Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Camera discussion for the Surrey Reserve nest in Surrey, British Columbia

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JudyB
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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 12:30 pm

12:28 pm
Another quick food drop - first impression is Sur with a fish that Dee claimed.


Second impression - definitely Sur - strong use of both legs, and dark shadow around the eye. Not having much luck getting a screenshot.

And it may not be a fish, though it's hard to tell with the North cam pixelating again. But this is Dee eating it, and I saw Ess's white tail tips before s/he stood up.
20190613_013.jpg

12:34 pm
Ess moved closer - I think planning a grab, but perhaps it didn't look work the effort - Ess moved back to where s/he had been napping, leaving Dee to finish the small meal.
20190613_014.jpg

I'm going to try another reboot of North - it's OK as long as the chicks are still, but not useful when there's activity, like a nest visit.


12:46 pm
Ess comes over again, just in case there was something of interest.
20190613_015.jpg

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JudyB
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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 12:54 pm

Well, I got a couple of closeups - but the cam is still pixelating.

Tails - Dee on left, Ess on right
20190613_016.jpg

Dee, with feather stuck to beak
20190613_017.jpg

Ess, no feather
20190613_018.jpg

I need to wait a bit, then I'll try another reboot of the cam if it doesn't settle down.

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by BETHINB.C. » Thu Jun 13, 2019 1:00 pm

Hi again, another food drop approx 12:31 Sur this time. A drop and fly..lol. I couldn't see who grabbed it but I would imagine Ess and she seems the be the one that gets it all the time.. ( she should share you know...lol. ) I don't see either being too excited to eat so their being fed well.

Nice close-ups Judy, I love the one of the head shot.. :D

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 2:04 pm

1:45 pm
Sur in with a fish, and Ess got it.
20190613_019.jpg

Not having much luck getting Ess's white tail feather tips with a dark background - but it's Ess.
20190613_020.jpg

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 2:20 pm

2:15 pm
Sur is back again, and again Ess got the fish(?)
20190613_022.jpg

Dee had a few words for Dad about equal distribution....
20190613_023.jpg

Then Dad Sur flew to the perch and away.
20190613_021.jpg

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 2:26 pm

2:17 pm
Apparently Ess wasn't actually hungry - Ess put the fish down - and Dee grabbed it.
20190613_024.jpg

I'm not sure, but it looked to me as if Dee was a bit greedy, and a moment later came back and grabbed what was left of the earlier fish.
20190613_025.jpg

Either way, Ess did not seem hungry - and Dee did. So it's all good. :)

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by BETHINB.C. » Thu Jun 13, 2019 2:57 pm

I get so confused Judy, your probably right, I know one of them steals food from the other all the time. Even Sur looks disgusted...lol. :D

I guess with the chicks so big now it will be a drop and run from now on, hard to catch them bringing food now..lol...I go back, then back, then back again. Sometimes I m lucky and catch the parents. :)

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 3:25 pm

These two get along well now, Beth, and are very close in size and development - but for the first week or two, Dee was bigger and more assertive, and if Dee was hungry, he or she would peck at Ess and put Ess into submission so Dee could have a solo feeding. After a minute or two, Ess would creep back, and generally by then Dee wouldn't be as hungry and both would get a good feeding - but sometimes as they got bigger and hungrier, Ess wanted food before Dee was willing to share, so Ess learned to sneak in and grab bites from the adult, rather than wait for bites to be offered (though they also often sat side by side and took turns politely). I think Ess was also the first to try to grab bits of food directly from the prey, rather than waiting for an adult to offer him or her a bite.

And I may be reading too much into some of this, because this is a pattern I've seen a number of times - but it's my impression that we're occasionally seeing the flip side of the early feedings, where Dee had the upper hand. To humanize slightly, Dee expects that a parent will feed him/her and waits (briefly) for that to happen - while Ess has learned that s/he gets fed sooner by grabbing the food. Dee is now learning to grab food when it appears - and to keep it away from Ess - and Dee is likely to get more food when a parent does feed, because Dee immediately demands food from the parent while Ess can be a little more careful about approaching, because Ess remembers the early days.

