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The Daily Bucket Friday Sequence: Bald Eagle Off-Season Nest Maintenance [1]

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Date: 2023-01-27

THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS. WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE DAILY BUCKET FEATURE, CHECK OUT THIS DIARY: DAILY BUCKET PHENOLOGY: 11 YEARS OF RECORDING EARTH'S VITAL SIGNS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

The first arrow points to home base, just north of Detroit. The second arrow points to Monroe, MI, where Sterling State Park is located.

Early morning wide-angle view in late August of the wetlands at the trail head. The Eagle’s nest is barely visible to the left. Good thing the trail heads back that way, affording a good view of the nest at a respectful distance. Zoom

Watching Bald Eagles at Dingell Park last winter, I learned that some mated pairs stay through the winter. If their nest is in prime wintering territory, they have to fend off other eagles, or share territory as best they can. Dingell Park sits on the banks of the Detroit River and often has open water that attracts ducks and other prey. Locals told me there is a resident pair that nests on Mud Island, which is part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

Sterling State Park sits next to a power plant with a cooling pond. Another choice location. According to this 2020 news report, over 100 Baldies wintered at the plant. The resident nest sits almost surrounded by wetlands, and close to the cooling pond.

Sterling State Park Bald Eagle pair November 26, 2022. Their cries pierced the early morning quiet and brought a smile to my face. I sure wonder what they were talking about.

Some non-migratory [Bald Eagle] pairs may stay in the vicinity of their territory all winter and can be seen working on their nest sporadically all year long. The renovation behavior makes the nest ready to house the next generation of eagle young and is part of the courtship process as it strengthens the bond between mates. Journey North.

More fun facts I learned about Bald Eagle nests from Journey North:

Nest sites typically include at least one perch with a clear view of the water, where they forage. Eagle nests are constructed with large sticks, and may be lined with moss, grass, plant stalks, lichens, seaweed, or sod. Bald eagles pick up broken sticks from the ground, and sometimes break branches off trees. They naturally take as many sticks as they can find close to the nest, but may lug some branches as far as a mile, carrying them in their talons. Both sexes bring materials to the nest, but the female does most of the placement. They weave together sticks and fill in the cracks with softer material such as grass, moss, or cornstalks.

With that background, here’s a sequence of the male Baldie grabbing and breaking a branch mid-flight and carrying it past his mate back to the nest.

Flying from the nest, eyeing a likely target. Bigger.

Zeroing in. Bigger.

Talons out, about to grab the branch. Bigger.

Got it! Bigger.

Starting to bank. Bigger.

Heading back to the nest. Bigger.

Still banking. Is that tail rudder amazing or what? Bigger.

Heading for the straightaway. Bigger.

Flying back towards his mate, still perched. The male is the dark slash center left. Bigger.

Flying past his mate. I wonder, is he checking for her okay?

Through the trees. Bigger.

Approaching the nest, which is on the upper right. Bigger.

And he’s back in the nest. Bigger.

The Missus looks on with approval.

Now it’s your turn.

What’s going on in your part of the world?

[END]
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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/1/27/2141019/-The-Daily-Bucket-Friday-Sequence-Bald-Eagle-Off-Season-Nest-Maintenance

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