The nest is in full bloom

today we saw the nest overflowing with branches. As we were leaving the Bluffs an eagle flew in and landed on the nest. It's a lovely nest with a fir branch canopy.
We had so wanted to watch the eagles bringing in the branches.

Awaiting Eagles

March 22, 2009
Sunday I was bracing myself from the gusting wind while waiting for the eagles to arrive. When they did the female gracefully landed on a favorite tree top. The male circled and flew deeper into New Hampshire. Still no sign of nest building.

Stebbins Road over look

no eagles today. Someone is trying to create tiny burns on the overlook structure/ also using the area for minor trash dumping. very disturbing.

Saturday March 14, 2009

A sunny warm day, mind you this is New England, we watched from Stebbins Road as the eagle pair copulated. This union lasted the longest I've ever witnessed. She had her head down as he did his business. I wondered how he kept his position. Not that I'm in a need-to-know place. They are no doubt a couple. She looks very regal and stately. Pregnancy becomes her. but where, oh where, will she drop her eggs? There is no nest that I can see. The "Miksis" nest is a year old with no added twigs or branches. We are attentive observers.

Thursday 3.12.09 Stebbins Road

In the bitter cold wind we spotted a pair of eagles perched on a dead branch on Stebbins Island. Huge flocks of honking Canada Geese flew over the bluffs- away from the warm VY waters were they had been feeding- to some favorite haunt around the bend and downriver. The male eagle flew over to the "Miksis" nest site, hung out, then booked up river. The female flew over to the vacated perch near the nest site. Two mature eagles flew over the bluffs, one took off downriver, the other flew towards the Dam. Still no sign of new building onto the old Red-Tailed nest.

A Tribute to the female eagle of 2008

Broken Nest: Eagle done

oh the wind is keening
howling in my bones
screaming all night long

oh my heart is breaking
muscle and blood pumped
an aching in my breast

oh my tears are running
salty rivers filled with pain
a muted cry befalls me now

yea a few pounds of bones
feathers that once were proud
her call a distant memory

what we learned today

Okay I met Scot Reagan on the vermont side of the conn river in Vernon.
I’ve got good news and bad news. Two mature eagles and an immature were spotted this morning by Scot. The bad news is old news but new for me: the current female eagle is actually a new mate for our male. Seems that during last spring the female, from Northampton and about 13 years old lost a clutch and then died for some reason I do not know. The female #2 was spotted with the female #1 and the male during this whole process. They recovered #1’s body, where and when I don’t know.
My concern about the female dying was a year late. The broken spring was in 2008.
I had watched #1’s actions and movements for 5-6 years and felt I had grown to know her a little. So the movement and look of #2 did not appear the same to my eyes and sure enough she’s a new mate. She has a more raggedy appearance and she holds her leg back for long periods of time. I all the years I watched the eagles I’d never witnessed this form of relaxation.



So how old is #2? is she banded, where is she from?
why would she have been hanging out with the two mature eagles in the spring? did she kill #1?
where, when and who found #1’s body?
Is the male #1’s original mate? I thought he was younger than she was?
Did #1 have another male b4 this one?
Where is he from? Is this Tom Ricardi’s eagle?
The immature hanging out with the new couple couldn’t be her offspring since she’s new on the scene could it be his offspring and is the immature vying for the female’s attention since she’s not his mother?