I think they are both getting plenty of food now (though I have been more interested on which adult we're seeing than on which chick got the delivery) - and learning to grab food from each other and mantle their food so the other can't see they have it are great lessons that they will use as they compete with other young fledglings once they are on their own. And I do ramble on - sorry.

Not sure which eaglet this is - but I'm seeing a nice big crop!
20190613_026.jpg

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by BETHINB.C. » Thu Jun 13, 2019 4:28 pm

Judy, you are not rambling on, lol..what you are saying is very interesting to me I really enjoy it. I too have been very interested in which parent is delivering. I was so upset when I saw Res's foot injury. I have noticed that Res is more active these past few days. Does Sur seem to be ( in my eye ) the smaller of the two birds? Maybe it's just an illusion. I would love to see both together. I also figured Sur is the slimmer of the two. Again, maybe an illusion. This is the first time I have followed the Eagle's hatching and I must say I am really amazed by it all. They really have a lot of hunting to do to get both eaglets fed. I also see where the chicks are almost the same size as the adults. I have always loved the Eagles we live in the valley and see a lot of them, especially if we head out to Deroche, Agassiz, area, there are so many of them there, there is also a fish hatchery out this way Weaver Creek and the Eagles eat the dead salmon that spawn, along with the bears. So interesting. The only thing I didn't enjoy was seeing all the dead and dying salmon. I know its nature but I am soft..lol. Now who's rambling on Judy?..lol. :)

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by SueD » Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:24 pm

5:16 p.m.: Parent arrives with small bird. One of the eaglets snatches it and begins defeathering it.
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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by SueD » Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:33 pm

5:29 p.m.: Eaglet on our right is self-feeding on the small bird it defeathered.
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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:53 pm

Thanks for the pictures of the 5:15 delivery, Sue! For the record, I think Ess is the one who claimed the bird, and I think it was Sur making the delivery, in part because he moved to the perch afterwards, and was using both feet there.
20190613_027.jpg

He also seemed to be dancing on both feet as he got out of the way of the eaglets rushing to grab the food.


Beth, female eagles are generally larger than males, so I would expect Res to be larger than Sur. That's true of most raptors, and is useful because there's more room under them to brood the chicks as they grow - and because they can fight off any intruders. Male eagles are unlikely to tangle with female intruders because the females are larger; females expect their partners to chase off any males who want to take over the territory, but they can and will protect their chicks from any eagles that might threaten them.

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:02 pm

5:44 pm
Sur arrived with a large white bird - I'm guessing another seagull or part of one.
20190613_028.jpg

He did some de-feathering while the eaglets watched.
20190613_029.jpg

Ess was still busy with his/her little bird from the previous delivery, but took a break to also call at Dad - I think both of them wanted to be fed.
20190613_030.jpg

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by JudyB » Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:10 pm

5:47 pm
Ess is back working on his/her little bird, and Dee is working on the big bird Sur brought. Sur is keeping watch.
20190613_031.jpg

And I'm pretty sure it's not a seagull, though I don't know what it is. It was definitely dead when it arrived, and Dee has gained access.
20190613_032.jpg

6:02 pm
Sur has gotten in the middle of the chicks and the larger bird, and I think he's feeding them, though he may be getting some bites for himself as well.
20190613_033.jpg

And on that note, I think I'll say good night. The feeding is continuing, but it's getting late in Maine.

:offtobed:

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Re: Surrey Reserve 2018-2019 Observation and Discussion

Post by Kitcat11848 » Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:09 pm

Sur in with something bloody, has blood on his tail and beak. Looks like the eaglets aren't too hungry although Sur is feeding them a few bites.
1:4 pm
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