Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[STLbf]

Food-wise, looks like rabbit on the menu.  MrN had a carcass on the logs under the nest at about 9:00 this morning.  Pretty sure it's a rabbit, see closeup of foot.  Rewind to see closeup of head and ears, no pic here.   

10:00 finds a parent BE on the far creek bank with a carcass.  Not sure what, or if it ever got carried to the nest.

11:00, MrN brought the rabbit carcass to the nest. DNs tussled over possession. When the carcass came apart, does that mean they are both winners?   

[LisaG1967]

Great pics, STL! 

Love the one of Mr N on the log.

[STLbf]

Thanks, Lisa.  MrN likes the log when he's wrestling with large, heavy prey.  He eats it down to carrying weight for the nest.

An adult BE spent some time this afternoon preening in one of the dead trees at the creek. Maybe DN12's tree???  Not sure if it was MrN or DNF or a visitor.

DNF brought something to the nest and both DNs pounced.  After, she was inspecting her talons to be sure they were all there!  Really, just scratching her chin.  The kiddos are not into sharing much, and they don't want her help most of the time.  "We're big kids, now!"

The bugs are pesty today after the rain.  Gnats or those tiny biting flies.

[STLbf]

The Norths had a rainy misty early morning. DNs testing their wings and shaking off the insects and generally hanging around waiting for something to happen.  Finally, DNF brought a late lunch that the DNs pounced on only to find out it was roadkill or an old dried up carcass from who knows where.  From closeups, I'd say it was a muskrat.

[STLbf]

Action picked up when DNF brought a nice, fat fish worth fighting for.  Rewind to 3:00 to see who won the prize.

[LisaG1967]

Action picked up when DNF brought a nice, fat fish worth fighting for.  Rewind to 3:00 to see who won the prize.

Thanks for the heads-up on the rewind!

[STLbf]

But wait! There's more! This afternoon was porch - patio day!   

DN15 fly-hopping all over the nest from about 3:00 on, and one of the stops was the lower patio section.  And not once, but three times by about 5:00.  I'm sure there will be video, but I couldn't resist lots of pics.  I expected DN15 would stay put for many hours the first time before trying to get back on the nest, but no, in a few minutes he-she walked back up and even brought a small leafy branch.  DN16 seemed interested but not ready today.

DN15 is 72 days old.  How does this compare with DN13 & 14 last year?

[STLbf]

DN15 moved to the porch and back to the nest three times this afternoon.  What a big growing-up deal!

So are we calling the side area the porch, or the patio??

[STLbf]

Today morning about like yesterday. DN15 exploring the porch section of the nest; DN16 not yet.  No feeding, no MrN or DNF on the nest that I found on the rewind.  Longer interval between feedings encourages the eaglets to fledge.

Is it my imagination, or has DN16 gotten larger than DN15?  Larger would indicate a female.  What do you-all think?

[eburgbirdwtchr]

Totally agree STL.  But DN15 is "ahead" in the hovering, leaping mode.  Looking for "him" to be the first to fledge.  And DN16 got bigger by being more aggressive at feeding times as I see it.   

[STLbf]

All opinions welcome, and we may never know sexes for sure.  No banding of peregrines by RRP this year, so probably no banding of eagles either.

DN16 has been the noisy one this season, also aggressive about claiming food. Makes me think of DNF's behavior.  DN15 is really dominant because older, and DN16 usually backs off and submits.

[LisaG1967]

I am with eburg ---- 15 male, 16 female.

[STLbf]

Guessing the ID sexes is 50 - 50, but I agree with Lisa and eburg.  Is RRP weighing in?

Great food fight from about 11:30 AM when MrN brought a good sized fish to the two very hungry DNs. DN16 got it and defended several stealing attacks.  Sharing occurs only when at least one of them is full.  MrN dropped off the fish and got out of the way in a hurry. No need to lose a talon over lunch!

[Ginger52]

Yep, 15 male, 16 female.

That fish at 11:30 was grabbed by DN15, not 16.

[LisaG1967]

Yep, 15 male, 16 female.

That fish at 11:30 was grabbed by DN15, not 16.

16 was so funny trying to sneak and steal that fish, but 15 was not giving it up!