Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

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MaryF
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Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:54 am

HWF welcomes you to the first and only streaming cam from the state of Texas!! This cam is located in Seagoville, Texas in the John Bunker Sands Wetlands just East of the Dallas area. The nest is located in an unusual place---a huge former electrical power tower!!

This will be the fourth year for this cam. For two years the cam lost transmission early in the season but we had much better luck last year. Hopefully we will have great transmission by the cam for season four!! :thumlft:

This cam is in the Central Time Zone


TX   nest location  4-21-15.jpg
~~ nest location


LINK TO THE CAM -- http://www.wetlandcenter.com/eagles.html

Link to the Wetlands FB page -- https://www.facebook.com/16567024678318 ... =3&theater


TX   beaky stuff   12-17-14.jpg
~~ the resident pair enjoying some time together


This pair of eagles began nesting at the Wetland in 2011. They now nest in a non functioning transmission tower sitting up high on a ridge. It gives the eagle’s nest a commanding view of the wetlands and surrounding terrain. A web cam has been installed above the nest to facilitate providing a live feed of the eagles and their nest over the internet. The new cam has many capabilities including zooming, panning, and night vision. It is a solar powered cam so on overcast days the camera’s operation may be affected and it may be temporarily offline. If there is no feed when you visit, try again a little later. You will have better luck on sunny days. :sunny:

The American Bald Eagle, a once endangered species, has found the East Fork Wetland a suitable and inviting habitat for the past several years. In 2011/2012 a pair of Eagles began building a nest in the outstretched arm of a transmission line tower overlooking the southwestern portion of the wetland. We waited with anticipation for the possibility of eaglets, (young eagles) but they never appeared. Fast forward to winter of 2012/2013 and the pair of Eagles returned, reinforced the nest and were successful in hatching and rearing two Eaglets.

Studies in Texas have shown that eagles commonly eat coots, catfish, rough fish, and soft-shell turtles. In Texas, Bald Eagles nest from October to July. Peak egg-laying occurs in December, with hatching primarily in January. When they are on their own, young Bald Eagles migrate northward out of Texas, returning by September or October.

**********************************

Stats for 2017/18 ~~~


* Eagles returned -- First seen-Oct 7, 2017

* Eggs laid -- Egg #1 -- January 30, 2018 (the only egg for this season)

* Eggs hatched -- JBS 10 apparently hatched on either March 6 2018 accorDing to the FB page. ( the cam was down for a couple of days)

* "Branched" --

* Fledged --

* Last seen --

*************************************
TX   wingersizing   4-21-15.jpg
~~ The 2015 eaglet


LINK TO LAST SEASON'S THREAD--- forum/viewtopic.php?topic=917617#917617
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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:54 am

TX   wetland parents   4-5-16.jpg
Mom (L) and Dad (R)---the Wetland parents


A few facts about bald eagles in Texas --


In Texas, Bald Eagles nest from October to July. Nests are constructed primarily by the female, with the male assisting.

Peak egg-laying occurs in December, with hatching primarily in January. The female lays a clutch of 1 to 3 eggs, but the usual clutch is 2 eggs. Incubation begins when the first egg is laid and usually lasts 34 to 36 days.

The young generally fledge (fly from the nest) in 11 to 12 weeks, but the adults continue to feed them for another 4 to 6 weeks while they learn to hunt.

When they are on their own, young Bald Eagles migrate northward out of Texas, returning by September or October.

Since 1981, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has conducted extensive aerial surveys to monitor Bald Eagle nesting activity. The 2003 survey identified 117 active nests which fledged at least 144 young. This compares with only 7 known nest sites in 1971.

********************************************

TX   looking right   4-16-16.jpg
-- Noticeable size difference between Dad (L) and Mom (R)


A little nest history ~~


Fall 2013: The Nest Must Move -- the Wetlands and Oncor had big plans for this nest!! ---(This WAS the plan!) The story of the relocation of the nest from a live tower to one donates by the power company.

