Pandora (Lafarge) Eagle Nest Discussion - Seasons 2019-2024

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JudyB
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by JudyB » Thu May 23, 2019 12:12 pm

Eastvan Girl wrote:
Thu May 23, 2019 11:27 am
Hi everyone,
Well Pa was on his branch this morning and I saw a single adult eagle fly over the nest, circle around and then head back out north. Pa stayed at the tree the whole time. Just kinda curious as to who that eagle is and why they are checking things out at the tree?
Hard to say, Eastvan Girl - and I may see if one of the observers from our Delta 2 nest might comment on this because the male there disappeared last year, and my recollection was that a new male was in the area fairly soon after Pa Delta disappeared, and he chased other eagles out of the area, but didn't come to the nest until the chicks were close to fledging, I think because Ma Delta was willing to defend the chicks and eagles avoid fights when possible. (If it had been earlier in the nesting season, when the new male was more driven to find a mate and produce eggs, the outcome might have been quite different).

Anyway, based on what I've seen on other cams and what I've read, I'm guessing if another eagle is circling over the tree without Pa challenging it, it's a female - and she's interested in the territory (and Pa, who is demonstrating that he's a good provider) - but he's warned her off when she initially tried to get closer, and she's respecting that - and probably spending her time somewhere within sight of the nest, to make sure no other female tries to move in.

Thoughts?

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by stim » Thu May 23, 2019 12:55 pm

Well said Judy. If the single eagle is Lady, she would land in the nest and resume duties as she can if she has been injured. Sounds like a possible new mate for Pa, biding her time for acceptance into the nest and protecting her interest from other single females. :luck:

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by Sandy_W » Thu May 23, 2019 2:09 pm

Hi Eastvan Girl,
I am a zoomer at Delta and came on board a little time before the eaglets hatched there last year. I was new to Ma and Pa but quickly fell in love with them. And then June 1st, we lost Pa and eventually he was replaced by Ma's current mate, Trooper. And I must say rightfully named for what he did at the end of last season. Anyway, I wanted to share what Jean wrote at the end of the season last year that pretty well describes the history of last year's season at Delta, which is below. Ma had some challenges as there were several suitors and one in particular we were not fond of. This one would come to the nest and eat the food in front of squeeing eaglets. It was hard to watch for sure. One male called UME helped her until Trooper (AME) showed up to take care of her and the eaglets. He was so calm and so respectful of Ma and her two little ones. We fell for Trooper and hoping he would be Ma's selection for a new mate. And he was.

I check in on another nest in Pennsylvania but do not follow extensively. So I may not have the story complete. It seems the female was in a fight for the territory and she was chased off right after the eggs were hatched. The new eggs were destroyed by the new lady and/or a snow storm. The new lady tried to take over the nest and the male was not in total agreement but time marched on and she stayed for awhile. After about three or four weeks (if i remember correctly), the female showed up again and the new lady left. It was thought the female had been injured and needed to heal. I believe this pair have two eaglets this season.

Here is Jean's season closing for last year when we lost Pa and how Ma ended up with a new mate. I am including the date information to have an understanding of how old the eaglets were when Pa went missing and when they fledged. I hope it helps you on some level.

Ma laid her first egg on March 3, 2018 at 2:57pm. followed by the second egg on March 6, 2018 at 2:50pm. Pips did appear in both eggs early in April and on April 11th at 8:05pm and April 12th at 6:56am two chicks were hatched..........Ma and Pa had shown their expertise by cooling down the first egg to make the hatches close together in time..............a mere 11 hours apart! What pros! The world welcomed Dusk and Dawn, named after the time of day they were hatched.

Our eaglets grew quickly and were well fed. Both Ma and Pa tended to them. But on June 1, 2018 everything changed on this nest. Dusk and Dawn were 7 and a half weeks old. Ma and Pa were seen in the nest tree together in the late afternoon but they seemed to be watching something. They flew to the evergreen trees just before 5pm. Pa left from there and was never seen again. Although several people tried to search the area and OWL was contacted, searches for him were unsuccessful. For the next couple of weeks there was danger in the area. Several stranger eagles appeared and some challenged Ma on the nest. She spent much of her time trying to keep her eaglets safe and secure. Fortunately a male came along, UME (unidentified male eagle) who protected her and the nest. He managed to fend off several eagles, and wore the battle scars on his feet......but the eaglets remained safe and the nest was secure. Unfortunately UME disappeared too after that and no one knows what happened to him. Because Ma is such a beauty she attracted the attention of another male AME (adult male eagle). The rest of the season was spent with Ma and AME guarding the area and keeping things safe and calm here.

Dusk took his big first flight on June 30, 2018 at 6:51am. Dawn followed later on July 4, 2018 at 9:30am. They were seen coming and going to and from the tree as well as on the ground, on the barn roof, in the surrounding trees and under the nest tree itself. But eventually they left and were not seen again. Dusk’s last confirmed sighting was July 16, 2018. Dawn’s last confirmed sighting was the next day on July 17, 2018. These two were healthy and fledged on time. Great job Ma and Pa!

