Bald Eagle nest: Plymouth County

June 15, 2017 in Bald Eagle

_W7I1125-001Had a nice visit by kayak to a Bald Eagle nest in Plymouth County with a pair of eaglets.  In terms of size and shape they appear to be close to fledging time.  The other eaglet was resting and almost out of sight in the nest.  The adult female was perched not far away on a tree snag.  Here’s a quick recap of the timeline for growth in an eagle chick:

The young birds grow rapidly, they add one pound to their body weight every four or five days. At about two weeks, it is possible for them to hold their head up for feeding. By three weeks they are 1 foot high and their feet and beaks are very nearly adult size.  Between four and five weeks, the birds are able to stand, at which time they can began tearing up their own food.  At six weeks, the eaglets are very nearly as large as their parents.  At eight weeks, the appetites of the young birds are at their greatest. While parents hunt almost continuous to feed them, back at the nest the eaglets are beginning to stretch their wings in response to gusts of wind and may even be lifted off their feet for short periods.

This pair of eaglets are in wing stretching mode and ready for flight very soon!

Bald Eagle nest; NW Essex County

June 24, 2014 in Bald Eagle

This Bald Eagle is located in a nest in NW Essex County and it is ready to fledge and is expected to make first flight in next few days!

Bald Eagle nestling

June 24, 2014 in Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle nest in northeast Essex County along the Merrimack has 2 chicks this year.  Stopped by on a warm late June afternoon and observed the eaglet panting in the warm heavy air.  Like dogs, eagles don’t have sweat glands. They control heat by panting, radiation through their unfeathered legs and feet, and perching in the shade.

Bald Eagles – 2 chicks!!!!

April 26, 2014 in Bald Eagle

The recent posting on the Bald Eagle pair in Essex County included a series of copulation sequence photos.  It was unclear if this was part of a post egg hatching ritual for this pair of Eagles.  Although a posting was made on April 1 that made mention of a likely feeding process, no chick was observed during that observation period.

A late visit to the nest provided an opportunity to observe an adult perched on the rim of the nest under cloudy conditions.  The adult then flew off to the northeast.  Every effort was made to look for any sign of a chick. Nothing is sight…..and then to my delight and surprise, a wing and then the dark crown of a chick head appeared.  Great news for the breeding effort this year.

A few minutes later, moved to another vantage point, looking for a better view of the chick.  This effort afford another terrific surprise with the sighting of second chick int he nest!  WOW!  Low quality photos of 2 chicks, one with head raised and other just showing its shoulder.  Stay tuned!!