Chicks Getting Larger

Back to Greenwood Cemetery to check on the Bald Eagle nest. Chicks are doing great and you can now see their heads above the rim of it.



TK

We Have Chicks!

It was a gloomy lake check today with not a lot of Wintering birds to be seen. Not many in all of mile 8 mile loop. Time to head by the cemetery before getting back home. I had yet to see much activity at the Bald Eagle nest but I only get a brief window to peek in at them these days. I didn't have a lot of expectation. It should just be another quick drive through. But...

We have chicks!



Mom was busy tearing off chunks of breakfast and handing it off to the new arrivals.



I could only see one chick at first and it soon seemed to turn my way. Hi!



Then the second chick could be seen trying to stand right next to the first baby



"Enough play time! Eat your fish."



Nice to have new eaglets in the neighborhood after last year's bust. Now just have to sit back and watch them grow. It won't be long before they are flying off on their own.

Checking for Chicks

I stopped by the nest site on the way home today. Hoping to see if there are any Bald Eagle chicks this year. I couldn't tell by just the drive by but Mom was at the nest while Dad was in the opposite tree.



I will have to keep checking. One thing I do notice is that something is wrong with my camera after accidentally dragging it off of the banding table this morning. Always something...

Return of the Coyote

I headed to check on the Bald Eagle nest at the cemetery like I always do heading home in the daylight. I rounded the back road and was quite surprised by a Coyote right on the edge on the lawn.



Haven't seen her here in quite some time. She was a little weary as she slowly wound her way through the headstones as I tried for a few photos.



She took a final look back at me and suddenly vanished into the matching gray all around.



Why was I here? Oh, yeah. Eagles. Didn't see them on this trip...

Eagle Pair at the Nest

How is November halfway over? Been too busy, I suppose.

Finally had a chance to get through Greenwood Cemetery in the daylight (this being Saturday) and was pleased to see both Bald Eagles at the nest with one sitting inside! Maybe eggs this year? Last year was a bust.



Going to get crazy busy but I hope to be able to make some more stops to check in from time to time. Good luck, you two.

Back at the Nest

A quick swing through Greenwood Cemetery yielded a nice surprise. This is the first time I have seen one of the Bald Eagles venture to the nest this season.



Fingers are crossed for a brood this year.

Barn Swallows at the Cemetery

With our banding season beginning again, I have less time to explore. Well, I still do my lake checks but there has not been a lot around. I try to end my trip by swinging through Greenwood Cemetery while waiting for the return of the Bald Eagles that nest here every year. No eagles yet. However, I was surprised by the large flock of Barn Swallows foraging all over the property.



As always, swallows travel very fast and trying to get a shot is tricky. I got my best one during the middle of the stop. At first, I thought it was a Cliff Swallow but later investigation showed it was a juvenile Barn Swallow.



Several Chimney Swifts were also in the area but darkness was falling so I couldn't get any shots of them. Might have to swing through again tomorrow!

New Bald Eagle?

Knowing our seasonal pair of Bald Eagles did not succeed in raising a brood this year I still drive through the cemetery to see if any other species show up. Today I was shocked to see a Bald Eagle in the nest. Our pair has already moved on to their Summer home.



These first two images show the Bald Eagle screaming at a Fish Crow that was harassing it from above.



It is definitely not one of the Winter residents. So, why is it on the nest?



There were some brief rain showers washing through but I included these shots to show the brown patch on the side of the head.



Bald Eagle turn completely white after they are 5-years-old. I am thinking this is a 4th year bird. Possibly it is from a former brood or maybe just a local that is trying to muscle in to this turf.



I guess we will just have to keep an eye open in the Fall when the proper owners return to see if there is some the of dispute.



Curious.

Greenwood Bald Eagles

I rounded through the cemetery late and finally found the Bald Eagles near the nest. However, everyone has pretty much declared this season of a new brood to be a bust. One bird was right by the nest tree as I came around the far side.



It then flew over to be with its mate just before I headed home.



Sad that we will not have a new batch of chicks this year. Better luck next season, Eagles.

Greenwood Bald Eagles

I did a morning bird check and ended up in the Greenwood Cemetery looking for the Bald Eagles. they have not been at the nest too much this season but today got both of them! When I first pulled up the female was on the nest alone.



Then I heard the male calling in the distance and he quickly soared in and landed next to her, still calling.



He was calling loudly the entire time lokking in all directions while the female just sat and listened. Maybe they were both seeing something I couldn't.



The male finally ceased his calls and they both scanned the surroundings for a while.



Without warning, the male launched back into the air and flew off, probably is search of a meal.



Still no sign of nesting yet but they did start pretty late last year. Maybe they are going to have another late clutch this year. I will update when it happens.

Greenwood Eagle Update

I finally got a couple of Bald Eagle shots. I was beginning to think I might not get any good shots as it always seems that I have been there at the wrong time. No birds at the nest, lousy weather, little sunlight, etc. Being a Saturday where I didn't have anything else pending for once, I finally can relax.

