Eagles Over The Rainbow Bridge, History & Links to Tribute Threads

[Cumbrian]

2009



............................................
.......................................................K-96 on Banding Day

............................................. April 2nd, 2009 - August 13th, 2009


K-96 ... along with his brother K-94 ... hatched on the Twin Rocks Nest on Catalina Island.

As this nest is best observed from the water .. it was difficult to follow the twins progress.
It is also the hardest nest to gain access to the eaglets and so on May 30th, 2009 .. Jim Spickler and another climber .. had to rappel down to get them, and bring them up top so the IWS Team could band them.

The above photo is taken from the Banding video .. as Steffani is about to put K-96 back into the bag so he can be returned to his nest. You can see his feistiness even after all the work done on him ... blood tests .. backpack etc.

On June 30th, 2009 both brothers successfully fledged. We were kept updated of their progress and watched K-96 on video as he enjoyed soaring.

July 9/09: K-96 flying over the boat


K-96 started to explore more and in early August he was on the eastern part of the island.

But on the August 19th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the sad news that on Thursday, August 13th, K-96 had been seen floating about 3 miles off of Emerald Bay (Catalina) and on Saturday, August 15th, his body was found washed up on the shore, at Oak Street Beach, on the mainland.


We know the statistics ... Bald Eagles have a 50% mortality rate during their first year ... but it is still hard to accept it.


.................................. Once again we mourn the loss of another eaglet.

You left us too soon K-96 .... but you did soar with the wind beneath your wings.

May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who are at the Rainbow Bridge. You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2009



..............................................

......................................................... K-98 on Banding Day

........................................... April 7th, 2009 - August 18th, 2009


K-98 hatched on the West End Nest on Catalina Island.

This was a very historic year for this nest as the eggs were left, on the nest, to hatch naturally this season, after the successes at the Pinnacle Rock, Seal Rocks and Twin Rocks nests over the last two seasons. (Although we did get a 'Surprise' last year at this nest!)

The nest bowl was very deep .. and we could not see how many eggs were in it. But on Tuesday, April 7th, 2009 when both adults stayed on the nest .. then K-01 brought in a fish .. we had confirmation that we had a chick on the nest!

Two days later on April 9th her sibling ... K-97 ... successfully hatched too.

We watched as they competed for food .. but with parents like Wray and K-01 there was always plenty to go around and the chicks seemed to get along very well and always stayed close together on the nest.

Eventually .. through a poll conducted on the forum ... they were given the un-official names of Faith and Joy.

June 5, 2009 was Banding day and their protective parents dive-bombed the IWS Crew as they approached the nest!

K-98 ... Faith ... was the first to fledge on June 30th, 2009. At 7:52am she spread her beautiful wings and the wind caught her and took her up ... and away from the nest ... and she did not return again until July 8th.

Faith and Joy ... being the youngest of all the fledglings at all the nests ... remained around the nest area ... mostly over at the Cam site ... during the remainder of July and into August.

They enjoyed flying back and forth to the nest .. although at times K-97 did not appear to want her sister to land ... especially if there was a food drop and many a tussle occurred as they became more aggressive in claiming it. They also started to make friends with their cousins on the Island.

K-98 started to explore more and in early August she was on the eastern part of the island.

But on the August 19th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the sad news that on Tuesday, August 18th, they had received a report that someone on the mainland had found K-98/Faith ... deceased ... on the shore in San Pedro.

Dr. Sharpe states that the most common form of mortality for the Channel Island Eagles is drowning. If they land in the water .. they may be unable to take off again.

This week we lost two of the Class of 2009 this way.


.........................Faith .. K-98 ... we watched you hatch and grow into a beautiful eaglet.

We were thrilled when you successfully fledged and started to explore and discover the delights of your Island .. but we lost you too soon.

.............Now you soar with all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

................................................... You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2009



........................................................

............................................................. K-99 on Banding Day

........................................... April 5th, 2009 - September 2nd, 2009


K-99 hatched on the Pinnacle Rock Nest on Catalina Island.


Although there is no EagleCam on this nest .. we were kept up to date with all the events happening throughout the season by the weekly Catalina Updates.