Ever since the construction of the East Fork Wetland in 2009, Bald Eagles have found this habitat a great
location to forage and survive. This past year we had two juvenile Bald Eagles successfully raised in a
prominent nest south of the Wetland on an active electric transmission line tower. This tower is owned
and operated by Oncor Electric Delivery and supplies over 325,000 volts of electricity to south Dallas.
The presence of the nest on the electric tower could possibly pose a threat to the health and safety of
the returning Eagles as well as delaying or impeding the supply of electricity to over a quarter of a
million people. For these reasons, we decided it was in the best interest of the Bald Eagles to relocate
the existing Bald Eagle Nest to a new tower on the Wetland property.


Oncor Electric Company has worked hand in hand with the US Fish & Wildlife Service to secure a
relocation permit in order to undertake this amazing endeavor. The entire fabrication, construction,
and instillation of the new Eagle Nest Tower is being sponsored by a solid partnership with Oncor
Electric Delivery and Falcon Steel Company. During the next few weeks in August, Falcon Steel
Company, located in Kaufman, Texas, will begin the construction of the new tower located about 1200
feet from the original nest site. This will bring the tower about 1 mile away from the Wetland Center
and slightly closer for ground observation. Falcon Steel will also install a high definition camera, solar
panels, and a wifi network to help us in future monitoring and observation of the returning eagles. After
the tower is erected by early September, Oncor Electric Delivery will begin the exciting stage of
relocating the eagle nest to the new structure. Oncor plans to remove the existing arm of the transmission line tower with the eagle nest intact, carefully place it on a flat bed truck and drive it to thenew location. Once the nest is at the new location, we will fully inspect it making sure the nest is sturdy
and intact. After the inspection, Oncor will slowly lift the nest arm by crane, almost 100 feet into the air,
and reattach the nest arm to the new tower structure. The Wetland Center is very appreciative to our partners in this huge undertaking! We thank you beyond words for your in-kind financial commitment
and support to this wildlife project.

The entire process of relocation of the eagle nest should be complete by October 15, 2013 and ready for
the hopeful return of the Bald Eagles to the Wetland this fall. There is a 50% chance that the same pair
of eagles will return this year to occupy the existing nest on the new tower. Once this process is
complete, Oncor will release the maintenance, operation and monitoring of the Eagle Nest Tower to the
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center. The continued success of this storybook conservation effort will be
successful from the continued support of our donor, members, family and friends. Please stay tuned for
the next chapter of the Bald Eagle Nest Tower

As we all well know--the eagles do things on their time!!! ---AND they did!

Winter 2013: Plan A, Plan B…Plan Eagle!

We’ll there is plan A, plan B and now we have plan Eagle… nature always has a time and season of its
own. The adult American Bald Eagles return to the existing nest in mid-September 2013, one month
earlier that we expected. Apparently they did not get the memo that we were in the process of
relocating their nest to a safer location. Working with our partners, Oncor and Falcon Steel, we selected
a solid design for the new nest tower and an attractive location within 1200 feet of the original nest.
The surveyors sighted the footings for the new tower one week before the Eagles returned. My first day
back from summer vacation on September 15th, I sighted the male on top of the existing tower and the
female followed shortly afterwards. In light of their return, Oncor erected bird deterrents on adjacent
towers and trimmed the hanging branches under the nest to avoid contact with the live electric lines

To encourage another successful year of eaglets, we decided to postpone any future preparations to relocate the nest until they clear the tower in the spring of 2014. Several visitors and student groups have observed the Eagles building up the nest walls a little bit higher and lots of feeding and courtship activity around the nest sight. In the meantime, the Wetland Center and Falcon Steel are working with Oncor’s staff of biologist to monitor the Eagles and ensure a safe relocation effort.
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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:54 am

This picture shows the relationship between the old nest tower and the new non-functioning one. They are about 1200 feet apart.
TX   old and new tower.jpg
~~ The old and new nest towers


Nest history (the story of the move) continued ~~

In July of 2014, after the eagle couple had their eaglets and flew away for the off-season, Oncor painstakingly removed, wrapped up, and relocated their 200-plus pound nest to a new utility pole nearby; one that's not connected to any electric wires.

