Kids Corner visits Bald Eagle Nest

Yesterday (May 7) I drove to Maryland to observe a Bald Eagle nest. With me were Kathy O’Connell of the Kids Corner radio program, Becky Prante of Take a Walk Books, and Becky’s friend, Jenny Houseal. This is a nest that Rob and I have been observering for several years. It’s about an hour drive from my home and we visit the nest about 2 to 3 times a year between February and June. This was my third trip to the nest so far this year and I’m hoping to make one more toward the end of the month. This was the first Bald Eagle (and nest) for the girls. An eagle’s nest is huge (wide and deep) and we spent about an hour watching the nest only able to see the head of an adult. The other adult was not around during that time and I was really hoping that the girls would see the adults flying and hear the chicks and adults calling. Despite the lack of activity, everyone (including me) was thrilled to see the adult in the nest and to learn (thanks to two photographers who have been there every day for many weeks now) that there is a young chick in the nest. One of those photographers, Woody (www.woodyseagles.com) has been photo-documenting the nest for years. Check out his website and look in the “Susequehanna” eagles section. I took some video but because there was so little activity at the nest, it’s not great footage - except, of course, Kathy’s part:
This is a self photo of Becky (left) and Jenny (right) with the Bald Eagle nest behind them in the distance.





Here’s Kathy O’Connell during a short break we took at a nearby park where we observed two adult Red-tailed Hawks at their nest.

Because there was little activity at the nest, I didn’t get any photos. However, I took this photo of the male at the nest about two weeks ago:

It was a fun day. After we watched the Eagle, we also observed a Red-tailed Hawk nest. During the trip we say Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures, Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Herring Gulls, a Baltimore Oriole female building her nest, Eastern Blue Birds, Cardinals, Robins, immature Bald Eagles (as well as the adults at the nest) Red-tailed Hawks, Mourning Doves, and a Flycatcher (although I didn’t see it long enough to say which one it was). I’m hoping we can get back to the nest in a few weeks to get more photos as well as some of the chick.

Comments

[Denise Hansen]

This is exciting for any newbie. I was with Jane last summer, when I happened to find my first nest, with an adult sitting on a limb next to the nest. We were pretty far away, but I got goose bumps, nonetheless. So congrats to all who were first timers.