This was the first chick for the new female on this nest .. K-56 .. who was a most attentive mother .. and with a protective dad (K-65) too .. the chick was rarely left unattended and was very well fed.


The above photo was taken on Banding Day .. May 31/09 .. with Steffani holding the soon to become K-99 .. who they banded as a male .. but the blood test results proved that she was a girl.

At the end of June K-99 successfully fledged and soon began to explore the coastline west of her nest.


PR Eaglet K-99.


In July and August she was soaring and exploring .. but still returned to her nest to patiently wait for her parents to drop off some food.


We hoped that she would stay safe on the Island .. but on the September 9th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the sad news that K-99 had been seen floating off the shore of White’s Landing, on the channel side of the island on Wednesday, September 2nd.
One of the Coast Rangers picked her body out of the water and took her to Steffani.


......................... Once again we mourn the loss of another eaglet of the Class of 2009.

You too left us too soon K-99 .... but you also soared with the wind beneath your wings.

May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who are at the Rainbow Bridge. You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2010



...................
..........................................................................K-96 and K-09. ... Banding Day May 28, 2010.



K-96 ... along with his sister K-09 ... hatched on the Rattlesnake Nest on Catalina Island.

We were all very excited about these chicks hatching because their parents had tried for two years without success.

There is no EagleCam on this nest .. but we were kept up to date with all the events happening throughout the season by the weekly Catalina Updates.

K-09 was the first to hatch on the evening of March 28th and her brother .. K-96 .. hatched on April 1st and unfortunately those few days in between made a difference with sibling rivalry .. and so he was smaller and a tad behind in development .. which Steffani reported on the May 13th, Catalina Update.

But things improved and both were observed exercising their wings and getting ready to fledge.

The ŌJune GloomÕ made it difficult for the IWS to get visuals and had to rely on their signals that all was well.

But ... on the July 7th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the very sad news that both eaglets had been found deceased, under some bushes, near the site of the nest.

This came as a complete shock to us all ... we did not expect this news.

The cause of their deaths is uncertain, but their bodies will be sent to a lab where scientists may be able to determine the cause.


We may not have known them as well as those that we have watched on cam ... but they were very much part of the IWS success story on the Channel Islands this season ... and so we mourn the loss of these two precious eaglets of the Class of 2010.


....................................... K-96 and K-09 .. Both of you will be forever in our hearts.

.........May you both rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who are at the Rainbow Bridge.

...........................................................You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2010



..............................................

......................................................................................................................... K-98 on Banding Day

............................................................................................................... May 3rd, 2010 - July 17th, 2010


K-98 hatched on the Middle Ranch Nest on Catalina Island .. and was the youngest chick of the Class of 2010.


We had been waiting a long time for the Middle Ranch Nest to produce a chick. The original pair of K-93 and A-32 didnÕt seem to want to settle down. Then, in February 2010, along came A-37.

In March the pair were definitely incubating and on May 3rd they .. and all of us .. welcomed their first chick that hatched during the afternoon.

There is no camera on this nest ... but we were kept updated with the news about the chick, and his parents, through the weekly Catalina Updates.

Because the nest is close to the captive educational birds .. Pimu and Pii’ ich (Heidi/Hydi) .. Steffani was able to monitor the chick's progress almost daily. She noticed that Mom .. A-37 .. would not allow Dad .. K-93 .. to be on the nest too long at first .. but that soon changed and K-93 was soon interacting and feeding the chick he had waited so long for.




The chick grew fast and when he was 8 weeks old, on June 28th, he was banded and became known as K-98.


** Taken from the .. Catalina Update, Thursday, July 22, 2010


On Thursday evening, July 15th, Steffani went to feed Pimu and Hydi and also checked on K-98. He wasnÕt on the nest so she went out looking for him. His signal was normal but both parents were acting aggressively as soon as she stepped close to their nest, so she decided to go back the next day and try getting a visual.

This chick is 10.5 weeks old, the lower age for fledging.

The next day, after a lot of searching, Steffani found K98 perched on a bush and getting harassed by mockingbirds. He must have been sheltering himself under the bushes. At one point Steffani thought she was looking for a dropped transmitter and not the actual bird. It was a very hot day so she didn't blame him for trying to get in the shade.





