Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam - Seasons 2018-2023

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JudyB
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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Sun Feb 17, 2019 11:58 am

February 17, 2019

12:57 pm

The second egg was laid early this morning, between 1 am and 4:30 am. I was hoping to get a shot of the whole family, but Mom flew off as soon as she'd moved from in front of the eggs, so here are the eggs with Dad, who arrived with a stick and then took over incubation. My guess as to who is who is based on relative size, and the fact that the incubating adult is doing a lot of fussing with the nest material while he incubates.
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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:56 pm

5:50 pm
Adult on the nest is calling - I think he or she thinks it's time for a switch.
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Ah-ha - I think she saw Dad preparing her dinner!
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She has moved over to take the food, and Dad has flown off - and while it would have been nice of him to have taken over incubation, the eggs will be fine for a few minutes - and the way she's going at that fish, I don't think it will last long, though it is a nice big fish. :love:

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:54 pm

March 25, 2019

I haven't stopped by for a while. The third egg was laid February 20 before daybreak - and today is day 40 for the first egg and day 36 for the second egg (though the first one was laid in the evening, and the second before 4 am, so they were laid a bit more than 3 days apart; some folks count hours in tracking the number of days until hatching - and that is more accurate, but requires more work).

I'm hoping to get a picture of the eggs soon.

3:02 pm
I only got a quick look - definitely 3 eggs still, and I didn't see a pip, though others have reported hearing chirps.
20190325_017_fsv.jpg

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Mon Mar 25, 2019 2:34 pm

3:32 pm
I heard what might have been little peeps that time, and the adult on duty was looking closely - but I haven't listened to the cams enough to be sure I'm not hearing some other local bird.
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JudyB
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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Tue Mar 26, 2019 8:56 am

First hatch was last night at 9:43 pm - there are lots of great pictures of FSV39 on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4457339 ... 8/?fref=nf

Here's a peek - little fuzzy is at the right under the adult, and shell has been moved to the side of the nest.
20190326_004_fsv.jpg

There is a pip in one of the other eggs, so we may see another chick today. :love:

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Tue Mar 26, 2019 11:50 am

12:33 pm
Second chick is almost out
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1:12 pm
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I just noticed that the parent at the back of the nest is standing on some sort of prey - so I'm thinking I missed one leaving and the other arriving.

The adult at the back of the nest has bands on both legs, and is moving to the center of the nest to brood the chicks and incubate the remaining egg.

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:21 pm

I'm seeing a mark on the remaining egg - maybe a pip? It's day 34 for the third egg.
20190326_011.jpg

I need to do some other things - will try to check back later.

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Wed Mar 27, 2019 11:11 am

12:07 pm
The little ones are very cute! :love:
20190327_006.jpg

No clear sign of a pip yet, or of any spots bigger than was observed yesterday.

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:34 am

From 9:43 am mountain time (8:43 pacific)

A family portrait - Dad is on the left and Mom is on the right (and the only way I can tell for sure is that Dad has one band and Mom has two).
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A peaceful feeding with both chicks sitting politely and getting bites (and I know that being able to sit politely isn't considered a useful survival skill for an adult eagle - but as a non-eagle, I find it much more pleasant to watch :love: ).
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I haven't seen any indication that the third egg is hatching; the second egg hatched on day 37, and today is day 37 for the third egg, so if it doesn't hatch today, a hatch is unlikely - though still possible,

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by Woodlands Bleu » Fri Mar 29, 2019 11:18 am

I got a chuckle out of the "sitting politely". Now, while it occurs now, it might not occur as they get bigger so try not to cling to it Judy.......

We will sit politely and each, respectively,
wait for a bite.

Our parents know that this is the way to train us,
to share what we have without a fight.

Hmm, we're eagles, so maybe don't expect that we will continue,
yet, for now, it's a lovely way to stay upright,
not giving you a fright.
carolyn
An upside down dog is a happy dog dreaming sweet dreams.
carolyn

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Fri Mar 29, 2019 11:20 am

12:09 pm
Dad (I think) brought in another furry food item, probably prairie dog, though I'm not great at IDs - but know they seem to be plentiful there. The adult on the nest (which I think was Mom) got up and gave us a look at the egg from both sides - and I didn't see a pip or crack.
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Mom (showing both leg bands) then gave the chicks a brief feeding from one of the nestovers that is lying around - lots of small short feedings are great for little chicks! :love:
20190329_010.jpg

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Fri Mar 29, 2019 3:20 pm

Thank you so much for the poem and the thoughts, carolyn :love: - I suspect we were writing at the same time so I didn't see your post until now.

From 1:26 pm
A couple of pictures of a noisy bird (which observers on Facebook confirmed was a magpie) who seems interested in all the food on the nest. Mom is not amused!
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Shortly after that Dad arrived with another fish, at which point it was 2-1 against the smaller bird.

Folks on Facebook report that Mom really hates magpies, while Dad is a bit more relaxed as they flit around.

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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Sat Mar 30, 2019 1:28 pm

Saturday, March 30
There was quite a bit of snow last night - and the parents did a great job of keeping their chicks warm and dry! I didn't get a picture during the storm, though there are some nice ones on Facebook of Mom covering the chicks, while Dad is perched on the edge of the nest, possibly blocking some of the wind. Here are a few from today, showing the snow melting (and the chicks, of course :love: )

10:02 am
The chick on the right initially decided to bonk the other one - but then realized that the bonk-ee was ignoring him and being fed - after that, both got bites peacefully!
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12 noon
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2:08 pm
The feeding was winding down by the time I looked in - it almost seemed as if the chicks were saying - do I have to have another bite?
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It's day 38 for the remaining egg, and I've seen no sign of a pip today, which makes me think it's unlikely to hatch. Eggs do generally hatch between 35 and 40 days - but it's usually the first egg that can go up to 40 days, while the 3rd is more likely to hatch at 35 or 36 days. The second egg hatched at 37 days - and it's also unlikely for the 3rd egg to take longer than the second egg.

That said - while three little ones are cute, and I love the feisty tiny ones - it's a challenge to raise three successfully, and there may be less drama here with two chicks about the same age. :love:

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Woodlands Bleu
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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by Woodlands Bleu » Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:05 am

Can I vote? I vote for 2 chicks! I love that the bonk...ee ignored and got fed. Hmm, that did not work so well said the bonker....maybe, just maybe, sitting politely has its advantages?

The bonk is in the blood, we know it must be done,
but when it has no results, no one has won.

Let's try another tactic, sitting here just right,
mom is that good, give me a bite!
carolyn
An upside down dog is a happy dog dreaming sweet dreams.
carolyn

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JudyB
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Re: Fort St Vrain CO Eagle Cam 2018 + 2019

Post by JudyB » Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:59 am

Sunday, March 31

9:56 am
I think this is Dad on the nest with the chicks - I've only seen one band. They were watching while he looked around and dug up what might have been a slightly used fish that was buried in the nest.
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And then he fed both of them, stepping around when necessary to reach whoever was in back at the moment (they move around a lot!).
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