Hello everybody,

No bad news this time around! Now, let’s begin…

Last week, Pete traveled to Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands to begin banding the oldest chicks of the season. Meanwhile, I’ve been keeping an eye on the Catalina nests and making sure the parents are taking good care of their chicks.

I visited the Seal Rocks nest a couple of times this week and they are doing wonderfully. They always seem to have leftovers on the nest and the parents are usually around.




These are the oldest Catalina chicks and we will be banding them this Friday, so expect some really nice close up shots and video on next week’s update!


Parent feeding the chicks




Chicks are almost as big as mom and dad!




The Rattlesnake chick is doing great as well. He/she has started displaying some grabbing and mantling of the food that’s being brought to him/her, which is perfectly normal behavior for a chick that age. We will be banding this chick the following Friday, May 18th.


Chick and fish




Cont…

As big or bigger than mom!






Hi everyone!




Here’s a video of a feeding and some preening


And here’s a nice close up of K47


She has been perching on this electric pole located right by the road for the past couple of weeks, a safe spot for tour buses to spot her and admire her




Cont…

And as far as the West End nest is concerned, they are a busy bunch!
I have picked many screen captures posted on the nest observations this week in case you haven’t gotten a chance to see them live on the camera.
Some viewers have shown concern over the fact that the youngest chick has been picked on by the older siblings and seems to be fed last, or sometimes skipped. There’s no need to be alarmed, this is typical behavior for a pair of eagles trying to keep up with three perpetually hungry chicks.
Food please!


Now!


Full crops!




The whole family


The little one will require less food than its older siblings because it’s almost a week behind in its development and because it is the youngest, it must put up with some “abuse” from his siblings, but as long as it gets to feed, which it has, it should be just fine.
It may not get a full set of tracking devices at banding because of how much more it’ll need to grow after our visit but it’ll be big enough for us to place a leg band and maybe wing markers.


The little one getting its share


Little one couldn’t be more full!


Everybody is stuffed and happy!


Cont…

A close up on the littlest


And the middle child


Living on the edge!


I also collected some videos posted during this week. Just remember that these are wild eagles and everything they do is normal behavior. Enjoy!

Younger triplet is “told” to wait its turn… repeatedly!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtVOQz4EosA&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4NQC66BII

Triplet #3 is getting its share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDpEz4ERGFk

Grad and mantle has begun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fILAXsW_KU8

Click on the following link and scroll down just a bit to enjoy a very funny fashion show!
http://z7.invisionfree.com/CHIL_EagleCAM/i...?showtopic=7235

This week, I have also been looking for the Middle Ranch and the Twin Rocks pairs. I have not being able to find the TR adults, but then again, they could be “hiding” in a canyon nearby and could have moved to another area on the island; after all, there’s plenty of real estate available!
Looking west


Looking east


Checking out the local red-tail hawk


The wind started to pick up






Cont…

The Middle Ranch pair on the other hand, has been quite active. I have watched them interact and vocalize with each other regularly, indicating that there might still be a hope for these two this breeding season. Like we’ve mentioned before, the weather on the island is relatively mild year-around so they could breed this late, and if not, at least they are reinforcing their bond for next season!
A37 arriving to the reservoir






A37


K93 arriving to the area


Both of them perching together






Yesterday, I took some time to hike down to the Pinnacle Rock blind and remove the camouflage and the chair we use to monitor this nest. We’ll put it in storage and hope that we will need it next year because we keep our hope ups for K56 and K73!
Looking east


Looking down to the empty nest


Cont…

And a very happy sighting report. While the eagle crew was on Santa Rosa Island last week, they spotted K95, the Pinnacle Rock nest chicks from 2010!

(photo taken by IWS Crew)

Along my hikes and drives I encounter other types of wildlife, like this gopher snake that was stretched along the middle of the road… so I moved it!




Frank Hein, Director of the Education Department for the Catalina Island Conservancy dedicated their Island Naturalists- The Stories from Catalina’s Wildlands, a monthly publication for Catalina Island Conservancy Naturalists, to the Bald Eagle Program on Catalina!
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.p...s&p=article_129

http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.p...s&p=article_130

http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.p...s&p=article_131

http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.p...s&p=article_132

http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.p...s&p=article_133

Pimu begging for food


Lovely Pimu flying to her perch after a nice meal






Just a quick reminder about the 2012 Nest Adoption Challenge! The NAC is the Bald Eagle Restoration Project’s most successful fundraiser and it’s all because of your generosity! All contributions to IWS go directly towards our efforts to restore and monitor bald eagles on the Channel Islands, and every single one of them make you eligible to participate in our Challenge’s drawing of the fabulous Nest Adoption benefits that include invitations to tour Catalina Island with an IWS biologist and a chance to enter our captive eagle enclosures to meet Hydi and Pimu during feeding times, special eagle items AND the unique opportunity to officially name this year’s chicks; the same chicks many people have become so attached to by watching their everyday movements and development. Those names that will go in our permanent records! Now, who wouldn’t want to do that?! Just visit http://www.iws.org/NAC_2012.html or http://s11.zetaboards.com/IWS_Eagle_Forum/index/ and remember to mention that you would like your contribution to count towards the NAC challenge, and thanks!

This is what our Eagle Sponsor Wall looks like so far and some plaques are on their way!


Pimu always watching…


Until next week,
Steffani

Thanks, Steffani, for another super update. :}^ :><:
Great information & pictures, as always! :)^
The chicks are all growing up so fast! :wub:
Hard to believe it's time for banding already!
Soon they'll be soaring and you'll be busy tracking them all over the island!

Stay safe!

Steffani - Thanks for another great update. As usual, wonderful photos of our beautiful eagles. Super news about K-95 and Pimu looks fabulous!

Thank you Steffani, I'm so happy to have all good news. Wishing you wonderful week and looking forward to banding video! Take care!

Thanks for another great update. It's going to get really busy with banding so close; can't wait!! Take care out there!

Another wonderful update and beautiful pictures. (even the snake). Thanks for all you do. :**:

STEFFANI---You have soooo many wonderful photos again this week. Friday--banding for SR---time sure does fly by!

I was wondering how you and B-)) were going to handle banding for #3 at WE since s/he is younger by a week. Makes sense that the radio pack would be out of the question and Wing Blings too...unless when you get there you decide she can be "blinged"...time will tell.

Steffani
Wonderful report! ah! Hydi and Pimu!
Appreciate your hard work!
Love the eagles!

:}^ Steffani. Great update except for the snake....eewwww :P

I'm a little worried about K47 perching on that hydro pole :o

Can't wait for the banding videos and thanks for the :clk: :clk: 's of Pimu :wub:

Thank you! Great update, full of great news!
Linda

Steffani, thanks for that wonderful update! Some of the pics are super! Also, thanks to the whole IWS team, this is a team effort. :)^

Thank you, Steffani! Great news all around! So you just picked up the snake and moved it, a true biologist. :lol: Otherwise it might have been run over so that was for the best.

I still have hopes for the MR pair. They are the only IWS eagles that I've seen in real life, a dream come true. <3

Good luck with the bandings. Thanks for the explanation about #3.

Very nice Update, Steffani.

Don't think I could move that snake, even though it is a nice kind!