He would call out to his parents every now and then, but never while she had the camera on (of course). You can hear him vocalize at the end of the video and can see/hear the mockingbirds harassing him throughout.


Video by Steffani: Middle Ranch Chick. K98 .. July 16th, 2010


She hiked out relieved to have found him alive and well.

Saturday morning, July 17th .. Steffani drove by the ranch .. on her way to the west end .. and got a normal signal from K98 .. but later .. after she had fed Pimi and Hydi .. she turned on her telemetry radio and got a mortality signal on him.

She hiked out into the canyon and ended up retrieving the body of our youngest chick about 200 feet from where she had seen him the day before.

K-98Õs body was sent to the lab and their preliminary report is that he was emaciated (no body fat) and dehydrated. I donÕt expect much fat in a young developing eagle, but the dehydration is probably what killed him.

This eagle fledged just as our first hot days of the year hit and it was around 90-100 degrees for a few days. This chick had been getting a lot of ground squirrels delivered to his nest, which IÕd expect would have much less water content than their normal diet of fish. Therefore, he may have started out with a handicap in terms of hydration.

Unfortunately, he died within a few hundred feet of Thompson Reservoir, the islandÕs main water supply. **


K-98 may not have been watched on an EagleCam .. but some tour visitors were thrilled to see him on his nest, when they visited Middle Ranch .. and he was very much part of the IWS success story on the Channel Islands this season.

So we mourn the loss of another precious eaglet of the Class of 2010.


............................................... K-98 .. You left us too soon .. you will be forever in our hearts.

..........................May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who are at the Rainbow Bridge.

.................................................................You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2010



................... .......
.......................................................................... K-07.

.....................................................April 16, 2010 - August 8, 2010.



K-07 hatched early on the morning of April 16, two days after his brother K-08 .. on the West End Nest on Catalina Island.

With parents like Wray and K-01 food was plentiful and although there was a little sibling rivalry .. and some rumbles .. at the start .. the brothers got along very well.





It didn't take the twins long to get out of the bowl .. we nicknamed them the 'Wandering West Enders' .. because they followed a parent and the food wherever it was on the nest .. and sometimes they were really close to the edge.

June 10, 2010 was Banding Day and once again .. as in previous years .. their protective parents dive-bombed the IWS Crew as they approached the nest.

Eventually .. through a poll conducted on the forum .. the boys were given the un-official names of Dakota and Aquila.

K-07/Aquila .. had a feather at the top of his back .. we called it his 'white flag' .. it sure made it easier to tell him apart from his brother when they were wandering all over and off the nest.





We suspected that K-07 had fledged .. and he confirmed he had on July 11th, when he flew back to the nest .. calling all the way in .. at 5:21pm.


Video by Cumbrian: A Confirmed Flight


Both brothers .. K-08 had also fledged .. enjoyed exploring their territory .. but they normally came home for meals and to sleep.

On July 15th neither juvie came home .. then the next day K-07 was back on the nest .. and he remained a 'home body' for 7 days.

We were concerned .. was he hurt? Had some trauma occurred off the nest? He certainly seemed quieter than usual .. but was eating Ok.

Then on July 23rd, off he went exploring again off the nest.

The next two days were 'rest' days when he remained on the nest .. but he was wingercizing and getting some good air .. so his wings seemed to be Ok.

July 26th, K-07 took flight again .. and he returned to the nest to claim the reward that Mom delivered.

The next few days his parents encouraged him to chase them for his food .. and after a little while .. he got it!

Again, he always came home to sleep on the nest .. usually by 8:00pm he was in his 'bedroom' .. his back to the cam at the front of the nest .. white flag visible for us to confirm it was him.

August 4th, he did not return to the nest .. and so we assumed he had gone further afield exploring the Island.

On the August 11th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the sad news that on Sunday, August 8th, she had received a phone call from a boater .. out on Cabrillo Harbor on the mainland .. who had just picked up a juvenile bald eagle from the water with wing makers with the number 07. Steffani had picked up K-07's moving signal on Saturday afternoon .. so it looks as though he drowned as he tried to make it across the channel.

"Many of our young birds struggle when the try to get to the mainland and many don't quite make it there. It is unfortunate but there's nothing we can do to keep them on the island, I wish they didnÕt leave but that's nature".


