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[STLbf]

Raleigh, those wild turkeys are beautiful!  Two males for sure (beards) and one probably female. They were in the pasture near the nest after a hard rain around 9:30 this morning.  Couple more pics.  And a red squirrel has been hanging around on the Perching Branches and the nest.  When the eagles are away the other animals play!

[STLbf]

More wildlife this morning, female rose-breasted grosbeaks eating seeds from the greenery in the nest, and a doe with two fawns. Pic shows only the doe and one fawn. The rewind has the other fawn following as the others move out of sight.

Early morning, a juvenile eagle in one of the creek trees, about 7:00.  I thought it was DN16 from the calling sound.  But could also be an older juvenile.  Hard to tell when so far away.  Look at the rewind around 10:00 for young eagle in the Skeleton Tree that might be the same one, but no pic.

[Ginger52]

STL -- DN16 flew in last night and finished the prey that DNF was eating on the Scary Tree.  By that time I could tell it was a muskrat because she (16) moved it around so that I could see its long hairless tail.  She spent the night on the Spit Tree and the cam picked her up there early this morning and then later on on the Skeleton Tree.  BTW, did you notice those little birds flying around when 16 was on the Skeleton Tree?  It was hard to get a really close look but I think they were Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers.  They were light-colored with black tail and white outer tail feathers.  Any opinion about that?

Nice pic of the doe and fawns.  I saw it live but forgot to get a pic.  I think the bird on the nest was a female rose-breasted grosbeak.

It was quite a banner morning for seeing the wildlife.  I was watching some House Wrens on the nest when suddenly a new bird flew in and I was able to ID it as a male American Redstart.  I've never seen one before but All About Birds said one difference between the male Redstart and an Oriole, is that Redstarts have orange on the sides of the upper breast whereas Baltimore Orioles have an entirely orange belly.



 

[STLbf]

Ginger, you found wildlife that I missed!  My screen isn't big enough to get any detail on the possible flycatchers, and I never found house wrens on the nest, only the sparrows.  I agree with you about the American Redstart in your pic.  I have never seen one live either, but I do know Baltimore orioles.  And where-when was the female rose-breasted grosbeak?

It's raining again at DNN. Rain brings out insects, which brings out the birds that eat them. So what will we find later?

Many, many thanks to the camera operators.  They do amazing work, especially this year with better views of the creek trees.  And all the very close ups of all kinds of critters around the nest.

[Ginger52]

STL -- I think that what you labeled as a White-Throated Sparrow is actually a female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.  To me they do look similar but the grosbeak has the streaked breast and the sparrow doesn't.  Another difference is that the sparrow has a yellow spot between the eye and bill and the grosbeak doesn't.  Also, the grosbeak is more brown/beige and the sparrow is more gray.

I also saw a Cedar Waxwing today near what I call the Brush Pile (in front of BPT):



This evening DN16 is perched on the Scary Tree.  We've been hearing her squees this afternoon and finally she appeared.  I think she'll roost there tonight.

[STLbf]

Ginger, yes, I mis-IDd the female rose-breasted grosbeaks as sparrows.  Must remember that the females look totally different from the males!  It's like red-winged blackbirds.  I'll correct my pics.

Looks like DN16 is back for the night in the Scary Tree. Found her on the rewind before I checked the Forum.  Do you think that DN15 has dispersed?

[Ginger52]

I haven't seen 15 since the morning of Tues., August 9, so I do think he's left the area (at least, the cam area).  This morning DN16 flew off the Scary Tree and all the way downstream until out of sight.  I could hear her off and on before that but didn't see her on the cam until she left.  It'll be interesting to see if she returns.

[STLbf]

Somebody returned!  Cattle grazed across the pasture from left to right 7:00 to 7:30 AM. Then a sighting about 8:00 of a large hawk in the Brush Pile Tree (I think).  There was a very fast, blurry flyby that did not move the hawk away.  Lots of panning.  Near 10:15 sounds of eagle hollering, and DNF brought something to the nest, part of a prey item. Just as she landed, another bird overshot the nest (pic), looks like a sub-adult BE.  More hollering and DN16 from the sound of the call landed to claim and eat the food as DNF flew away. 

[STLbf]

Couple of closer pics of DN16 claiming and consuming the bits of whatever DNF brought to the nest.  Calling just before fly-off sounds like DN16.

[LisaG1967]

Thanks for the pics, STL!

[STLbf]

Yes, Lisa, it's good to see DN16 still in the North's valley.  I might have read somewhere that the females tend to stick around longer.

At about 1:00, DN16 perched on a low, drooping limb of the Scary Tree. Then she flew to the Twiggy Tree to the south, then disappeared until about 5:00 when the cam ops found her high up in the tree to the left of the Scary Tree. It's 6:00 now and DN16 is on the Ladder Branch at the nest, calling for all she's worth.

[STLbf]

While the eagles were elsewhere this afternoon, the cam ops looked at wildflowers and creatures in the area.  The white tail buck in antler velvet is the best find other than eagles!  Find him deep in the greenery at about 4:30.

[Puff]

Yellow flower looks like something in the coneflower/echinacea family?

P

[Ginger52]

Puff -- I believe the yellow flowers are Common Sneezeweed.

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=heau

[STLbf]

Thanks Puff and Ginger for the possible ID on the yellow flower.  There sure are many similar wildflowers at this time of year!

Morning today is really misty-foggy. Cam ops got some really artsy views of DN16 on the Perching Branch and the nest.  She spent the night on the Perching, then a short while on the nest playing with sticks, then flew to the Scary Tree about 9:00.  Haven't seen or heard her since then.  Hope for a reappearance later.  No other eagles, either.

Ginger, your DN15 last-seen date of early on AUG 9 is the same as mine.  Eat well, fly high, and be safe, Mr. DN15.