On Their Own
With Eagle nesting season approaching rapidly in this area (mid-Feb to end-Mar), soon the last year's juvenile and other immatures will be banished from nesting territories. No longer will they be tolerated. No longer will the adults accompany them to help search for food. Often times, an adult with a nest with fly further with the juvenile to dissuade it from returning "home."
Even after all these years of doing this, I find it amazing that raptors of this nature, hatching in say mid-April are now on their own. History says that 50% of all successful fledglings will make it to breeding age (5yrs). However, thanks to the "banding" process in CT, data is now showing that every age of banded birds up to 19 1/2 yrs old averaged an 86% survival rate!
According to data collected for CT:
it seems that CT Bald Eagles don't migrate:
nest mates don't travel the same way;
young eagles are usually encountered further from their natal nests than old eagles, wandering until a nest is established and there is no evidence that chicks return "home" in following years.
Wondering if this 4th year bird will return with a mate this year, I keep my eyes peeled when at this nest location. As a young fifth year bird, it could attempt a nest "takeover" as it was very interested in this location just a year ago.
Although it didn't begin coming around until AFTER the existing pair had left for the season, I couldn't help but wonder where it came from.
seeing, saying, sharing...
On Their Own
Comments