Two members wrote beautiful poems for K-07.

"Where do eagle spirits soar, when bones and feathers fall away?
Beyond our sight, but in our hearts, the bling is bound, the numbers stay.
Oh sweet Aquila, soar in peace
To tors and shores beyond our reach."

Written by EagleLynn/Lynn.


"Aquila your spirits now free to soar
through the heavens and ore mighty seas,
You touched all our hearts with your gentle soul
Young eagle of stars will never grow old
We watched with great pride when you flew from the nest.
Now rest in peace in your eternal rest."

Written by sunnyland7/Carol.



.........................Aquila .. K-07 ... we watched you hatch and grow into a beautiful eaglet.

We were thrilled when you successfully fledged and started to explore .. but we lost you too soon.

.............Now you soar with all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

................................................... You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2010



..............................................

......................................................... K-06 on Banding Day

................................................ March 28th, 2010 - March 2011


K-06 hatched on the evening of March 28th, one day after his sister K-04 .. on the Two Harbors Nest on Catalina Island.

Right from the start there was sibling rivalry and lots of “bopfests” occurred. Mom usually stopped them by sitting on them both!

They were friends most of the time .. just when food arrived K-04 became more dominant ... and K-06 had to devise ways to get his share of the prey that his very attentive parents .. K-81 & K-82 .. brought to the nest.

.......

Sometimes there were more fish on the nest than either eaglet could handle so both usually had very full crops.

May 23rd, 2010 was Banding Day and the twins had to endure all the various tests etc whilst their parents circled above the nest keeping an eye on the IWS Crew.

This was made by Lori .. and always makes me smile

.................K06 .. I'm a boy!!!



Eventually .. through a poll conducted on the forum .. the twins were given the un-official names of Avalon and Gabriel. (Gabe)

We watched as the twins perfected their skills and were always entertained by their antics on the nest. Avalon continued to be the dominant one when food was delivered .. even if Gabe had claimed the food .. she would steal it from him. But after he had fledged sometimes he would fly off with it and left her wondering!

Both eaglets continued to return to the nest for food and to roost throughout June and July. K-06 was the first to leave to explore pastures new ... whilst K-04 stayed around home longer.

By early August both fledglings had not only left the nest but they appeared to have left the Island as Steffani could not get a signal on either one of them.

Then in February 2011 we received news about K-04 ... injured but alive in Washington.

We wondered if her brother had also travelled far away from CA so it was ironic that news came about him just a few weeks later ... but this time it was not good.

On the March 10th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the bad news that a Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife biologist in Oregon, had contacted Pete the previous week .. regarding a juvenile bald eagle with wing markers number K06 .. that was found dead in Willamette Valley, OR.

" The eagle seems to have flown into power lines and got electrocuted.

The necropsy performed by the OSU Vet Diagnostic Lab, showed that the aorta was ruptured, which can be caused by electrocution. The eagle appeared in good physical condition otherwise. "

It is always sad to lose an eagle .. especially one you have watched since he was inside his egg.


......................... Gabriel .. K-06 ... we watched you hatch and grow into a beautiful eaglet.

We were thrilled when you successfully fledged and started to explore .. but we lost you too soon.

............. Now you soar with all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

................................................... You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2011



..............................................

......................................................... K-14

................................................ April 7th, 2011 - August 30th 2011


K-14 was the youngest of the three chicks to hatch on the West End Nest this season.

So he had to compete for food with his sister and brother and at first he didn't seem to be getting a lot. But with a Mom like Wray and a Dad known as Superman food was plentiful on the nest and over time he would devise ways of getting his share. He may have been little .. but he had lots of spunk!

It was fun to watch the triplets feeding ... Mom had everything under control and they stayed in the bowl or formed a line to be fed ... but when Dad took over they had to follow the food. Just one day old, K-14 was already out of the bowl and following his siblings around the nest.


Animation captured by Lori.

So that we could report on who was where ... the observers on Nest Watch gave the triplets the nicknames of Tom, Harry and Little D ... he always seemed to be the one in the middle when they were grouped together if they were alone on the nest. On the whole the three got along really well ... just when food arrived it was every eaglet for themselves!