After the eaglets left, Ma and AME were seen perched together and flying from pole to pole, making themselves visible to all around. Ma seemed to be comfortable with AME around allowing him in the nest after the eaglets were gone. They both brought greenery to the nest and began to refresh it. Ma was last seen on July 23, 2018. After she left, AME stayed around and protected the area from the few adults that were still hanging around. He was there most mornings, bringing in more greenery and watching for any unwanted visitors. He was seen on the poles in the evenings. But it was time for AME to take a much needed break too and he was last seen on the morning of August 2, 2018. At the end of the season AME was given the name Trooper. He was no longer nameless.
“Eagles: When they walk, they stumble. They are not what one would call graceful. They were not designed to walk. They fly. And when they fly, oh, how they fly, so free, so graceful. They see from the sky what we never see.” – Unknown

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by Jean » Thu May 23, 2019 3:21 pm

2:56pm..........Eastvan Girl..........So sorry to hear of the missing of Lady.........I was a zoomer at Lafarge in the days that the original nest fell down and when Ma later died near the Pandora nest. And I was there when we named her "Lady".

As Sandy has said, we had an interesting/ traumatic year at Delta last year........similar to here at Pandora, but different. So I will explain a bit of this so you can see the similarities and how this might apply to the Pandora nest.

Our Pa Delta disappeared at the beginning of June when our 2 eaglets were about 7 and a half weeks old. So Ma was alone. And in Delta there are likely more eagles around because of the Boundary Bay area, which David once told me he thinks is likely a corridor for eagles to come into the area. There seemed to be several "unattached" eagles in the area after Pa Delta disappeared..............perhaps this had something to do with his sudden disappearance (always a question about his being in a dispute with one of them). We will never know and Pa was never found. Once Ma was the lone adult, she was faced with all the duties here. And with so many stranger eagles in the area it was not easy. There were constant "sundown" attacks on the nest for a few weeks...............but luckily a male showed up and it seems that his presence was enough to scare off some of those unwanted eagles. This male did not stay (reason unknown) but another male appeared who became the current male of this nest. We did see bloody feet and legs on some of these eagles so we know they must have been fighting with each other. In the end our new male saved the day, things settled down and now we have a calm nest once again.

An eagle must first feed himself. That is number one priority. Next comes the feeding of the eaglets. Since Pa Pandora is doing that now, we can conclude that he is eating well too. Pa will try to carry out the duties the best he can to get his eaglets to the fledging point. Food, protection and allowing them the time to develop their feathers to the point of being able to fly is what is needed.

If there are any interested, unattached females in the area they may show an interest in this nest. But if Pa allows one to be close to the nest or in the tree, that female will likely not have anything to do with the eaglets..........at least that is what we saw at Delta. So the work in raising the eaglets is still up to Pa here. As long as he can feed himself and the chicks they should naturally get to the stage of leaving home. And it looks like Pa is doing a great job here! These eaglets are old enough now to be left alone for bits of time as they are not "babies" with downy feathers who are vulnerable to attacks from others on the nest and to bad weather. So that frees Pa up so he can go hunting. And this nest is not under attack from stranger eagles as was the Delta2 nest. Unless something unforseen happens we do hope things will continue to progress well. And hopefully any eagles in this area will already have their own nesting areas so won't be looking for a new place to live. But if you are seeing a lone eagle circling, I agree it could be a female looking things over. Time will tell.

We all waited for Pa Delta to return but he did not. We never knew what happened to him and hoped he was perhaps off "healing his wounds"............but he did not come back. Lady seems to have been gone for a long time and I don't think a female would leave her nest and chicks. So although there could be a slim chance that she could return, especially if she were recouperating somewhere, I don't think the chance of that is good. Unfortunately that is the way of our eagles........sad for us to watch and observe but normal circumstances for them.

Wishing all the best for Pa..............if he can keep things rolling along..........it should all work out.
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by SueD » Thu May 23, 2019 3:55 pm

I'm so sorry to learn of Lady's disappearance. However, it is good news that Pa seems to be handling this well and keep himself and his eaglets fed. We must also remember that this is not the first time he has gone through this. He lost his beloved Ma Lafarge in 2015, when crows chased her into a power line, and she was electrocuted. At that time, there were two eaglets on the nest, and Pa successfully reared them to fledge. So it's reassuring that, even though this turn of events is not welcome, Pa has the capability to overcome it: http://archive.hancockwildlife.org/foru ... pic=815107
aka byline ~ 2012
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by Eastvan Girl » Thu May 23, 2019 7:51 pm

Thank you everyone who wrote about the other eagle nests and the issues that have taken place over the past few years. It is nice to get that support and advice.
And I do feel hopeful that Pa will be able to successfully raise these two chicks. I remember a few years ago when Ma Lafarge died (my neighboor saw that happen - which was awful) but he did it successfully, and after seeing how these two are getting bigger I have no doubt he will do it again. And I am happy to say I have observed him eating meals himself at the nest, so everyone there seems to be getting fed.
I'll keep my eyes open for the single circling eagle, and who knows, maybe next season she will join him at the nest. (Although, I would be so happy to see dear Lady back again).
Right now I am happy to report that Pa is on his beloved branch and the two little ones are in the nest.

