About a month ago i posted a couple of pictures my buddy took of a nesting pair of Bald Eagles on a river here in Indiana.
They are rare here in these parts. The Indiana DNR released some chicks starting in 1985 at Monroe Reservoir and ended in 1989 with the hopes of them staying/nesting in the state and building back their numbers after they we're hard hit by pestisides such as DDT. Over a period of 5 years 73 chicks we're released here.
Anyways my buddy found a nest site on a river we tend to walk and hunt waterfowl on and he being a camera nut as well as a gun nut like me decided he would like to get as many good pictures of this years chicks as he could. This past weekend he got some good photos of the 2 chicks on the nest and one average but a little blurry shot of an adult that brought food to the nest. He said his digital Nikon auto-focused on a twig in front of the nest instead of the adult itself. Hope you enjoy and forgive my not mentioning the river or location. We figure the less who know about it's location the better chance for them to remain using it next year. Always a concern over some idiot who might take a potshot.
There is a known individual in the area known to have stated he will shoot any Redtail Hawk he can due to the predation on rabbits and squirrels. Heard from some he has killed more than a few Redtails. The first picture is an adult on a dead tree not 50 yards from the nest. The second picture is the 2 chicks on the nest taken this last sunday. The third picture is the adult on the nest slightly out of focus.






Interesting to note the chicks we're hopping around and flapping their wings jumping around the edges of the nest this past weekend. We believe they are about to "Fledge".

Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

The Chicago PD was planning on putting up a range on the lake for their dept.. There was some public outcry but plans were going forward. Then they found a pair of nesting eagles on the sight. So for now no range. Imagine that, eagles in Chicago. When I was a kid in Chicago, the only wildlife was squirrels and the horse that pulled the ragman's wagon. Return of wildlife to Chicago and N.W. Indiana is nothing short of amazing. One problem though is Chicago residents think Coyotes are just doggies with social issues that surely can be dealt with.

Thanks for posting the pictures. They are a beautiful and noble bird!

For anyone interested, here's a link to a live web cam where a nesting pair is raising three. They've been using this nest for a few years now. http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Thank you.

PA Reb,
That is a very interesting site. I could watch these majestic
birds for hours and not get bored. Something about seeing an adult with the bright colors always gets me excited. They are fun to watch swooping into the nest with some food for the chicks and leaving almost as quickly, out to hunt some more.

Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

Eagles are fairly common around here, if your near the river you see them daily. Up where we used to have a place on a lake in B.C. they were so common we started giving them names. Ever year on my birthday I always got up early and traveled to the head of the lake to catch a birthday fish, early in June. There was a mated pair of eagles that always nested in a very large cottonwood, it was always great to see one of them snag a fish. I was trolling around the bay and had just crossed the creek inlet watching my pole as this was as good a place as any to get a hit and sure enough bang I had a fish on. I kicked the engine to idle and started reeling in what felt like a real nice fish, just started to see the flashing of the cowbells when out of the corner of my eye I see movement, I look up and here comes ole baldy, talons outstretched wings flared. I pulled back on the pole and caused him to miss, the last thing I wanted was a 30lb eagle snagged in the line. I kept reeling in the fish and the eagle wheeled in the air and came back down for another pass, again I pulled back on the rod and he missed again. This time he gave me hell and went off, I reeled in a nice 18" rainbow and had one hell of a good laugh. Later one of the old boys came up in his little rowboat with about a 5 horse engine, he asked if I would help with his wharf due to the large engine I had on my boat. I helped him out and he invited me up to his shack for some "coffee", we were sittin on the deck sippin coffee and I asked him if he had ever had any trouble with ole baldy messin with his fishin rigs, he said "How many did you loose?" I told him I didn't loose any but he had a good go at me. He told me that in as many years he had lost six decent fish and never had the eagle snared in the line, he said he'd gotten real good at it and must have keyed into the flashers knowing the fish wasn't too far behind.

I took this from my back yard a couple of years ago. The Eagle snatched a baby nutria from a group of several and that is another nutria below it.



I have started seeing more of them around here lately.

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Corripe Cervisiam

Neat story Kinman. That would be something to accidently snag one
with a rod and reel. Not sure what i'd do if that happened. Cut the line i guess and hope it would eventually shake the hook.
I wish they we're more common here and it's good seeing them make a nest on a river we so dearly love. I guess a pair will mate for life and return to the same nest each year from what i've read. Very cool to see a couple of healthy looking chicks being raised as well. Maybe they will make this area home as well someday.
Joe that is a great picture. One i'm sure my buddy would love to have taken.

Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

I, for one, and others, I'm quite sure, would like to know more about this business of walking on the river... As you are no doubt aware, this is an ability generally attributed to a dubiously authentic religious figure in an ancient tome, and today generally regarded as unlikely as the purported turning of water to wine, feeding multitudes on a paucity of fish and bread, and numerous other scientific improbabilities, including the ultimate defiance of death as we now know it.

If you've cracked this walking on water thing, maybe you're on to some of these other tricks --- if so, please share...

We have plenty of Bald Eagles here on Vancouver Island. Our home overlooks Georgia Strait towards Vancouver and the Winchelsea Islands and right below our home, at the top of the bank of the beach, there's 3 or 4 large Douglas Fir Tress that are Eagle Trees, as they're called, with a few nests that are used year after year. From our kitchen and family room we can watch these eagles as they come and go. When they're nesting their young it's not unusual to see them bringing food to the young ones. The big ole crows sure do torment the Eagles and I never could understand why the eagles don't kick the behinds.

Where the Eagle Trees are there's a neighbourhood park with stairs down to the beach. I go for walks in the evening and venture down to the beach where quite often there's a Bald Eagle or two down there root'n around on the beach, especially when the tide's going out. Quite a sight to watch these guys.

Rod

Good one JKC,
While my 3 grandkids might think "Papaw" can walk on water,
I have sadly been unable to accomplish this feat.
In my younger days i did sucessfully drive/fly/skip my Quad 400cc across on a dare in water that was 4-5 feet deep.
But thats for another thread.

Chuck

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They hold no Quarter