Catalina Update, Wednesday, March 14, 2012

[eaglegal]

Hello everybody,

Last week, Pete went out to the field and continued to check on the nests because I got very sick and wasn’t able to work. He confirmed there were still two eggs in Seal Rocks, one at Pinnacle Rock and two at Rattlesnake. Yesterday, I went out to do nest checks as well and everything seems to have stayed the same.

We will be checking SR daily since their first egg’s due date is some time today or tomorrow and the second egg’s due date is on Friday. So hopefully by next report we’ll have the first chicks to report for Catalina.
SR nest




After a quick switch




While Pete was checking this nest, he also took some pictures of the abundant sea lions at Seal Rocks Beach.


This is a close up of the impressive numbers! Pete came up with a rough estimate and there were over 800 of them!


An even larger group


PR adults incubating their single egg




Cont…

[eaglegal]

Here are some images and a short video of the Rattlesnake nest






On my way back home I spotted an adult flying right around the summit road and it turned out to be K80, the RS male


The Two Harbors, as well as the West End nest, continue to incubate their two and three eggs, respectively. Here are some videos taken by our dedicated camera viewers
TH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAxk0oNpsUU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e958vYB_UOg

WE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1VCWHrp0zc

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

My favorite one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PwVwu7K-0E

This week has also been a great week for sightings on Catalina eagles from previous years. We received a report of K03 spotted spending some time with an untagged eagle at Lake Elizabeth, CA. K03 is one of the two SR chicks from 2007. (Photo taken by Jason McClure)


We also received a report of someone sighting K83 (a.k.a. Star!), the single chick from the Two Harbors nest from 2008, in the San Diego area. It sure is good to see her thrive so close to home!


We also received reports from IWS staff on San Clemente Island that they had seen K87, the 2009 Two Harbors chick, and K88, one of the 2008 Twin Rocks chicks. We don’t have photos of them but it is so good to hear they are still around and reaching breeding age; we wish they’d fly home and settle here! They also reported seeing a blue-tagged bird in late February, so A-32 may have returned to San Clemente Island.

And last week, Pete explored the Twin Rocks area in search of the TR adults and maybe a new nest location. Well, there was no new nest but he did spot an adult (possibly K17) perched next to K00, one of the two PR chicks from 2007.
K00






Cont...

[eaglegal]

They seem to be hanging out on the west side of the TR territory. Here’s a picture pointing at where Pete spotted them. The triple arrow points in the direction of the TR nest


Yesterday, I went out searching for them but only saw one of the adults flying over Gibraltar Point and headed west to the Empire area




The TR nest yesterday


And today


I don’t have many videos to share with you but I have been saving some great photos of Hydi and Pimu that Nancee Wells took a couple of weeks ago. So, here they are!
Nancee photographing Pimu




Going after her meal (This is my favorite shot!)


Pimu tearing up the quail




Cont…

[eaglegal]

Coming back to her perch. (I love this action shot too!)


Feeding Hydi


Showing off her wings (My favorite one!)




A hunter’s look!


On Monday, we were visited by one of our members for their whole-island tour! We had a magnificent day full of sightings of all kinds of wildlife; eagles, bison, squirrels and more!
We stopped by the TH nest lookout in the hopes of watching the adults switch duties but whoever was incubating at the time did not want to give up his/her seat.


Here’s Jan looking through the spotting scope waiting for an egg turn




If you’d like to find out more about the IWS’ tours, a truly unique opportunity to explore Catalina’s interior including an up and personal visit with Hydi and Pimu, visit our website, scroll down to adopt a nest or adopt an educational eagle and thanks you for your support!

Until next week,
Steffani

[cindyzinaz]

WOW, another exciting week as we're all on watch!
That video of Wray dropping that stick was hilarious, I just happen to catch it myself and was just so tickled at her antics

Nancy took some great shots

So nice to see some many alumni around...that was to be very rewarding.

Looking forward to my own tour next month...

[Artsy Mom]

Thanks for all the nest news Steffani and sharing the beauteous of Pimu and Hydi.
Awesome news of the wanderers too

Can't wait for the

[SoCal Lady]

HI STEFFANI DELIGHTFUL UPDATE!!

Very encouraging to see PR pair incubating that precious 3rd egg.

Very exciting that SR hatching is imminent!!!

Wonder what is happening with TR K33---time will tell...

FABULOUS NEWS ABOUT OUR OTHER "BABIES" ALL GROWING UP, THRIVING AND BACK, CLOSE TO HOME!! COME ON BACK...STAR, TH K87, SC K88 , ANY OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL HOME FOR YOU!!! LADY IN BLUE-A32 AND K03 THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO.

LAST TIME I SAW STAR--SHE FLEW RIGHT OVER OUR HEADS AT TH, AS A BEAUTIUFL FLEDGE. THAT PICTURE OF HER IN THIS UPDATE, BRINGS TEARS OF JOY!! DH IS ALL SMILES TOO.

GORGEOUS PHOTOS OF PIMU AND HYDI!!! PIMU IN FLIGHT--BEAUTIFUL SIGHT!!!!

[summer818]

Great News Steffani! I love you and your great pictures and scope shots. Loved all the seals, too cool. I say thousands. Pimu looks fabulous, I was so worried about her.

[raycyn]

wow Steff, what a wonderful update as usual. Exciting to see some of the off island adults too - pretty neat, and other reported sightings as well. Are you really going to make us wait until next week to find about the first Catalina hatch? Could you maybe just maybe post it on IWS's FB page? Don't know if I can handle the suspense.

I am sorry you were sick and hope you are well on the mend now! Take care, and thanks again!


Cindy in Oregon

[Patti]

What a wonderful Update, Steffani. I wonder if K51 is still around San Clemente. It's been a long time since anybody has sighted him. Hope he's well, but great news about all the other eagle sightings.

Looking forward to all the new chicks. Thank you!

[amethyst]

Sorry to hear you were soooo sick, and glad to hear you are well!

What an exciting time, some previous fledges sighted... egs, eggs, and more egggs.....and soon bobbles will hatch...

Thank you for sharing your world with us, and thank you for everything you and the crew do for the eagles.....

[Naturegal]

Steffani - Sorry to hear you were sick, hope you are feeling well now. What a great update, lots of good news especially hearing about Star.

Nancee - Your photos of Pimu and Hydi are amazing, especially the action ones. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[marshaz]

OH STEF, THANKS FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL UPDATES HOW EXCITING ABOUT K - 03 AND K - 83 STAR. I LIVE IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA, WHERE WAS THE OBSERVATION?

HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER REAL SOON.

[janmoser]

Steff,

Thank you so much for the wonderful tour. Have never seen so many squirrels, lol.
Got lots of pics of you feeding Hydi and Pimu, will send to you.
Cooper and I had a great time and happy to spend the day with you and
Darwin.
Hopefully you are feeling much better and getting your strength back.
Appreciate all you did and all the wildlife and beautiful panoramic views.


xxo jan

[summer818]

What a great update, and the best part is my sweet Star. Knowing her up close and personal I will cherish forever. She's quite the little traveler, and has grown up to be a beauty. So glad our eagles are thriving out there, I wish too they would come back to their island.