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Daily Bucket: Folsom Bald Eagles are on the Nest [1]
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Date: 2025-03-06
I knew the Folsom Bald Eagles had returned to their nest above Lake Natoma in December but I hadn’t had a chance to go out until Sunday.
They had been very busy enlarging the nest before nesting. Momma Eagle laid three eggs that are due to hatch sometime around March 17. This is the 9th year they have had a nest at this location. If all three eggs hatch, they will be #20, #21 and #22.
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Sunday was cloudy and we had rain showers off and on all day. The trail that runs past the nest was completely empty and I saw no one else at the site during my brief visit.
Here’s a closeup of the nest. They definitely built up the nest, the rim is substantially higher than last year.
You can only see the one of the parent’s head above the nest.
As I approached the nest, I noticed a vernal pool had made an appearance. Vernal pools are seasonal ponds that appear in meadows and grasslands during the winter months creating an unique environment with plants, insects and amphibians that thrive in that variable ecosystem. After the last rainfall, they dry up and disappear until the next winter. Often the amphibians and insects lay eggs that remain dormant in the dry soil until the rains return the following year.
A couple of mallards made themselves at home in the shallow waters and were actively foraging. Last year, the pool had already dried when I visited in mid-April.
Mallards on a vernal pool. This pool will be gone shortly after the rains end.
A Black Phoebe also stopped by the pond.
A Black Phoebe perched on a twig until he spotted and grabbed a bug and flew off.
Of course, the Acorn Woodpeckers were out and about. In the 20 minutes I was there, I saw at least a half dozen of these colorful birds.
Woodpecker pair checking out a nest hole.
Although my visit was brief, I did see a few other birds.
Gulls, most likely Herring, flew overhead in large flocks.
A pair of Mourning Doves relax in an Oak tree.
After I left the park, I saw a flock of turkeys wandering through the neighborhood. This is a common sight in Sacramento County.
Wild Turkeys glitter in the sunshine while foraging on a suburban lawn.
One of the turkeys is white.
I plan on getting more time to go out and visit the nest, once the eggs hatch. If you want to check out the livestream here is the website: www.folfan.org
We are still getting winter weather here and the weather is very changeable. We had partly cloudy skies on Monday and Tuesday. Rain showers appeared on Wednesday in the valley with snow in the Sierras. More is expected today. The weekend should be dry but they are forecasting more rain on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
What’s up in your neck of the woods?
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