Exciting Activity In Eagle Nest On Talaris Property

Baby eagles on Talaris property 

July 2013

The Laurelhurst Blog has received several emails from concerned neighbors about how the eagles are doing in the nest,, in a large tree just off of 41st Avenue NE on the Talaris property. 

One neighbor who has a good vantage point tracking their activity wrote:

It has been a bit of an odd year at the nest.  The adults spent far less time sprucing up the place with new greenery and just hanging around the nest as laying time approached, than in past years.   

There have been juveniles around quite often as well, often crying for food.   They must be last years kids because the adults didn't drive them away summarily as they might have done in previous years.  I even saw an adult sharing a branch right above the nest.  I have been told that one of them even managed to steal a catch from one of the inbound adults.

Given past performance, I would have expected laying to take place after the end of March.  And I can confirm that there was an adult in the nest full time by March 29th.   

The nest is really deep and the leaves are obstructing the view from almost anywhere, including my house, but there are regular coming and goings, again without much chatter.   

As soon as hatching occurs, an adult will stay with the chicks till they feather out and get big enough to fend off crows etc. then the real work begins with both adults working to keep fish or foul coming to feed the chicks.   

It will be some time before they clear they side of the nest so we can take a beak count. 

This nest has been popular for nearby residents to avidly keep an eye on.  Last March and in May 2014, eagle chicks were sighted by residents on Surber Drive. In April of last year, a neighbor sent a video of the activity.  And in early 2013 there were more baby eagle sightings.

In September of 2013, residents were concerned about the eagles when suddenly a black vinyl fence was put up around the nest. Neighbors were again concerned last May when many reported hearing dump trucks and seeing a digging machine too close to the eagles nest.  A Talaris representative said that grinding and repaving a portion of the asphalt driveway that had several cracks and potholes in it were being repaired.

Please send your sightings and pictures to the Laurelhurst Blog Staff at laurelhurstblogger@gmail.com.