Parenting is a team effort not only with us bi-pedal creatures but oftentimes in the wildlife world as well.
With bald eagles, once eggs are laid, one parent is virtually always on the nest, guarding and keeping them warm. When the eggs hatch, the parents still lay on the little ones to keep them warm and then, as they get bigger, they stay nearby to protect them.
When I visited this nest last weekend, I witnessed a few “changing of the guards” as the parents switched off duty at the nest. Here, after the female took a break and brought back some grass, the male departs. He would go to a nearby tree while the female stayed at the nest.
I don’t know for a fact but I suspect the eggs had hatched by this time, at least that is judging from their behavior. Both spent time on the rim of the nest looking down in it and at one point when the male was eating a fish, he would occasionally dip his head down and to the side like he was feeding a little one. I’ll be paying them another visit soon and am hopeful to see a “bobblehead” or two in there!
Have a fantastic #FreedomFriday and weekend!
