The Eagles are nesting!

Spring is  in the air.   We haven't seen the April showers, or May flowers, but a pair of eagles have let us know that spring is  in the air.   A week ago we learned that there was an off limits area just off  a trail from the campground because of an eagle's nest.  So obviously, we took a walk to see what was available for viewing.

We found the area after walking the long way around several days ago.  Two days ago, we hiked back to it with our binoculars, sat down on the ground up against a post for an hour to wait.  It was about 30 minutes later when I spotted an eagle making a tree top level approach to the nest.  It screeched two or three times, which the eagle sitting on the nest obviously heard, as it immediately hopped up to the edge of the nest.  The new arrival caught me by surprise and I didn't even raise the binoculars for a better look.

The dinner provider then proceeded to serve dinner to the two eaglets, and it was obvious  they were hungry.  When the meal was finished, the nesting eagle flew off while the dinner provider hopped up a short ways so that the eaglets couldn't reach him.

I waited another 30 minutes, but the second eagle did not reappear.   I will say that being a naturalist does sound interesting, but to spend hours and hours waiting for something to happen is more than I want.  (You can't read a book, as you might miss some action.)

Today I went back to the roped area, taking my lawn chair for  much easier sitting.    I waited about 45 minutes until an absent eagle appeared.  It must have been feeding time,  but dinner had to be skimpy, as there wasn't much action.  I waited another 30 minutes and the second eagle did not appear.  It was apparent that both of the parent eagles had left  earlier.

While waiting, I did notice the size of the eaglets.   They appeared to be about 3/4 grown with mostly fuzz.   A couple of times, they stood up and flapped their feather-less wings.   The nest is about 10 feet from the top of the fully grown pine tree in a three-fingered fork in the trunk.

While I'm sitting there waiting and watching,  I found it is amazing what could be heard.  Mostly it was birds, but then there are the strange noises that forced me to turn around to see if something was on the road, or coming up  the path.  I don't mind seeing things, I just don't like surprises!

Gene