NOTE: This post is part of a continuing series of observations: [ First | << Prev | Next >> ]
The male Bald Eagle put on quite a show for us this past weekend. When we arrived, the male eagle was perched high atop the nest tower surveying his domain. The female sat safely several levels below him dutifully incubating her eggs.
Without cause the male took to the air, circled the nest once or twice and then headed southwest towards the next transmission tower in the series. When he landed on the top of this tower he was another 350 yards/meters further away from us—nearly a half mile/one kilometer in all.
He did not stay there long, however, and the distance situation was about to get much worse before it got better. Leaving the transmission tower, the male eagle did a quick nest flyby and then turned east towards a distant tree line. When he finally landed he was nearly at the horizon over a mile and a half away.
When the male Bald Eagle returned a few minutes later, he again gave the nest a quick flyby and then landed on the second transmission tower once again. His stay there was only brief, as he quickly returned to the nest tower as dusk began to settle in.
Its not clear what motivated the male in his travel this afternoon. He was not hunting, that much is certain. Of interest was how intently the female watched him from the nest each time he flew by.
We have been observing this nest for 20 days now. The incubation period for Bald Eagle eggs is right around 35 days. We may have eaglets in just a couple more weeks.
NOTE: This post is part of a continuing series of observations: [ First | << Prev | Next >> ]
Incredible! Many thanks for this website.
Thank you for your posts! Will this pair stay here to raise a chick?
I always thought bald eagles were only migrants in Texas and went
back to northern states to breed. How long from hatch to fledge?
They will definitely stay to raise their eaglets baring any kind of calamity. The breeding range maps for these birds seem to be in error… that, or the eagles are expanding from their established ranges faster that it can be documented. I know of several active nests in the state… Some in the southern part of the state already have eaglets. We will have baby eagles here in the next week or so, and they will probably fledge sometime in May. I will do my best to keep my eye on them over that time period! My goal is to document the progress on at least a weekly basis.