Banding Day and it became easier to see which triplet was which. Now we could see K-14 .. Official Name Prince Harry .. grabbing the prey and trying to get it down before big sister K-12 came over to steal it away from him. But sometimes he would grab a piece back from her .. spunk!
Eventually he would manage to grab, mantle and gulp the fish down before either sibling reacted.

On the nest the triplets would take it in turns to vocalize for food and soon we could tell them apart by their calls. K-14 had a little hiccup at the end of his ... We hee, We hee, We hee - hee - hee. When all three had fledged, we could still tell when K-14 was close to the nest, by his calls off cam.

Prince Harry watched his siblings as they wingercized and hovered and went up onto the cam pole. Brother Alerio .. K-13 was the first triplet to fledge. K-12 and K-14 fledged the same day.

K-12 was by design ... K-14 was by surprise!

Video by Cumbrian: K-14 .. Prince Harry's Wind Assisted Fledge

It took him a full day .. and a fish delivered by Mom .. claimed by K-13 .. to get him back on the nest (where he stole some of the prey from his brother). We worried about him getting back to the nest .. but he flew in like a pro!

Now they all enjoyed their freedom .. they could come and go as they pleased .. but they all returned to the nest each night to sleep together.

July 14th ... Another Milestone ... Little D flew from the rock up onto the cam pole!

K-12 was the first to leave the territory but the brothers stayed around the nest. K-13 would chase K-14 off it ... but he always returned, time after time ... spunk!

Finally in the middle of August, both boys no longer visited the nest although we could hear them in the area.

On the August 31st, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the sad news that Dr. Sharpe had received a call the previous day, notifying him that some fishermen had picked up one of our birds floating on the waters between Santa Cruz and Anacapa islands.
Unfortunately, it happened to be K-14.

So we mourn the loss of another precious eaglet.

Video by Kate5555 & Bucaru: Remembrance: K14


......................... K-14 .. Prince Harry aka Little D ... we watched you hatch and grow into a beautiful eaglet.

We were thrilled when you successfully fledged and started to explore .. but we lost you too soon .. You will be forever in our hearts.

........................ Now you soar with all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.


......................................................... You will never be forgotten.

[jeannec]

2012


...............................
...............................
...............................

.............................................................. TH 2012 Chick (untagged)

..............................................................March 29th, 2012 -April 20, 2012

Even though this year's TH chick will never get a number or a name or be counted in any way other than as a failed nest, it was so much more than that. I watched it every day, and it survived the hatching where its sibling did not, and it survived that huge branch being blown onto K82 that morning. And it grew and it got bigger and it absolutely adored Dad. It seemed such a sweet and happy eaglet. I enjoyed having the nest up on my monitor full screen, watching the chick peer over Mom's rock like a sailor looking out to sea, perhaps dreaming big eagle dreams... It's fuzzy down all in a halo from the setting sunlight, surrounded by diamonds of light as it leaned on its tippy talons, looking out for a parent... I will always have cherished memories of that sweet little chick. With or without a name and a number, it was here, and it made me smile every day. - Jeanne

(Thank you to the forum nest obs folks for all the wonderful captures of our beautiful TH chick and family)

[Cumbrian]

2012



..............................................

......................................................................................... A-83 on Banding Day

............................................................................ April 20/21, 2012 - July 11, 2012



The Cueva Valdez .. aka Hazards Nest .. is a difficult nest to observe for the IWS Crew who have to hike in to it. Their team motto .. courtesy of Don .. is “We slog where eagles soar.”

When they checked on April 21st, they found a new chick on the nest!

This chick was well cared for by his parents .. A-00 and A-16 .. who were always around whenever the Crew hiked in to check on their nest.

This photo was taken in May ...


June 9th was Banding Day and both parents kept a close watch on the proceedings.

Jim climbed the tree .. and this was the first view of the chick .. .. who was banded A-83.


Throughout the rest of June the Crew continued to check on A-83 who was active, alert and well fed .. his parents kept watch over their baby boy .. and also on the Crew!


A-83 was wingercizing .. getting ready to fledge .. so it was a shock to read on the Santa Cruz Update for July 3-10, 2010 that he had to be taken off the island for medical treatment.

