Video Of Eagles Near Villa Academy

A neighbor would like to share this information:

A couple of week ago I was out on a perfect day for my bi-weekly row from the Laurelhurst Beach Club to the Villa. The Villa is always my preferred destination and today’s North wind meant a vigorous row up and gentler return, a pretty good workout for pushing 80.

It is always worth the work to see the eagles at the Villa perched on the only bare branched snag from which they can watch their nest and watch for the very few fish left in Lake Washington. But today was different. There were no eagles; there was no snag. Gone.

There were Seattletreecare.org trucks taking down an older tree, granted not very healthy, on the Villa’s valuable waterfront property. What is coming? As with Batelle (whoops, Talaris), the only institutions that will ever conceivably protect the trees or prevent the needless destruction of existing buildings are Children’s or UW.

I sure will miss those eagles.

Here is a video I took.

Neighbor Reports Eagles Hovering Over Dog

A neighbor has reported several times over the last two weeks that several eagles have been hovering over his small dog when he takes him to the Laurelhurst Park and also even in his backyard near the Park.

The neighbor said:

Just want the neighborhood to be aware that the eagles seem to be very aggressive circling and hovering around our small dog recently.  Please keep an eye on your pets, especially small ones, when taking them for a walk, or leaving them in your backyard. Eagles are lovely creatures, just don't want them flying away with any of anyone's beloved pets.

Eagle nests have been reported on 55th Avenue NEand Talaris.

Charlie, The Eagle's, Graduation Day

Here is a recent post from the Union Bay Watch Blog published by Larry Hubbell, long-time local photographer and birder.

Here also is an in-depth article about Larry and his work.

Freedom

Early on Thursday afternoon, to the east of Rockport, a snow-covered section of the Cascades peaked through the clouds and the sun's warmth began to take a bit of the chill out of the mountain air. After nearly five months of rest and rehabilitation, Charlie's graduation day arrived. 

Charlie was the first offspring of Monty and Marsha, the adult eagles pictured above, to leave their nest, beside Union Bay. Technically, we might say the nest left Charlie. A branch broke, the nest shifted and partially fell, and so did Charlie. In the process, the young eagle's pelvis was cracked. Even though the eaglet was nearly as large as an adult, Charlie had not yet learned to fly. A young, flightless and injured eagle on the ground is in trouble. You may read more about Charlie's early struggles, and even see some of his 'baby' pictures, by Clicking Here.

In a more remote location, Charlie would have been highly unlikely to survive. Luckily, Monty and Marsha choose to build their nest in Seattle. Because the nest was in a populated area, it enabled a kindhearted neighbor, to make a timely call to The Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Lynnwood, and Charlie was rescued.

Initially, Jeff Brown from PAWS was uncertain whether the eagle's pelvis would heal. With food, shelter and time Charlie recovered and learned to fly. Thursday was Charlie's chance to return to the wild.

By the way, Jeff mentioned that Charlie's measurements indicate he is too large to be a male Bald Eagle. Charlie is a female, who might be more appropriately named Charlotte. Jeff and the other employees, volunteers and supporters of PAWS in Lynnwood should be congratulated. Once again, they have not only saved a beautiful young creature from almost certain death, they have invested nearly five months of professional care and support, which should enable Charlotte to survive on her own. 

Yesterday, Jeff Brown prepared for Charlotte's release. While in captivity the eagle was cared for from a distance. As little human contact as possible was critical so that Charlotte could maintain her healthy fear of humans.

As the river rolled calmly past anticipation built. A pair of adult Bald Eagles watched from a treetop on the distant shore as Charlotte took to the air.

Charlotte's freedom flight was a majestic sight. It will be another four years or so before she is fully mature and ready to reproduce. Still, at this age, she is full-sized and, hopefully, fully-capable and ready to take on the world.

Charlotte circled upriver and then turned and headed downstream.

As she passed by, the band on her right leg and her huge talons were obvious. Hopefully, she finds plenty of salmon returning to the river in the near future. It is hard to imagine a better time or place for a young eagle to achieve independence.

As Charlotte began to disappear in the distance she descended closer and closer to the water.

In one of my last photos, she touched down. As we watched she splashed her way closer to the distant shore. Never having seen an eagle released before, I was concerned about her drowning. Later, Jeff mentioned that Jim Watson, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife scientist who also watched the process, was very reassuring. Apparently, he has seen other young eagles enter the water and survive.

It was certainly exciting to see Charlotte flying free. I hope she grabbed a fish, paddled her way to shore and had a nice meal. I suspect for Jeff and the folks from PAWS watching her disappear in the distance was a little bit like watching a child leave home. You do everything you can to help them prepare to face the world on their own, you feel pride at their obvious capabilities but there is still a good deal of apprehension about the challenges they may face.

We are all wishing Charlotte the best in her new adventures.

Update On Injured Eaglet And Delicate Nest Near Montlake Cut

Here is a recent post from the Union Bay Watch Blog published by Larry Hubbell, long-time local photographer and birder.

Here also is an in-depth article about Larry and his work.