It took a big donation from Falcon Steel and the approval of federal and state regulators, but the enormous effort that cost more than $100,000 was no guarantee. It would still take a wing and a prayer to bring the birds back.

The following video highlights the cumulative efforts of Oncor biologists and field employees, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the landowner near the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center in Seagoville, TX, to safely and securely relocate a massive nest left behind by a pair of bald eagles and their offspring.

After monitoring the nest perched atop a 345kv transmission tower for more than two years, and following National Bald Eagle management guidelines, the tower cross arm that housed the nest was carefully positioned on a new structure less than a mile away in July. This was to ensure the safety and well-being of the eagles and reliable service to the tens of thousands of customers served by the high voltage line. The new structure was donated by Falcon Steel specifically for the eagle nest.

The eagles now have a safe structure away from any electricity and have the ability to nest there for life. Check out the video for an inside look at what the effort was all about.

*****************************

TX   new tower and cam.jpg
~~ New tower and the cam


A wonderful video showing the process of relocating this bald eagle's nest--amazing -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obt4A5pQjfU#t=27


The concern at the time was, that there was a 50-50 chance they would take to the new site. Much to the delight of all those involved with the project, the eagles returned in October. There was a problem: Instead of adopting their new tower, they gravitated right back to their original functioning tower. Then it just happened. The majestic birds made the short flight to their old nest on the new tower where they have nested since then!


Another story about these eagles with a video --- https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Seago ... 42651.html


TX   wetland eaglets   4-5-16.jpg
~~ The 2016 Wetlands eaglets
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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:55 am

Some great information about the John Bunker Sands Wetland where this bald eagle nest is located. ~~

http://www.wetlandcenter.com/wetlandcen ... ility.html

The Wetlands are about 26 miles East of Dallas off I-20


A video telling some of the history of the JBS Wetlands with gorgeous scenery---

https://vimeo.com/95417834

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TX   close to Dallas.jpg
TX close to Dallas.jpg (54.99 KiB) Viewed 7538 times
~~ Dallas, TX in the background


TX   overview.jpg
An overview of the Wetlands area ~~
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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:55 am

A few pictures of our 2017 eaglets ~~
TX   2017 eaglets.jpg
TX   2017 eaglets 4.jpg


TX   2017 fledgling.jpg
-- One of the fledglings on the tower
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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:56 am

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:57 am

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by MaryF » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:57 am

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Thu Mar 01, 2018 6:28 am

Have to try this out!
Image

Like the drag and drop! Thanks :ty:
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02-28-2018 Mom on Duty.JPG

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:27 pm

Camera up and running finally. Dad on nest and very watchful. :Cool: :meh:
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4:23 pm Central
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03-01-2018 Dad on nest watchful.JPG

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Fri Mar 02, 2018 5:56 am

Mom on duty this am. Nice sunshine for a change. A little aerating, then back
to brooding. 7:55 am.
03-02-2018 Mom on duty.JPG

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Fri Mar 02, 2018 4:32 pm

6:33 pm Mom on duty this evening. Took a little time to preen and walk around the nest.
Back to brooding now.
03-02-2018 Mon evening.JPG
03-02-2018 Mom walking around break.JPG
:bye 1:

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:14 am

Today possible hatch day? I believe this is day 35. Dad on duty this a.m.
03-03-2018 JB Dad duty.JPG

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:17 am

Mom back on duty this a.m. If hatch today, I would guess late in day. :dunno:
03-03-2018 JB Mom back.JPG

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Re: Seagoville, TX -- 2017/18

Post by KcShylo » Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:25 am

Mom appears to be listening to her baby and lots of squirming and pulling fluff closer.
03-03-2018 listening.JPG

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