The crew acted fast .. taking A-83 to Ojai Raptors where they did their best but unfortunately this was a very sick little eaglet ...


Helen posted this on July 11th ...

" I'm sad to say the update on A-83 is not good. He passed away today shortly after 5:15pm. Although we tried our best, and the Ojai Raptor Center did all they could, he was too sick to make it. I'm just grateful that he was comfortable and warm at the end. They will conduct a necropsy tomorrow to try to find out why he died. I will keep you updated."


A-83 may not have been watched on an EagleCam .. but he was very much part of the IWS success story on the Channel Islands this season.

So we mourn the loss of another precious eaglet of the Class of 2012


..................................... A-83 .. May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

.................................................................................................... You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2012



..............................................


..................................................................................................... K-22 on Banding Day

.......................................................................................... March 23, 2012 - July 20, 2012



K-22 was one of two chicks that hatched on the Rattlesnake Canyon nest this season. Sadly his sibling was lost in a wind storm that hit their canyon at the end of April.

He was well cared for by his parents ... K-80 and K-47 ... and banded on May 18th and later received his official name of Jerry

Video by eaglegal: RS Family


K-22 fledged on June 12th and it was challenging to find this eaglet at times because .. " their canyon is much more lush and there are lots more places to "hide" under " .. per Steffani's Update on June 20th.

Though sometimes he did oblige and gave the IWS a photo opportunity or two!

.....


Video by eaglegal: K-22 .. Rattlesnake Eaglet .. July 1st, 2012

On the July 27th, Catalina Update, Steffani gave us the sad news that a boater had found one of our birds on the beach somewhere near Two Harbors.
Unfortunately, it was K-22 who was found in a small cove.

Another precious eaglet lost through drowning.

So we mourn the loss of another eaglet of the Class of 2012.


............................................... K-22 .. You left us too soon .. you will be forever in our hearts.

.......................... May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who are at the Rainbow Bridge.

. ................................................................. You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2012



..............................................

.................................................................................................... A-78 .. shortly after fledging.

..................................................................................................... March 2012 - July 23, 2012



There was great excitement at the end of January, beginning of February this year, when the IWS Crew discovered that a pair was using the Malva Real .. aka Carl Peak Nest .. on Santa Cruz Island, and that two eggs had been laid.

In early March A-78, and her brother A-77, hatched and were being well cared for by their proud parents .. A-35 and her mate K-11?

Each time the IWS Crew checked on them they reported that the chicks were growing bigger and bigger.

Eventually the time came for them to be "blinged" and the Crew were horrified to see only A-78 on the nest .. but all was well when her brother was found safe and well.

A-78 was given the official name of Aurora and she successfully fledged on May 31st, although at first she found landings difficult.

.....

But she was very alert and feisty .. so the Crew decided to just kept a close eye on her during their tours .. and she did blend in nicely with her surroundings.



By mid-June she seemed to have mastered this flying thing and was often seen flying around the area with A-77.

Early July they were checking out the coast .. perched on the bluffs overlooking the water ... just like the adults.

So it was a shock when Maria/IWS Crew informed us, on the July 27th Santa Cruz Island's Update, that she had found Aurora/A-78 deceased on Monday, July 23rd.

Maria's last visual of A-78 alive, was at her nest on Wednesday, July 18th at 4:30p.m.

Whilst actively tracking the twins on the 21st, she had got a weak signal from A-78, but suspected that she was in a canyon, so she went searching for her again the next day .. no joy.

On Monday, the 23rd, after hiking in to where she had previously located the weak signal, Maria finally found A-78 on the beach below a sand cliff right on the water.

Though uncertain, one possibility for the cause of death could be drowning.


.......................................................... Once again we mourn the loss of another beautiful and precious eaglet of the Class of 2012.

.............................................................. You too left us too soon A-78 .... but you also soared with the wind beneath your wings.

......................................May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who are at the Rainbow Bridge. You will never be forgotten.

[Cumbrian]

2012



..............................................

............................................................................... K-24.

........................................................ March 30, 2012 - September 6, 2012.


K-24 was the second chick to hatch on the West End Nest .. from the three eggs laid this season .. just one day after his sister .. K-27.



When the third egg hatched, he became a big brother to 5Z and both siblings took a lot of abuse from their older sister especially at meal times.