Eaglet Progress

Last Sunday, ten days after a branch broke and this eagle's sibling fell, the nest along Montlake Cut has continued to disintegrate. Day by day, the mass of sticks above the smaller branch on the left seems to be shrinking. The thin bridge of sticks connecting to the fork in the main part of the tree is also a concern.

You can see the nest building process in the post, New Neighbors.

You can also read about the parents who built the nest in the post, Monty, Marsha and...

... and you can read the initial post regarding the eaglet who fell in, Eaglet Troubles.

The latest update from PAWS regarding the fallen eaglet was forwarded by a kind and concerned reader, T. L. Stokes.

'The juvenile Bald Eagle has a fractured pelvis. We are continuing to care for the eagle to help him/her recover. This eagle is being housed with another juvenile Bald Eagle, and they get along great.'

A communication from the PAWS volunteer who retrieved the young eagle stated,

'Radiographs indicated that the eagle has a fractured pelvis near the joint. That means it has a super guarded prognosis.  Fractures near joints often don't heal well. We will continue to monitor how the pelvis heals to determine if the eagle will recover his range of motion.  We are cautiously optimistic but the nestling has a tough road to full recovery.' 

On Monday morning Lucy had moved back to the fork in the main stem of the tree. This inspired a momentary sense of relief given the sturdiness of the large supporting branches. By the way, no one knows for sure if Lucy is male or female.

A few moments later Lucy decided to return to the perch she was using the day before. It was obvious that the bulk of the nest, which was hanging from the smaller branch just 24 hours earlier, was gone. Sadly, this did not seem to impact Lucy's desire visit the site.

She slowly inched her way across the 'Sky Bridge' back towards the smaller branch. There was no indication that she could fly at this point. Her wings were wide but the feather development was incomplete. Most obvious were her missing coverts. Her coverts will ultimately cover the base of her flight feathers and unify the surfaces of her wings. This will enable her wings to function as single lift-providing units, relative to the air flow.

The white sheaths of her flight feathers, displayed on her right wing, will not be visible once the under wing coverts are fully developed.

As Lucy crawled, sidled and flapped her way across The Sky Bridge, the connecting sticks shifted and sagged beneath her weight.

As she neared the smaller branch the tension continued to build. I tried to persuade myself that even in their incomplete state her massive wings might help to break her fall. The optimistic thought did not reduce my concern.

The sigh of relief when she finally finished her sky walk was short lived. How would the parents bring her food in such a small and unstable location? Would she try to lay down and sleep there or would she just turn around and walk back? I wasn't sure I wanted to watch. Still, if she fell I wanted to be there to call PAWS as soon as possible.

When I checked back on Monday afternoon she seemed to have settled in on the far side of the Skybridge.

Soon she was up and flapping her wings. The shrinking remnants of the nest continued to shift beneath her movements.

I think she may actually be larger than Monty, her father. Female Bald Eagles are normally larger than males. Lucy's relative size is the only potential hint I have regarding her gender.

I think the frequency of her loud, piercing calls are indicative of the current level her hunger. I imagine that even at a distance the parents interpret the calls as, 'Feed Me, Feed Me!'

By Tuesday morning, Lucy was back on the main stem. I was relieved.

Monty brought her food and she found adequate space to eat in the fork of the tree, where the nest originally started. Notice how the sticks from the nest are almost completely gone.

Here is what the same fork in the tree looked like around the time the eggs were laid.

After she ate, they both found secure resting sites on the major branches protruding from the original fork.

I was beginning to hope that her adventures as Lucy Skywalker were over.

I was wrong, on Tuesday afternoon, Lucy was once again on the far side of common sense.

Her sky bridge and the nest had been reduced to the point that they no longer resemble an eagle's nest. Every time I visited the site I feared finding Lucy laying on the ground.

Luckily, on Wednesday Lucy was back on a major branch.

Earlier that morning, I noticed this uneaten fish on the sidewalk below the nest. Even though Lucy missed this small meal, I have seen enough feedings to know she is not starving.

On Thursday, Lucy was still on the safe side of the sky bridge. Once again, I was starting to hope she had finally deduced that The Bridge was a death trap.

Later, I watched from a distance as one of the parents, Marsha I think, brought Lucy a rat secured from the north side of Montlake Cut.

I have met many neighbors in the area who have all been excited and welcoming to Monty and Marsha and their young. One of the questions I am often asked is, What will the parents do next year? I do not know, however, I see no reason for them to abandon a territory which appears to adequately provide for their needs. The nesting tree is still standing and at a location they like. My guess is they will rebuild the nest.

The next question which comes to my mind is, can we do anything to help the eagles succeed? Here are two suggestions. 

Avoid pesticides which kill creatures like rats and bioaccumulate in predators like eagles. It is critical for eagles, owls and hawks that we do not enable poisoned pests to become available for their consumption. Wild creatures are the most sustainable and natural means of pest control. Click Here to read the very informative thoughts and recommendations of our local experts at the Urban Raptor Conservancy.

Fish are the main source of food for eagles. One of the most dangerous chemicals impacting the development of fish is motor oil. Sadly, until the southern portion of the 520 Bridge is completed, the road runoff is still flowing directly into Union Bay. My suggestion is that for the next five years if you have a choice between driving a fossil-fueled vehicle across 520 or taking a different route (or vehicle), take the alternative. Every ounce of oil we keep out of Union Bay is healthier for the fish, which are Monty and Marsha's primary food supply.

