Wednesday Update, January 31, 2007

Hey All,

Update time! The bald eagle crew has grown quite a bit since my last Wednesday update, and I think Jessica introduced you to our new crew members last week (Karen, Andy, Kim and Ryan). This week Chris and Andy are on Santa Rosa island, while Karen is here on Santa Cruz. They will be spending the week looking for possible breeding pairs, as well as checking in on the younger birds.

Last week we spent most of our time surveying the south side of Santa Cruz island, although we did manage to get the boat out for a quick tour of the north-shore before it started raining. We didn't find any eagles on the south side, but we did find a few hanging out on the north (including K10 and K26). On the day that you all saw Peter Sharpe working on the web-cam, Andy, Ryan and I took the boat west of Prisoner's harbor, making it all the way to Painted Cave (the largest known sea-cave on the planet). On the way we spotted K10 and K26 perched in the same tree together, on the western point of Prisoner's harbor. We also saw at least 2 more older birds (probably 3 and 4 year olds) further west, near a popular eagle hang-out called Cueva Valdez. Two of these birds were perched within a ¼ mile of each other. One looked to be about 4 years old, while the other was a bit younger (probably 3). Although 3 year olds are not typically considered breeding age, I've been told that it's not completely unheard of. Needless to say, we'll definitely be keeping an eye on these birds.

The other birds have been mostly keeping to their 'old routines'. A-49 is still on Santa Rosa island, spending her days on the southwest elephant seal beaches and her evenings, nights and mornings perched in the large Oak trees of the interior (with plenty of company). A-39 and A-46 (our Canadian travelers) have both started heading a bit south and are now in Washington and Oregon. The sun must have poked through the clouds long enough up there to charge the solar-powered GPS units they're carrying, because we've finally started to get some data on both of them again. It was about this time last year that A-39's transmitter started working again after several months of inactivity. The solar tiny solar panel on the unit needs to get some sun, almost daily, in order for the system to collect the GPS locations and send them to the satellite. Maybe Stephen Colbert was right....we should have went with diesel power.

As you may have noticed, Peter changed the web-camera last week. Apparently it looks great on the monitor near the nest, but seems to be a little out of focus on the web. We'll be going out there this week to do a bit more tweaking, hopefully improving the web-feed significantly. He also did some adjustments to the audio system and was able to get rid of most of the annoying 'hummm' that you all were hearing. It's going to be pretty exciting to hear the chick (or chicks!) on the nest this year.

Anyhow, that's all I have for you this week. I'll end with a couple photos we were able to get on our boat tour of the north-shore.

Dave


One of the older birds we saw on the north-shore last week.


K10 and K26 spending some time away from the nest.

Hi Dave: Thanks for another great informative report and love the pictures. Best of all these days is the audio. The thunder, especially, is coming thru loud and clear. Can't wait to hear the eaglets!!!

Helen

Thank you for another great update Dave!! I'm happy to see that K10 & K26 are hanging out together even when they're away from the nest.
Welcome to the new crew and hope you guys will find lot's of nests !!!!

BTW, Jessica, thank you so much for last weeks update. I think I forgot to post over there. Thank you all! You guys rock!!!

Another wonderful update! Thanks, Dave, for all the info and the pictures! It's especially nice to see what K10 & K26 are up to when they're away from the nest and to see them together. Look forward to hearing the results of all the 'eagle scouts'!

'Eagle scouts' ------ LOVE IT !!!!

Oh Dave, what a delicious update! It is so cool to see our birds outside the nest (especially K-10 and -26!)

Welcome to the new crew! I hope you can keep up with Dr Sharpe on those hikes especially since our own Ohai Hikers was trying out for the job Or was it Lala? (Having a blonde moment over here)

Thanks Dave for the great update and the pics of the eagles away from the nests where we can't see. We appreciate all of you and what you are doing.

well that's a whole new meaning isn't it! I'll show that to my DH who is an "eagle scout" - the other kind!!! LOL

Thanks Dave for all the great info - so now we know what mom and dad do when we don't see them in the nest - hanging out, posing for photos!!!

Great update Dave, good to see K-10 and K-26 having a little quality time together... a mini vacation before what is to come...All your information is exciting.

Great update Dave. Nice to see K-10 getting a little break from nestorations. He is a hard worker, and he still finds time to get in a date with K-26. What a guy

Thank you, thank you Dave, as always great update. I love Mr & Mrs Cruz, are they not the cutest couple ever. It is so good to hear that they are hanging out together when they are not at the nest. K10 is such a great guy, I love him. The weather looks like it is going to be good for the next few days so I hope you guys find lots of eagle pairs courting out there. The birds are back in town!!! Woohoo!! Now hopefully we can get the birds on Catalina back also. Keep up the wonderful work. Love you guys!!

Dave, Thanks for a wonderful update and those great pictures. I have been enjoying K-10 doing the nestorations with K-26 doing the supervising. It's lovely to see them hanging out. As always you do a great job of reporting. Thanks.

:

Dave, I also want to thank you and the new crew for our usual Wednesday update. K10 and K26 are quite a pair with Dad doing most of the nestorastion. Lovely to see them though at a different location. I am so moved by the natural instict of these two and how every stick is put exactly in place. They are making such a cozy home for their little ones.

Jeanette :

Just adding my thanks with all the others for another splendid update. A big welcome to the newest members of the IWS crew: Karen, Andy, Kim, and Ryan. Thanks to everyone for keeping their eagle eyes open. Loved the pictures, as always. It's reassuring to know that K10 and K26 are hanging out together away from the nest. These updates mean a lot to me and everyone else.

Thanks Dave .... another great report, with photos too, of our favourite eagle couple.

Hope that all the 'Eagle Scouts' have success in the coming weeks, in finding other nests, and 'courting couples'.

Take care ...