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[STLbf]

Spectacular sunrise here to greet November.  The Norths spent the night on Love Branches, then MrN visited the snowy nest briefly at daylight. A red-tailed hawk perched on the Yonder snag for a bit before noon; looks like the same one as yesterday.

[BrokenLug]

Snow here overnight and all morning.  Is this early for this part of Iowa?

STL -- I'm guessing it's a week or two earlier than the average first measureable snowfall for this area.  Probably BL or eburg could answer this better though.

I found this "Normal Date of First One Inch Snowfall" data for Iowa here:
https://www.weather.gov/dmx/climatenormals

It appears the average 1st 1" snowfall for the 'Decorah Area' is from Nov. 18 - 25.
With Nov 23 being the sweet spot for 1st snowfall @ Decorah.   
(Based on data from 1981 to 2020).

[Ginger52]

Thanks, BL.  I knew you'd come up with the data!

[BrokenLug]

And BTW stellar DNN STLbf.   

That red sky in the morning makes my old sailor November bones wish I had split more wood. 

[STLbf]

BL, my old bones are thankful that I don't have to split wood!

Snow is melting at DNN today.  Eagles are busy again.

[STLbf]

Here's a new lookout view from above the nest.  Which tree or branch?

[STLbf]

Breakfast and lunch with The Norths today.  MrN found a carcass on the far bank of the creek about 9:00 this morning, and he flew with it to the Claw Tree where he consumed most of it, in competition with several crows.  I think the carcass was a fox.  DNF arrived and calling ensued. 

Also closeup of a starling in winter plumage.  Gorgeous.

[STLbf]

More with the Norths.

They both flew to the Spit Tree for a while, then MrN went to the Spit where he might have caught a fish, because he showed up at the nest about 11:00 with one, which he ate. DNF joined him at the nest and more calling ensued, along with some great closeups of her, thanks to the cam ops.

[shep]

I am SO impressed with this nest.
Maybe they could give hints to the other Decorah pair?

[Phyl]

Thanks to all for the snaps and info . How can all that info  get over looked.

[Ginger52]

That European Starling was gorgeous.  It was casting pellets.

 

 

Yesterday was the third day in a row that we've seen more visitors than usual.  They arrived with the recent snowstorm.  The eagle that arrived while Mr. North was eating the carcass was a visitor.  (RRP said the carcass was a opossum.  I couldn't tell for sure, except that at some point you could see that it had a long skinny tail.)  The visitor is on the right in this pic.



When the Norths were perched on the Spit Tree, there was a flyby.  The eagle landed upstream not too far from where another eagle was already perched.



Closeup of DNF on the nest.


A pretty subadult perched near the stream.  DNF did a lot of vocalizing at all of the visitors during the day.


Nightime Luckys.

[STLbf]

Ginger, good to get clarification and other opinions.  I agree that there were BE visitors during the eating times yesterday.  Possums where I live are whitish and gray.  The carcass at DNN looked too redish, and long dark legs, and I think the long, skinny bit was not a tail. Possum tails are bare, not hairy or furry like that dangly piece.  So maybe we'll never know, but it's interesting to learn the different kinds of prey eagles eat.

Morning nest work, lots of noisy crows, the Norths perching in a creek tree.

[shep]

Nov 5

[STLbf]

Shep, the Norths are just the most photogenic pair!  There are several visiting eagles in the area now, and some are hard to tell apart from DNF and MrN at the creek views.  They don't seem to be disturbing the Norths in their nestorations.

[STLbf]

DNF had a picnic lunch by the creek at noon today.  Watch rewind to see her gulp down the large fish tail.  Then she spent a good while bathing in the creek.  Lovely early November Sunday!