SW Florida Eagle Cam 2022~2023

[Journi]

11/2/22 - Harriet & M15, you will never know just how many people love you and...
who have learned about eagles from you two❣
(Harriet is on the right)

[Sunnybird1995]

Thank you, Journi.
What a wonderful tribute to Harriet.

[Carol]

to so many at the end of season 11...

the Pritchetts, JudyB, Mary, & Journi,
all the mods for chat time,
the cam operators,
The ground photographers,
Lady Hawk, wskrsnwings, and androcat,
all the posters and eagle friends here.

Miss you, Harriet ❤
Find yourself a good mate, M15
Be safe and well, e21 and e22 ⚘

Have a wonderful Summer, everyone!
See you next season!

[mickiej5170]

Thank you all for the many memories, especially the collage with all the eaglets. It is amazing to look back on these pictures, brings me to tears sometimes, but memories are so sweet. Thanks to all the hard, dedicated work for everyone. I hope to see you all next season. Take care.

[Suemac]

Season 11 Collage: M15 and E22 on left, Harriet and E21 on right.
A season to remember, that will always be in my heart. THANKS to ALL that made this forum
possible. Hoping for a season 12 with new memories. Stay safe and healthy.

My message to Harriet:
Harriet- I have watched you since 2015 and my admiration and love grew for you over the past eight years.
You truly are the best eagle Mom in all of eagle nation. You will be missed but remain in my heart forever.
Don't worry about M15. You taught him well and he has proven this season how amazing he is being Dad and Mom
in raising E21 and E22. M15 will find another mate- he knows what to look for because he has already been with the
most perfect mate in you. Miss and love you Harriet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAuRoAUV19o

[MaryF]

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Our beautiful Harriet

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Hello again everybody. It's that time again--we have come to the end of season 11. We have had some terrible times and some amazing times as well. We lost our beautiful, smart, and awesome "Queen" of the nest, Harriet. Having been with this nest since day 1 of the cam I just can't imagine this nest going on without her but if M15 decides to do that, it's what we will all try to do right along with him. Intruders! Have you ever seen so many? I haven't. I've seen a few adults and young eagles passing through but never so many as were seen this year. I'm sure that we have hurricane Ian to thank for a lot of that and it is possible that those female intruders may have cost us our Harriet although we won't ever know for sure if that is what happened to her. Then there were the owls! There were so many owl strikes—I have never seen anything like it. All I can say is thank goodness none of our eagles were injured by an owl strike. As long as there are owls and eagles in side by side pastures we are bound to have that problem.


Our 2023 family

Also- although not really connected any more, for 10 years the SWFEC nest activities were featured on the Hancock thread for the nest and we were all so sad to hear of the passing of the head moderator, Essec09/ Debbi Sklusak, to a long, hard fought illness right at the end of the season. Fly high on the wings of the eagles that you loved so much Debbi.


E21 and E22 newly hatched

We had good times as well. Weren't we all joyful when our Harriet once again laid her two eggs and the anticipation began? How thrilled we all were when fuzzy little E21 and E22 hatched. They were so cute and once again M15 was SO proud! AND THEN---when our babies were just 4 weeks old M15 was forced to make the decision to raise his 2 precious chicks by himself. Not quite sure at first he matured into the Dad that was needed. He was amazing and awesome! He kept them fed and safe and fledged both by himself. I have never in 18 years seen anything like what M15 did on his own. Dad of the year for sure!! It was puzzling when E21 left the nest area so early but we did have E22 to amuse us with "his" love of playing in the pond and catching his first fish in the pond as well. I wish the last 2 of Harriet's eaglets a long and happy eagle life. Fly high and free E21 and E22!



E21 and E22

Our season has come to an end. Will we have Season 12? Only M15 and Ginnie Pritchett can decide that for sure. Tonight I will be locking this thread for Season 11. As it gets closer to the time for next season to begin I will be setting up a new thread for the season I will be sure to notify everybody on Chat and Bobble and anywhere else I can think of one way or the other about Season 12. Right now I know that the Pritchetts are planning on it.

I would especially like to thank Journi for all of the hard work she has done this season as the Topic Assistant here. She works so hard to try to keep all of us organized and in the right place and day. I love all the bits of eagle knowledge that she finds for us in addition to all of her other postings. I can't think of anything better to say than THANK YOU for all of your help and for keeping this thread in good order

I want to also take this time to thank Lady Hawk and wskrsandwings/Vicki, and androcat for the hard work on the many videos that they did this season. I really enjoyed helping Lady Hawk with hers by posting them and doing the screen captures for her! I won't mention all of the other names here of all of our folks who posted everything from their own videos to observations and the many beautiful pictures of our SWFEC family because I know I will forget somebody! THANK YOU-THANK YOU EVERYBODY!!. Hope to see you all here in the fall!

