too. I live in Illinois, too. All I'm seeing now are Robins and sparrows in my back yard. It's been a long winter. Enjoy your visit with your grandparents.

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  8. Great post from your granddaughter... The eagles are awesome.. Always a treat to see.

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  9. Wonderful shots of the bald eagle and the family.

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  10. I loved this post Graciela, wonderfully written and those photos are very cool. I have always heard that lizards lose their tails but didn't know they did it voluntarily :) Nature is very cool!

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  11. Well-written post, Graciela! It's so exciting to be able to observe the eagle family in the nest. Love the gecko photo and story.

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  12. Great photos and very interesting to have your grand-daughter's observations. Well done!

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  13. HI Kenneth wonderful shots of the eagles and tell Graciela.I loved how she wrote the post. Very interesting.

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  14. what a treet to be able to watch them like this. :)

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  15. Nice post - glad you were able to see some Eagles close up!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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