Poor weather has kept me off my kayak recently. The other day there was a break in the weather and I headed out before dawn to catch up with Junior, the eagle chick I have been following. Dawn was very gray, I think from smoke from Canadian wilfires. When I got to the eagles nest and adult was nearby and Junior was still there in his nest and very agitated. He was squacking and jumping up and down. Due to lighting photographing Junior was difficult.
Suddenly Junior took off and landed on another tree about 50 yards away.
I got another image of Junior, again not good quality.
When I got home and looked at the images there was a fish Junior was eating after he flew off the nest to the tree 50 yards away.
I am just guessing but I think the adult placed a fish for Junior's breakfast on a distant tree to get Junior out of the nest and flying?
I had not seen this before. Perhaps someone with more insight into eagle behavior can comment if this is a way parents get young eagles to fly?
Ya, the weather has been brutal. I've seen the chicks jumping up and down and flapping their wings before flying. I've seen owls bate there fledglings to fly to another tree so I would not be surprised if eagles do this as well.
Ya, the weather has been brutal. I've seen the chicks jumping up and down and flapping their wings before flying. I've seen owls bate there fledglings to fly to another tree so I would not be surprised if eagles do this as well.
Morris
Thanks Morris. First time I’ve seen this but it makes a lot of sense.
