Hello Eagle enthusiasts,
Welcome to yet another exciting week. It began with seeing A-45 and A-51, but the excitement didn’t end there. It was also a week of transitions, as we wish Amanda good luck on her new ventures and welcome Maria back to the crew. Here’s the week in short:

Tuesday
This week our transport arrived at the island earlier than usual, which meant that we had some time to check on nests. I hiked out and checked on the Los Piños nest and was thrilled to find them incubating! :)^

This nest is A-45 and A-51, formerly known as the Willows pair. When I arrived, A-45 was at the nest and partway through my observations he switched with A-51. Here’s a picture, but it is pretty far away:

A-51 incubating with A-45 perched on a nearby cliff



While I was doing that, Maria and Amanda went out to check on the Carl nest. Boy do those chicks grow quickly! Here’s a few pictures of the nest:








Sadly, this was also the day that K-10 and K-26 lost one of their eggs. If you haven’t already seen it, here is a link to the video showing that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4OUC7i-FMc


Wednesday
Wednesday Maria and I went out to the Fraser Point nest to see how A-49 and A-64 are doing with their egg. We were a little worried, because GPS has shown that A-64 isn’t spending an awful lot of time at the nest. So when we got to the nest (and the fog finally cleared) we were especially excited to see A-49 behaving as if the egg might hatch soon.

Maria hiking up the ridge to the viewpoint



The nest



While we did that, Amanda checked on the Los Piños pair from a better vantage point. They are definitely incubating. Here are the pictures from that:

Both adults



The nest



continued...

Thursday
This was a quiet day. The fog rolled in thick from sea level up to the higher ridges. Maria and I took the opportunity to inspect our truck and ATVs while Amanda attempted to hike above the fog on Montañon Peak. Her view was mostly this…




Although there was a brief period of this



Friday
Amanda checked on the Carl nest again… gosh they grow quickly :D








I checked on the Fry’s nest and I’m happy to announce that they are incubating. :ok:






And Maria checked on the Hazards nest, which is still incubating






continued...

Saturday
In the morning we finished some work on the battery system at the Chinese Harbor nest webcam transmitter site. Hopefully this will mean more reliable camera feeds.

Working on the battery


After that we spread out along a stretch of the southeast coast checking one of the few remaining possible territories. A-48 spends a lot of time in this area, but is usually alone. On this day she was joined for at least an hour by A-21 (the male from the Anacapa/Oak Canyon pair). I wonder what is going on there?










The view of the backside of the Los Piños nest area (visible from Maria’s observation point). What an attentive parent!




continued...

Sunday
I checked on A-48 again, but this time it looked like she spent the whole day alone.


At her first perch



When she moved









Maria checked on the Fraser Point nest again to see if the egg had hatched. She thought from behavior that it probably had, but wasn’t able to see a chick. So fingers crossed that Kim will have good news for us this coming tour :X: :X:




VIDEO



Monday
One last check on the Carl nest and the chicks look good. Another check on A-48 and again she is alone. One more peek at Los Piños and all still looks well.

Los Piños



The hike to check on A-48



A jay along the way



A-48 on her post



And that was our week.

Until next time,
Helen and the IWS Crew

Thanks much for the update - so many incubating on SC - exciting times for all - anxiously awaiting our "cam" chicks :^: really appreciate all you do.




Cindy in Oregon

As usual a very eggciting update. Maybe A49 is doing most of the incubating now getting closer to their hatch day. I'm sure A64 is doing his duty to supply tasty morsels >>: for his princess :<<o>>: . Hoping for a great hatch day.

Vickih :D

Great to hear all the GOOD NEWS coming from Santa Cruz (except of course for the one egg at PH). And how exiting to hear that A64 and A49 might have their first chick!! :><: Thank you for the grea update!

And thank you Amanda and good luck to you!!

Thank you, Helen & all, and best wishes to Amanda in her new venture.

Yes, the Carl chicks looks so good! :)^

I hope A49 is now busy with her new little chick....and hoping A64 is as good of a food provider as his dad was. It may take a little time, but I'm sure he'll be terrific too. Poor little Cruz had a couple of slim first days herself, but look at her now.

Wonderful photos...love them all. Thanks so much for what you do.

Patti -- I see Cruz like her mother K26 who knows how to degate tasks to significant other; I see Spirit like his father K10 who know how to take orders. Hopefully he's a good fisherman.

Vickih :D

Wow! Seven active nests on SCI! How amazing is that!?

Thank you for all your photos. I'm especially happy to see A-35, who we got to know while she spent some time in Santa Barbara a couple of years ago; and A-49 (of course) incubating on a nest of her own!

What a banner year for the Northern eagles!

Thank you all!! It's chickpalooza on SCI!!! As Sara said, A35 was our Santa Barbara girl. I pray for healthy strong chicks.

Thanks again for all you do! <::: Is that 2 chicks on Carl nest?

Helen and crew
such a busy time for you!
I don't know how I missed this update????
Good luck to Amanda! :)^
Hoe A49 and A 64 are successful :X:
and all the others that are incubating!
What a great week you had!!! :><: