What better way to spend Independence Day than watching America’s national emblem? Despite having just returned from my vacation and the fact there was tons of yard work to do, I simply had to go check out my favorite nest and see how ‘junior’ was doing. My how big he / she has gotten!
As of this past Monday, it had not fully fledged although reports are that it had taken some very short hop flights. When I arrived, it had managed to get itself about 15 feet away from the nest and spent the balance of the morning testing its wings, never quite letting go of the branches.
Clearly the confidence just isn’t quite there yet. It didn’t help that the poor young one was being constantly dive-bombed by Western Kingbirds that did not appreciate the big raptor’s presence.
Undoubtedly that first, real flight is just days away if it hasn’t occurred already since the start of the week.
