Well, lookie there! Two, cute, little, gray, fuzzy bobbleheads have arrived at this nest to carry on the legacy of our national symbol.
I figured this past week was hatch week, just based on when I first spotted mama sitting on the nest and a 35-day incubation period. Arriving at the nest yesterday right at sunrise, there wasn’t much action. Dad was perched across the river in his favorite spot, mom was laying in the nest.
After about a half hour, she started calling and like a bat out of hell, here came dad. Time for a changing of the guard as she was ready for a break. She departed, not to be seen again for a few hours. Dad stood watch, initially next to the nest, then from in the nest.
I waited, and waited and waited, just having that feeling there were eaglets in there. Sure enough, after an hour or so, movement and then two bobbing heads peeking up. Dad was on top of things and spent the next half hour feeding them, tearing bits and pieces off what looked to be a squirrel. He even defended the nest against an intruding red-tailed hawk that forgot who owns that territory.
I only got brief glimpses of both eaglets at once but did see them individually quite a bit. Over the coming months I will of course continue to document this family and hope for successful outcomes. Odds are tough for these majestic creatures during their first year of life though and this pair has never fledged more than one offspring.
