More about Eagles

For the past few years I have enjoyed watching the pair of eagles who live at 2325 Siewers Spring Rd. in Decorah, Iowa, 80 ft. high in one of the cottonwood trees there at the Fish Hatchery. They are experienced parents and in each of the past 2 years, anyway, have laid and hatched 3 eggs. The eaglets all fledged successfully. Sadly, though, last year two of the three fledglings were electrocuted on ungrounded hydro poles in the area.

Eagle pair on the Y-branch at the old nest



Female Eagle on the old nest



This year the eagle parents have started to build a new nest. Unfortunately, the cameras are still at the old nest. Switching the cameras to the new nest would be way too disruptive to the broody pair and, besides, nobody is quite sure yet which of the nests the eagle parents will choose this year.



New nest

 

Closer view of mom and dad working at the new nest

 



The eggs are usually laid starting in the 3rd to 4th week of February, so the eagles are being closely watched by the folks at the Raptor Resource Project who place and monitor the cameras and eagles.  

 

All of the Decorah Eagles "community" have mixed feelings: glad for the eagles that a new season of chick-rearing is beginning and yet, sad that we may not be able to see the whole process up close as in previous years. On the other hand, watching the eagle family took many hours that we will now be able to put to other uses.