There is only one juvenile this season. It fledged a while ago but is now coming back to the nest for food and then to hang out on the branches.



Mom wasn't too happy that I was walking around. Probably since there have been a lot of folks trying for close-ups lately. I took the hint and headed to check the lakes for other birds.



I am glad I got those shots and glad our juvenile eagle is looking nice and healthy after a shaky beginning. It is also the end of our bird banding season so I can take a break for a couple of months.

Baby Eagle and Starlings

I read that the baby Bald Eagle fledged the other day but I didn't locate it anywhere then. Today it was back up in the nest chowing down on something (probably fish) while the parents sat nearby.



I was actually more interested in another baby in the area. A few birds flew in next to the car and I could tell they were European Starlings. I knew they nested around this area because I see them going in and out of nest holes but I can't recall ever seeing a fledgling before.



Kind of like how you never see baby Rock Doves (pigeons), European Starling chicks seem to stay out of sight. This young one was busy following its Dad as he foraged all around the cemetery grasses.



The whole neighborhood is teeming with baby birds this season!

Bald Eagle Chick in the Open

Yay! Finally saw this year's baby Bald Eagle out in the open today.



Now we just wait until it is a bit older and out on the limbs.

Where is That Baby?

Well, since I saw a tiny bobbing head a while ago I have not seen that Bald Eagle chick again when I swing through the cemetery. Today I found the parents just sitting in the branches. Shouldn't they be out gathering food for their little one?



Hmmmm...

On a Breezy Saturday

Drove out early this windy morning to clear my stuffy nose. It was gray and a bit chilly but just enough to wake me up quickly. I headed to Lake Cherokee first and quickly spot white spots circling over the wavy water. One bird was a Bonaparte's Gull. Don't often see them around here.



Flying around with it was a Forster's Tern. We do see a few of them every Winter but nice to see both of these in one morning.



Nothing of note on neighboring Lake Davis or the other lakes so I ended my spin by heading through the cemetery. Finally, the eagles were around this time. As I got in focus Momma began calling as something passed overhead.



Ah, it was Poppa on his way to the roost tree with no food.



He seemed to be listening to instructions from the nest for a minute.



Message understood. Back off into the sky to pick up breakfast.



Meanwhile, Momma sat patiently. We should be seeing chicks in the not too distant future.



At least I got to see them for once. They are always away when I come by. But since we probably have eggs or newly hatched birds there it should be a lot busier.

Finally, Another Robin Frenzy!

Cruising through the Greenwood Cemetery to check on the Bald Eagle nest I noticed a bit of bird activity on the ground around the bend. We have had a pretty slow Winter when it comes to migratory birds but I showed up at the right time for one of the annual American Robin feeding frenzies. Before these birds head back toward the North they swarm the trees and landscape for al the fruit they can get to fatten up for the journey. They really like Camphor berries.



I took my usual spot under the big Camphor tree and soon the Robins were dropping down to make sure I was no threat before they resumed their feast.



Other birds were inspecting the tree like this Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker. This cemetery is my reliable place for this species.



A Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler posed for a few seconds in the middle of her search for insects. Yellow-rumps and Cedar Waxwing numbers were way down this season. Particularly the Waxwings that often trail the Robin flocks.



This male American Robin barely gave me a second glance as he swooped down directly beneath my perch. I could hardly get him in focus!



He soon wandered a few more feet out in the open and started gulping fruit.



I am not sure if I will get another chance to find a feeding flock again this Winter. It is almost time for them to go home. Just have to enjoy it while I can.



Next year, bring your Waxwing friends along with you, please. Though I love you guys just as much.

Cemetery Palm Warblers

Still pretty quiet around Central Florida but we are getting so me Western Palm Warblers from time to time. I was checking if the Bald Eagles were back yet but I have yet to see them. On the edge of that territory I did find a small flock of birds, including a few Western Palm Warblers. This one was busy gobbling up a caterpillar.



Not much else but I will take what I can this year. Sigh.

Not that I don't love Palm Warblers...

Bald Eagles Still Here is June

June. Our most quiet birding month as migrants are all gone. Seems I haven't been finding too many birds out there in a couple weeks. Of course, one of those weeks was getting the boys through graduations and cleaning house. My typical lake checks have turned up virtually nothing to blog home about.

I did go back to Greenwood Cemetery to check in on the Bald Eagle's progress as the days grow hotter when not cooled off by the afternoon rains. I did see Momma up in the nest tree so I got out to get a view. Suddenly, a shadow passed over me and I looked up to see one of the fledglings fly out. Both young birds are now out of the nest and flying about the area.



I turned my attention back to the female and got a shot of her in the shade regulating the heat.



Both of the fledglings were now in the pine used by Pappa as his perch. This is a tree that was right next to the old nest site tree that was killed during the hurricanes (has it been 10 years?!).



I headed over there to try for some closer views of the juveniles. The one that flew over me had its back to me but was lower for a better look.



Rounding the tree, I got a more full shot of the eaglet.



Higher up, the other eaglet flapped its wings in the late morning light.



Both look healthy for now but had better be prepared to head North asap.