On Thursday afternoon, Lucy was still on the safe side of the Sky Bridge. My hopes were rising.

On Friday, not only was Lucy still on a large branch attached to the main part of the tree, but her behavior was also starting to change. She appears to be starting to branch. Branching is just like it sounds. It is the process through which a young eagle learns to fly. They will often sit and flap their wings to develop strength, while occasionally making short hops to other branches in the nesting tree.

So far I have not seen her hop to a new branch, however she has been moving progressively further out on one of the large sturdy branches. Plus, she is flapping her wings more and preening her feathers. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see a white downy feather floating in front of her chest. Part of flight development is maintaining and spreading out her new feathers so they are completely functional. No doubt this process includes the removal of any old nonfunctional feathers as well.

It is exciting to see Lucy making progress in her development. I suspect that sometime in the next few weeks she will learn to fly. The parents are doing their part to bring her food. Lucy is finding adequate space to sleep and appears to be proceeding with normal development. Most importantly, it appears her decision making is improving and she is no longer sidling across an eaglet's version of The Bridge to Nowhere.

Photo Of Eagle From East Laurelhurst Drive

A Laurelhurst Blog reader sent in this photo taken on East Laurelhurst Drive NE looking east.

The neighbor said that the eagles frequently visit that spot.

Update on Eagles Nest In Tree Near 55th Avenue NE

Earlier this month, the Laurelhurst Blog posted about the long-time eagles nest, which could be seen from residences on 55th Avenue NE, suddenly disappeared. 

A concerned neighbor said at the time: 

I was looking out my window  and the nest that I've seen a tree, which can be seen from some homes on 55th Avenue NE, along the water, that has been there for years is no longer there.  The nest is in the dead tree on the lake near the dead-end at 55th Avenue NE. 

However the two eagles are still there. Does anyone know what happened to the nest? What will happen to the Eagles?  

Other neighbors sent in information following the post,saying that it seemed that the nest was gone shortly after a big windstorm: 

So sad.  I too have seen one eagle sitting in the spot where their nest is while the other one soars around the tree.  What DOES happen to them now?  

The nest may have fallen. It could be down at the foot of the tree. Eggs may already have been laid or the mother eagle has not yet laid them. It takes a while to build a new nest. Eagles are probably mourning the loss of nest and maybe the eggs. No safe place to go at this point. This is their “safe” territory. 

Recently the neighbor sent the Laurelhurst Blog an update and picture (above) saying 

that a new nest has appeared one tree to the north and is in the process of being built. 

: :

What Happened To Eagles Nest In The Tree Off Of 55th Avenue NE?

A neighbor living near 55th Avenue NE who has watched the eagles nest over the year sent this information to the Laurelhurst Blog:

I was looking out my window  and the nest that I've seen a tree, which can be seen from some homes on 55th Avenue NE, along the water, that has been there for years is no longer there.  The nest is in the dead tree on the lake near the dead-end at 55th Avenue NE. 

However the two eagles are still there. Does anyone know what happened to the nest? What will happen to the Eagles?  

Here is a recent picture of the nest that was there I’d say as recently as one month ago.  This is the most recent picture I have of it.

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Eagle And Baby Eagle Sightings in the Neighborhood And Talaris

The Laurelhurst Blog has received inquiries about how the baby eagles are doing at Talaris, where a long time eagles nest is located, just off of 41st Avenue NE.

Over the last several years, neighbors have been keeping Laurelhurst Blog informed of the baby eagle activity.

Recently neighbors wrote to the Laurelhurst Blog:

Have you heard any update on the eagles at Talaris?  It looked like eagles were sitting on the nest earlier in the spring. We wonder what has happened with the babies now.

I saw five eagles last week! All were in the air, though. I assumed two were juveniles, as I couldn't see white markings, but I didn't have binoculars. The problem is, I have not seen activity at the nest specifically, so those could have been eagles from either nest. Or do they mingle? They were circling above the Talaris campus, however.

Neighbors have also recently reported about other eagles nest:

There is another eagles nest on 55th Avenue NE and we saw two extra heads in the nest.  Please let neighbors know not to shoot off fireworks on July 4th, out of consideration of the eagles and of the dogs in the neighborhood.  We are also very curious about the eagles at Talaris. 

We saw two adults, and a younger eaglet, or fledgling, were being harassed by crows last weekend on Surber Drive and NE 41st Street. We also saw 7 playing in the wind about a week ago south of the Laurelhurst Beach Club.

 

Last July a neighbor sent the above picture and update about the eagles nesting near Talaris:

The chicks seem to be doing fine.  They mostly stand around and wait for food.  They are starting to whistle for food now.  By the time they go the neighbors, at least some of us are not sad to see them go.   

If there is a breeze one will stand on the edge of the nest and practice flying jumping into the air in small hops.  They are making trips out of the nest onto nearby branches.  If they follow past years,  they will be fledging toward the end of next month or so.

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. 

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