ANY DAY NOW.............

Well, this has been a weird summer.  I broke my foot 3 months ago and have been sitting in the home nest ironically along with our nearby baby eagle, up in his nest.  We both were doing nothing except having food brought to us and being taken care, watched over for weeks.  I felt a lot like that baby eagle.  And just when my foot begins to repair, he begins developing those muscles to lift those wings.  We both are almost ready to go out on our own. 

He (she) has been a quiet one compared to our rambunctious eagle of last year.  This little one sat up there for weeks without a peep.  We would check frequently to see if he was all right, wondering at how quiet this timid one seemed.  One day I heard a little whimpering of an eagle cry, his first.  It was so cute but sort of pitiful in a funny way.   

At times I wondered if he was strong enough to make it.  I should remember though that he was the fittest as he once had a partner in that nest with him, a cute little fuzzy baby eagle just like him, that we momentarily captured in one shot those first days.  What happen to it?  Did he push it out knowing to survive he would need all the food that the parents would bring?  Did the parents make the decision?  It must be a terrible decision deciding who of your off spring is stronger and more likely to survive and then to make that natural selection to end one life so the other can continue.  It was done though and early in the game.   There are no hesitations when it comes to survival. 

At first we were sad when we discovered the other baby gone but soon realized that nature is tough and it's all about survival of the fittest.  We soon forgot as the joy of watching the whole process of a newborn growing and learning soon overwhelmed any depressed feelings. 

We witnessed the parents teaching it so many things, like keeping the nest clean.  We'd see the parents bring soft moss to the nest to make the bed softer and occasionally fly by with a branch or two to shore up a vulnerable area.  We saw many animals too brought to the nest for food, rats, birds, fish, etc.  The parents found a wide buffet of treats here in the San Juan's to feed their new baby, to make him strong.  Some days we'd see them up in the nest picking at a fresh catch.  Some days feathers from a bird would be flying out of the nest as they plucked a morning catch of black bird.  The wind would catch a feather or two and they would drift down and land on our deck or sometimes the catch was a mammal of sorts and you could see red bits of flesh but whatever it was the mother patiently picked the pieces, the right sizes and so gently and caringly put each piece in the baby's open beak.  

We didn't see as much of this eagle as we did of last year's because the nest was perched more behind the tree trunk which blocked our view and the nest had a deeper basin.  It took weeks before that little critter was able to get high enough to peek over at us and when he did he gave us a big strange stare.    

We'd laugh as he struggled way up to the edge of the nest to take a "poop" pointed directly out of the nest, just exactly as mom had so patiently showed him to keep the nest clean.  This exertion to get himself way up on the edge with those cumbersome big wings would cause him to collapse in complete exhaustion for a much needed nap right there on the edge with head hanging over and chest moving up and down just to catch his breath. 

We watched him as he watched us doing our gardening or having a glass of wine in the evening as the sun went down.  I guess we were entertainment for him as he was for us.  Or he'd watch the nearby birds that also had nests close by.  He'd awkwardly crank his head up and turn to follow the bird's activity.  He was discovering life from his perch and we could watch and experience his every discovery.   

As he grew older, he began to vocalize louder as he figured the more he cried the more likely it would be that one of the parents would bring food to him.  Some days it was annoying and maddening to listen to.  Sometimes when working in the yard or watching from the deck and when I knew no neighbors were home to hear me, I'd squawk back at him.  He'd stop for a moment and look at me wondering at my poor imitation.  Sooner or later, mom would come by maybe to see who was this other voice?  She'd give me a glance as she flew by just double checking on things.   

But, now the day is coming that he is almost ready to leave.  Last year's eagle left the nest on August 7th.  So we'll see how close to schedule nature is.  He doesn't have much of a nest left though so we worry about him.  It must be very tiring for the big guy to have to stand on that branch all day and all night.  Every time we come home from a trip to town we rush to if he is still there.  Yesterday the nest was empty and I couldn't see him.  He had left, I thought, without us seeing him take his first flight.  It was so sad the feeling but then, I heard him crying again.  No, he was still there, but way out on a branch hidden by a limb, but still near his nest.  He surely will go today or tomorrow I think, but no, maybe we will still have his company until August like last year I think.  It is so exciting. 

So, we hope you enjoy the little video Larry has posted.  You can see him working those big humongous wings getting ready for the big moment.  You can also hear Ziggy ooing and awing in the background.  Ziggy is very aware of the eagles too and knows the name when we mention "eagle" as he will run right out on the deck and look up at the nest.  Sometimes he looks up and barks at the eagle telling him something, maybe to "knock it off with the crying", who knows?  You will also hear us make exclamations at some of the eagle's grand performance.   

Imagine the fear that must be going through him way up on the perch looking down, hundreds of feet in the air.  How will he exactly know when is the right moment to lift off?  You wonder if he's scared and worried about where and how he will land.  Maybe the parents inherently know and nudge him to go. It's amazing.

So keep posted, soon he will experience his long awaited freedom and begin his life's journey.   We'll let you know the day.

JULY 28th
He flew away.

He first fell to the branches below and then got back in the nest , but the next morning He took off.  Mom & Dad came back to the nest with food and called Him back.  He now takes off & fly to the top of the old tree right next to His nest.

These are some photos from that landing.