The Hanover Eaglets are thriving!
June 9, 2017 4:33 AM Subscribe
Eagle Teen Hunger Force! | Hatched in mid-March, they grew quickly and are well on their way to adulthood. This is glad news to nest fans, who were saddened last year when the first 2016 eaglet died a day after hatching and the second egg never hatched.
They've gone to fuzzy fluffballs to their current brown coloration, which will remain through their "juvenile" period (1-3 years). The familar white feathers will not come in fully until around 4-5 years of age.
It's rare to see either parent these days, but they still leave food in the next for the kids. (Recent observations showed the reamins of birds, rodents, snakes and even turtles!)
Nest-cam viewers are likely to see the eaglets jumping around the nest, flapping their wings and "branching" (taking short, hopping flights across the nest, alighting on a nearby branch, and repeating). It's common now to only see one in the nest; the other is likely just off-screen. This is all in preparation for "flegding" (taking their first true flight away from the nest). Once fledging begins, they will practice with short takeoffs and landings on and around the nest, gaining strength and improving their agility and landing ability.
As true fledging approaches, the parents may start withholding food, perching with food near the nest, or flying over with food to tempt the nestlings to fly. Adults may also encourage nestlings through vocalizations and low circling over/around the nest. When hungry, thirsty, or confident enough, the nestlings fledge. For the first 6 weeks, they should stay close to the nest site.
(Previously)
They've gone to fuzzy fluffballs to their current brown coloration, which will remain through their "juvenile" period (1-3 years). The familar white feathers will not come in fully until around 4-5 years of age.
It's rare to see either parent these days, but they still leave food in the next for the kids. (Recent observations showed the reamins of birds, rodents, snakes and even turtles!)
Nest-cam viewers are likely to see the eaglets jumping around the nest, flapping their wings and "branching" (taking short, hopping flights across the nest, alighting on a nearby branch, and repeating). It's common now to only see one in the nest; the other is likely just off-screen. This is all in preparation for "flegding" (taking their first true flight away from the nest). Once fledging begins, they will practice with short takeoffs and landings on and around the nest, gaining strength and improving their agility and landing ability.
As true fledging approaches, the parents may start withholding food, perching with food near the nest, or flying over with food to tempt the nestlings to fly. Adults may also encourage nestlings through vocalizations and low circling over/around the nest. When hungry, thirsty, or confident enough, the nestlings fledge. For the first 6 weeks, they should stay close to the nest site.
(Previously)
Ok gotta go
posted by grobstein at 10:10 AM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by grobstein at 10:10 AM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
right now looks like dad just brought back a whole fish and they have some small disembowled mammal to eat and the one is just SCREAMING anyway. teenagers!
posted by slow graffiti at 10:56 AM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by slow graffiti at 10:56 AM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
DC has two nests now, and one of the Arboretum eaglets got stuck, so they had to go up a very tall tree to free it.
posted by tavella at 11:08 AM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by tavella at 11:08 AM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Does anybody know what happened to the cool raven's nest in Iceland? The ravens hatched and then suddenly it went dark last week. I fear the worst.
posted by lagomorphius at 11:09 AM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lagomorphius at 11:09 AM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Another nest cam:
http://www.library.umass.edu/falcons
This one is peregrine falcon chicks (two this year!) in Boston.
posted by mcduff at 2:15 PM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
http://www.library.umass.edu/falcons
This one is peregrine falcon chicks (two this year!) in Boston.
posted by mcduff at 2:15 PM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
I saw this as the Hangover Eaglets and then I could not stop seeing it as the Hangover Eaglets.
posted by deadbilly at 1:42 AM on June 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by deadbilly at 1:42 AM on June 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Huh it was already in the post but I didn't see it!
There is also a time-lapse of the little fuzz-balls getting bigger in the nest!
posted by grobstein at 10:10 AM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
There is also a time-lapse of the little fuzz-balls getting bigger in the nest!
posted by grobstein at 10:10 AM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
That juvenile is EXTREMELY BIG now! When is he going to fly?
posted by grobstein at 3:52 PM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by grobstein at 3:52 PM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
The two juveniles are back in the nest right now!
They were both looming there looking over the edge, waiting -- THEN the dad swooped in and dropped off some food and they both CHARGED for it! Looks like they each managed to get a piece, I didn't quite see how, and now they are back to back, each eating while guarding against the other with warning calls and wings stretched out.
I think they are both flying now (at least I have seen the nest empty a lot). But they are still relying on their parents for at least some of their meals.
posted by grobstein at 10:27 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
They were both looming there looking over the edge, waiting -- THEN the dad swooped in and dropped off some food and they both CHARGED for it! Looks like they each managed to get a piece, I didn't quite see how, and now they are back to back, each eating while guarding against the other with warning calls and wings stretched out.
I think they are both flying now (at least I have seen the nest empty a lot). But they are still relying on their parents for at least some of their meals.
posted by grobstein at 10:27 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ha ha one is still eating and the other is LOOKING OVER. The eating guy had to shove him with his wing!
posted by grobstein at 10:28 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by grobstein at 10:28 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
I like how, when they are eating, they hunch over and create like a tent with their wings so their nestmate can't see what's up and try to steal!
posted by grobstein at 10:29 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by grobstein at 10:29 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
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Wish I had seen this earlier when they were little hatchlings! But they look like really good juveniles now!
posted by grobstein at 10:08 AM on June 9, 2017