OT: Poor Mr. Bird

[Nanci]

http://www.infotecbsi.com/wildlife/

I'm watching the eagles. It's all I do, even at work. Especially at work. Right now, there appears to be some sort of horrendous storm going on. who I think is Daddy Bird is on the nest, crying, soaking wet, in tremendous wind. Poor guy.

Nanci

[Waverly]

Poor guy, he is crying!

[Nanci]

I can hardly stand to watch!

[maillotpois]

Wow - now that's a good daddy!

[Bad JuJu]

Do male bald eagles differ much in appearance from the females? Is there some way to tell whether it's the mom or the dad on the nest?

This is addictive!

[bikerchick68]

Nanci... I heard about the bad storm last night too... right now mama bird is on the nest...

I have to tell you I posted this link on a couple garden forums I go on and they are ALL loving it... so thank you again for the link. It's just amazing to me...

badjuju... the male is smaller, has shorter more compact feathers and a much deeper brow... the female is bigger, has longer more spread out feathers and not so deep a brow... after you see them together once you can really tell the difference...

[Eden]

Thats pretty amazing. I moved out here to the Pacific Northwest almost 10 years ago now and I still find it to be very cool to spot eagles. I even saw two circling around while I was walking home for luch one day.
Saw this little guy when I was out and about for work one day. Bummer that I didn't have my really long lens that day.

[bikerchick68]

wow Eden... very cool! I get excited here when I see the red tailed hawks... we have a pair that perches regularly on the freeway overpass light pole!

[caligurl]

Nanci... I heard about the bad storm last night too... right now mama bird is on the nest...

I have to tell you I posted this link on a couple garden forums I go on and they are ALL loving it... so thank you again for the link. It's just amazing to me...

badjuju... the male is smaller, has shorter more compact feathers and a much deeper brow... the female is bigger, has longer more spread out feathers and not so deep a brow... after you see them together once you can really tell the difference...

oops.. nevermind that part! i saw you were replying to someone... not calling the eagles by any names! duh, me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i enjoy watching them (when the feed doesn't freeze up!) they've become SOOOOO popular! over 2 million hits a day with normal viewership being 5000 at a time! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i can't wait to see the babies!!!!!!!!

[Nanci]

I've also noticed the female is quieter, less fidgety, and walks with her talons more open. The male likes to rearrange the nesting material a LOT, and walks with his talons curled up way more, way sooner when approaching the eggs, and he's just noisier, calling for his mate more frequently. The female's beak is much larger/heavier. The male has the spikey feathers on his head.

A lot of people on the (eagle) forum are confused about which is which- so that's unreliable about who was on the nest when. But, if you see them together, the larger female is quite apparent.

Nanci

[mtkitchn]

What is the noise in the background? Sounds like a motorboat or something.

[Nanci]

They are on a populated island- you can frequently hear motor boats or dogs barking. I like it better weekday mornings when you hear only "natural" sounds.

Nanci

[Quillfred]

I'd like to "chirp" in with another appreciation for the link. When I'm home, I like to leave the window (computer) open with the volume up so I can anticipate activity. I love to catch the changing of the guards.

I can see an occasional flight of a local immature Bald, usually preceeded by the rauccous crows. It is such a treat.

You inspired me to fill the bird feeders! Usual visitors are the Nuthatches, House Finches and comical Stellars Jays.

[Nanci]

http://tinyurl.com/lep9n

Notice how mom's wings are always out to the side of her tail, and dad's are held tight together on his back? Not to mention the size difference in general.

[Grog]

Today is a really nice day in that nest.

It's really strange for me to watch the eagles in that nest as the weather is always the exact same as it is where I live (I'm in Vancouver, fairly close from the Island where the webcam is set). When it's windy there it's windy here, when they are dishevelled by the rain it's rainy here, when it's getting dark it's the exact same outside my window.

And I can tell you, it's hot in the sun today. I was running the Sun Run (a 10 k race, along with 50 700 other people in Vancouver) today and although it's not over 20 deg C today it feels really warm. Wow :)