MaryF


Superdad M15

~~~ Thanks to SueMac for these beautiful screencaptures of our 2023 family

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[Journi]

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Thank you for visiting our Hancock Wildlife SWFEC Season 11 Forum Everyone!
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Pritchett family for sharing this wonderful live cam opportunity so we all can learn more about eagles.

Thank you to Everyone who shared your s'caps, artwork, poems, posts and video links with us.

Thank You to our prime SWFEC ground videographer Wskrandwings/VickiO for sharing all of your wonderful videos with us since Season 1.
Your early morning and after storm visit dedication is so appreciated!
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And...without you - MaryF - this HW SWFEC forum wouldn't be what it is today! Thank you for starting this forum 11 years ago! Your time and valuable eagle wisdom has helped us better understand the daily lives of Harriet, Ozzie, M15 and their 22 eaglets! 
Also, I really enjoyed your new SWFEC moderator Nest Activities format (this season) where you combine your many years of eagle knowledge alongside our prime SWFEC live cam videographer Lady Hawk. 
(Lady Hawk, your expert live cam videography is stellar and I thank you for your continued dedication to help people learn more about eagles and other wildlife! Thank you for your 8 years of being SWFEC prime live cam videographer.)

Also...Many thanks to the live cam operators for your many hours of watching the cams this season!
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And, a grateful Thank You to the Hancock Wildlife Foundation and Forums for providing this HW SWFEC forum thread where we can all help document the daily lives of this awesome eagle family!

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And...Thank You Harriet! Each one of our lives have been touched, in many ways, by you ❣
You will never know just how much you are loved and missed....

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[MaryF]

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I know that we are closed and locked but I thought you might like to see David Hancock (who is now 85) and his nice place in British Columbia as our Canadian HWF members celebrate "Fledge Fest" for the Canadian nests after not having one for several years.


https://www.facebook.com/watch/live?ref ... 2922974463 .

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[MaryF]

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Here is something else that you might find interesting. PBS aired a special on the bald eagle last night and somebody was kind enough to post a link to it on FB today if you are interested.


https://www.pbs.org/video/the-american- ... g41MLDGujc .

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[MaryF]

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I have another post for you already--a quite sad one that will bring us all some closure. The obituary of Debbi Skluzak/Essec. May she forever fly on the wings of her beloved eagles.


https://altmeyerfuneralandcremation.com ... tucdQkQXlM

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[MaryF]

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I found this video made by Androcat on FB this morning. I hope she doesn't mind if I post it for her here since the thread is locked. Thank you for capturing some great views of what is going on in the pasture as well as nice coverage of our handsome M15 over at Yonder Pond. She has descriptions and time stamps under the video that you can check out when you open the it.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGe6dj4i1n4 .



Thanks again Androcat!

MaryF

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[MaryF]

Here is another video of a ceremony that was held this morning, July 22nd, by and for the photographers only--oh-and Florida Country Magazine. It speaks for itself.


https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?re ... 9489501075


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[Journi]

I thought I'd post this here so anyone who does not have a Facebook account could see what Kathy Kochanowski said during Harriet's memorial service on July 22, 2023.

From: Florida Country Magazine - Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/floridacountry ... 489501075/

Here are Kathy's words that she read at Harriet's memorial:

Dearest Harriet, you flew out of our lives on February 2, leaving us devastated at the loss of you. I thought you immortal; yes, you would be forever in your field, a Queen who would majestically reign supreme forever.
Those that love you best scoured acres looking for you. This went on for weeks.
Search parties were organized, individuals spent hours in a day…. We wanted to have you home, Harriet, in any way we could. We have no closure, but we know you are part of the earth now.

M15 became a star, Harriet. He raised your kids alone, keeping them safe and fed without fail. We were wowed, and he cared relentlessly for them until they fledged the area. You would be so proud, but we know nothing less would be expected from you.

M15 had suitors, Harriet, right away. The effects of Hurricane Ian had not abated yet.
We quietly cringed seeing many of these females arrive with fresh wounds on their claws. That’s all I can say about that, and IF you died as a result of a fight, Harriet, we respect that, because you know that in the eagle world it’s a noble way to die.

There were other intruders too. Human ones… ones that BREACHED YOUR FIELD, and presumed M15 needed help feeding your kids. Suddenly, there was an invasive crack in the window that separated your world from ours. It angered us, and would have angered you. M15 did just fine on his own.

It would appear M15 has settled with a particular female for now. She is young, about the same age M15 was when he found you. We know that you would like us to like her, so we do, and we know M15 will teach her as you taught him. She wears eyeliner and doesn’t have the birthing hips you had, but M15 seems to like her.

Harriet, there was no other female bald eagle more photographed or written about. Your image is on artwork the world over. You changed the lives of countless people; some of whom needed to be lifted back up. You were the inspiration as many of us became photographers, writers, and artists. You were a muse with a god-like ability to create art, obliquely, and the world was your canvas.
We will never again hear your early morning call as you recite your daily honey-do list. No more will we witness your characteristic sidekick; and on that note, know that your patent-protected sidekick and it’s inherent blueprints are on display at the Museum of Modern Art… It kills me to say we will never again see the heart in your neckline that was on display on as you fed your kids, and we will never again FEEL your heart as you moved sticks to areas that would ensure their safety.
But Ozzie can! In your reunition with him, we can hear his chuckles as he watches you move his sticks again. He must be beside himself with joy.

Your name, Harriet, said backwards, is Tiara. It’s most fitting as you wore your crown well. We will feel your regal presence in your field every time we visit.

This bench is for the memory of you. We never wanted one, but here it is nonetheless, a memorial of the season in which we finally lost you.

Dr. Yess sends her love to you, Harriet, and to everyone here. You were never ours, but we sure loved you.

By Kathy Kochanowski

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S'cap captured from the Florida Country Magazine - Facebook.

[MaryF]

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Here is another article for y'all from the Cape Coral Breeze that I found on FB. I can't say that I agree with all of it but it's mostly a nice article about our nest.

https://www.capecoralbreeze.com/news/lo ... ggz7y_ApXA

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[MaryF]

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Another video from Androcat showing more of the pasture but what is the "V tree? And a lot of a visiting female being bothered by mockingbirds.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY1l88qcXRE .

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