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by Eastvan Girl » Fri May 31, 2019 2:06 pm

Hi everyone,
I just witnessed a fight between two bald eagles at the Pandora tree. I was sitting on my roofdeck and heard it first. Looked to the tree and saw two adults flying very close together, tangling together, one was being chased off. An adult returned to the tree and landed on Pa's branch, and then the other eagle flew back and landed on the branch right next to the first eagle, then the noise and crying started up again and both eagles were off heading northward, again they were flying so close, at one point I swear their talons were locked and one was upside down. It was very nervewracking. I saw one eagle fly south past the tree and another eagle landed at the tree and is still there. I can't see either of the eaglets, they may be hunkered down in the nest. I am going to walk over right now and see if things are okay there or if I can hear them.
Could Pa have just lost his nest to this eagle???
Watching this fight was very distressing.

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by Eastvan Girl » Fri May 31, 2019 3:11 pm

Okay so I went to the tree and I am happy to report that I think it is Pa who is there on his branch. I could see and hear one eaglet, too. While I was there the other eagle came back and Pa really started calling, then the eaglet did, too. I have no idea what all that meant, but the new eagle did not land in the tree but just flew above. Pa seemed very on alert the whole time I watched him. Quite the nervewracking but interesting afternoon I am having. And here I thought I'd just have a quiet afternoon reading a book on my deck in the sun!!

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by stim » Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:48 am

You are lucky to have witnessed such behaviour. If it was Lady returning I would think her first obligation would be to her eaglets and land in the nest. Possibly Pa and she would carry on a bonding ritual of talon locking, I don't know. I would hope this is Lady.
If not, it is likely another female wanting to bond with Pa. Did you notice a size difference between them to indicate it was a female? At this stage I think Pa would be fending off potential suitors awaiting Lady's return. I don't know if he would go into a talon lock with a female though. Not by choice I don't think.
I don't imagine another male would perch beside Pa.
This is definitely worth following to assess what is going on. As much as I would like this to be Lady I'm going with a new female.
Thank you for reporting the behaviour. I hope someone else chimes in with thoughts. :ohmy:

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by JudyB » Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:21 am

Thanks so much for your post, Eastvan Girl, and I agree with stim that you are definitely seeing behavior we haven't seen often.

I'm glad you're seeing and Pa and at least one chick - and I know the chicks in the cam nests spend a lot of time sleeping, so the other one may be there too.

I'm thinking if Lady has been away this long, she may have forgotten that she has chicks (or more technically, the hormones that drive her to provide food and shelter may have faded without the reinforcement of chirping eaglets) - but I really don't think Pa would feel he needed to defend the nest from her, or that he'd engage in that level of bonding - though it's possible. I don't know a lot about mating/bonding rituals, but my impression was that a pair would fly together for a while before doing that. And I do know that an adult eagle under attack from above will flip over to present talons to the talons coming at him, though they don't always actually lock talons; if they didn't, the attacking eagle could do major damage to the other eagle's back.

Anyway - definitely not the peaceful afternoon you'd expected, and thank you again for posting to let us know what you've been seeing. Continuing to keep fingers crossed. :luck:

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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by gemini » Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:36 pm

Paid a visit to the Pandora (Lafarge) nest yesterday late afternoon and all is looking well in spite of the drama of yesterday morning! Thanks so much for the play by play Eastvan Girl - that must have been heart stopping! It certainly spurred Steamer, Annemie and myself on to making a visit!

Here are a few photos of what we saw which includes a feeding. We saw Pa fly off and return with food in just over a minute -twice! He must have a secret stash hidden somewhere!

Click bigger 2x - Pa is looking a little worse for wear. I don't think he is having an easy time of it!
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by gemini » Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:38 pm

And Pa feeds his kids!
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by gemini » Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:43 pm

More feeding - Pa's tail in particular is looking in rough shape! Eaglets are looking well and strong! So he is doing a fine job looking after them!
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Pa calling out not happy about something
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by gemini » Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:53 pm

A look at the underside of the nest - a view previously unavailable due to the branch that has obviously broken off. It doesn't look like it was one of the supporting branches though.
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Re: Lafarge 2018/2019 Eagle Nest Discussion, Photos and Videos

Post by IrishEyes » Sat Jun 01, 2019 5:26 pm

I have been peeking in here and was hoping and praying for the nest for this nest

Thanks so much Eastvan Girl for keeping a watch on this nest and reporting on it .. that must have been scary :hug:

Thanks so much gemini for the awesome pictures .! Pa is amazing .. keeping good thoughts for Pa and the two kids ! :rh: :rh: :rh:
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