May 25, 2012 was Banding Day .. once again their protective parents .. Wray and K-01 .. dive-bombed the IWS Crew as they approached the nest.

K-24 was the first of the triplets to move up onto the rock .. and he was the one that aimed towards, and then pooped on the camera lens .. and it amused the observers to see him turn around and stare at the camera immediately after-wards!




Somehow, whilst still on the nest in June, K-24 got a fish hook through a talon on his left foot and we worried about him because there was no way that the IWS Crew could approach the nest again to assist him, as the triplets were now older and could jump off.

One day K-27 was relentless, following her brother pulling at his wings and going after his sore talon. K-24 decided enough .. and found a refuge away from her .. moving to his “man-cave” .. the ledge over the rear of the nest. He went down there quite often!

On June 24th we thought he was the first of the triplets to fledge .. but it appeared he just got stuck in a wind assisted hover and eventually he managed to return to the nest. However the next day he did officially fledge .. through K-27 pushing him off the nest .. and the bully that she was, she continued to chase him off each time he tried to return.

When K-27 fledged, K-24 was able to return to the nest occasionally and enjoyed spending time with his younger sister.

The triplets did spend time together during July .. mostly around the camera equipment up on the hillside .. and it was observed that the fish hook was now out of K-24's foot.

In August K-24/ Megwich was seen around the reservoir at Middle Ranch where he seemed to like to roost. We hoped that he would stay on the Island. But in her September 12th Update, Maria gave us the sad news that on Thursday, September 6th, they had received a call that K-24 had been found deceased on the shore at Cherry Cove ...which is on the north shore just west of Two Harbors.

Maybe he had tried to fly over to the mainland .. but he didn’t make it.

Once again a beloved eaglet has been lost to the sea.


.................................Megwich .. K-24 ... we watched you hatch and grow into a beautiful eaglet.

We were thrilled when you successfully fledged and started to explore and discover the delights of your Island .. but we lost you too soon.

.........................May you rest in peace and soar with all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

........................................ You will never be forgotten .. You will be forever in our hearts.


Catalina Island Update: October 21, 2012. A new plaque is added to the Eagle Aviary wall in honor of K-24 “Megwich”.

.......................................................

[Cumbrian]

2012



..............................................

.................................................................................... K-27.

................................................................. March 29, 2012 - October ?, 2012.


K-27 was the first chick to hatch on the West End Nest .. from the three eggs laid this season.



When her brother, K-24, hatched the next day she quickly established the pecking order .. she was #1.

She proved to be a very dominant chick and her two siblings, especially the youngest 5Z, took a lot of abuse from her especially at meal times. It was difficult to watch .. we thought her mean and a bully .. but she was only doing what she had to do to survive and when meals were not involved she would sit happily alongside her siblings and check out their world.




K-27/Athena fledged on June 27th and seemed surprised that her younger sister chased her off the nest when she tried to return, just as she herself had done to her brother when he fledged. It was rare to see all three eaglets on the nest together around this time.

But the siblings did spend time together during July .. mostly around the camera equipment up on the hillside and K-27 continued to return to the nest to demand food from her parents.




On August 15th, 2012 the IWS received an e-mail confirming a visual of K-27 over on the mainland at the Trump National Golf course area in Rancho Palos Verdes. Her travels had begun.

Nothing further was reported until the November 29, 2012 Catalina Update when Maria gave us all the sad news that the IWS had received an e-mail informing them that K-27/Athena's body had been recovered. She was found deceased in the month of October, near the Laporte settlement in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

What made her travel to Canada? Was she tracing her roots?
Wray, her mother, is from Nanaimo, BC and her sister K-12/Aahana flew up to Alberta last year, before moving down to Montana.

We have no more information about how she died, but at least she was strong enough to fly there and experience some of this beautiful world on her travels.


.................................Athena .. K-27 .. we watched you hatch and grow into a beautiful eaglet.

You were an aggressive eaglet, but we loved you anyway, and we expected you to be a survivor .. but we were wrong and we lost you too soon.

................May you rest in peace and soar with K-24 /Megwich and all our beloved eagles who have also passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

........................................ You will never be forgotten .. You will be forever in our hearts.