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Normally, before an eagle leaves its nest completely, it flies up onto adjacent branches. Over the subsequent days each hopping flight to other branches increases the distance from the nest. However, our Commerce City youngster did this in reverse. One day she was in the nest, and the next day she was on the ground as we posted a few days ago. This segment comes from visits yesterday and today.
Yesterday, she was perched on the bare branches where I could quickly film her. Today, she was invisible at first. I found the parents so I knew she was around. Scanning the cottonwoods to the east of the nest, I finally spotted her hidden amidst the leaves. She sat there for a while, and then flew out. I watched her rise up to about 300 feet as she circled around the site. She completed four massive circles, probably totaling one third of a mile in the air. Her flight was powerful and strong, and there was no hesitation jumping from her perch in the cottonwood leaves. However, after some impressive flying she circled into one of the dead cottonwood trees and attempted to land on the same spot where her Mom was watching her. Mom bailed out, and her daughter landed, panting, but showing no signs of being clumsy as she did so. She quickly settled in and began preening. She's doing very well...thanks to everyone watching these videos!
Don't forget to join us this Saturday, July 1, at the Best Western Denver Southwest for our special Patriotic Pool Party! Both of America's eagle species will be there, along with several other raptors. The show starts at 6pm, right outside Paleo Joe's Bar & Grill!
As published earlier today, our young female has fledged! This is a video record of what I discovered when I came to the observation site this morning and the empty nest (see below). At 1:00 PM I came back to see if the young female had managed to get any higher up on the fallen timbers. Staying in the reeds would expose her to large numbers of West Nile virus-bearing mosquitoes, snakes, a local badger, and coyotes. As I approached the site and looked up to the nest it appeared empty, with one of the parents perched about 100 yards south. However, as I got closer and scanned with my Maven binocs, a dark head popped up above the rim. She made it back up to the nest! Not only is she strong, she is smart to get herself back up before the coming storm catches her on the ground. A dramatic turn for the better for our fledgling!!
FLEDGED!!! Somewhere between my visit yesterday morning and my arrival this morning at about 9AM, our young beauty left the nest. When I arrived to my usual observation post, the nest was empty. No parents were visible, and no baby! I quickly scanned the area with my binocs, but didn't see any eagles. Worried about the young eagle being trapped in the swampy marsh below the nest, I left my primary observation site, and drove in for closer access. On my first drive by the nest area I found nothing in the water or reeds below the nest. One parent did fly by as I drove in, so I knew the youngster was close, but I kept going. Once I turned around and started driving back I could see both parents high up in the trees south of the nest tree. They were in different trees about 100 yards apart, and looking into the grass between them. As I approached that area, I still could not see the youngster, and was getting more concerned that she was trapped in the tall reeds and water below. I stopped in an area of shade, and was just about to leave, when I suddenly caught a movement in the reeds directly below me about 40 yards out. She was there and as I watched her watching me, and slowly move away, I knew she was OK at this point. The videos I took, which will be processed later today, show a very healthy bird. For now, we have a successful departure from the nest. We'll keep watch to see if she gets back to the nest tree and how she interacts with her parents. We're thrilled that unlike previous years, this young eagle appears to be on her way. Now the E-470 parents get to deal with making sure she learns what only eagle parents can teach!
Because of some family issues, I've not had the time to keep everyone current with our Commerce City nest. These may affect my availability going forward, so if you have been on the Eagle Brigade in the past, and you can monitor the nest this year, please take what time you can to begin observations. Fledging may happen as early as June 24th. Please confirm the location and access with our office. As you can see, the young female is quite strong. Parents are leaving her for multiple hours, and her strength is building, as is her confidence. In the next week or so, things will be getting very busy. Thanks for your help! ~Peter Reshetniak
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