Wednesday Update, February 15, 2007

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to a belated Wednesday Update. As many of you saw online yesterday, Dave and I were fussing with the nest camera. We made some minor adjustments to level the viewing plane and to optimize zoom on the nest bowl. We don’t anticipate any more issues with the camera and are now fully prepared for an egg(s) to be laid. We are all very excited to see what unfolds in the 2007 nest cam season. I’m sure you are too!

As for other news, we now have eagles on three of the Northern Channel Islands: Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa Island. According to the most recent GPS data, we have 7 eagles on Santa Rosa Island: A-02, 34, 35, 48, 51, 59, and 62. Andy and Karen are on Rosa for the week and have not reported any new intriguing nesting information. On Santa Cruz Island we now have 8 eagles: A-04, 29, 33, 43, 45, 49, 55, and 60. That’s right, A-49 is back on Cruz, even hanging out near her old home on the North Side. Maybe she’ll make a visit to the nest! Furthermore, we now have 5 eagles on Anacapa Island: A-21, 36, 40, 52, and 58. Most of these eagles just arrived on Anacapa within the last week or so. The pelicans have begun to nest and food is once again plentiful on this small island. Similar to eagle movements recorded last year at this time, we expect more birds to relocate to Anacapa in the next several weeks. Over the last several years we have begun to notice a reliable pattern developing for eagles on the Northern Channel Islands. As the pupping season comes to an end on Santa Rosa, the population of nesting birds on Anacapa explodes. The eagles know this and have been moving from Rosa to Anacapa. On another note, A-39 and A-46 are still up north. A-46 is on the Oregon- Washington boarder finding food along the Colombia River to the east of Portland. A-39 is just over the Canadian boarder to the east of Vancouver. Both birds are moving around regularly and seem to be healthy.

Last week, Kim and I went out on the boat to tour the north side of Santa Cruz Island. We saw two eagles of interest: A-16 and A-27, both whom are without transmitters. A-16 is a 4-year old female and should be finding a nesting partner soon. A-27 is a 3-year old female who was last seen at Pine Flat Lake to the northeast of Fresno. She is now back on the Island! We will be going on the boat again today if the weather permits. If we see anything new, we’ll be sure to post it one www.eaglefix.com. Here are several pictures...enjoy!

Until ‘nest’ week!
-Chris


A-27 back on Santa Cruz Island from the mainland!

A-16 perched high on the cliffs.

A great blue heron resting on the rocky shore.

Thanks, Chris.

Did you see A32?

Thanks Christ - wow, lots of information and if we're excited with anticipation of the egg layings - can only imagine how you all are feeling!!! Great update! (glad to hear our gal is near home - would be awesome to have her visit the nest)

When I saw A32 on the nest yesterday with her blue tags, I thought it was Cruz back to pay a visit! And with your report I see that she actually IS on Santa Cruz again. That's great! Some of the Cruzers might be able to see Cruz when they visit the island. I think this is wonderful news to learn that she has come home! In the future we could only hope that she makes Santa Cruz her home as K10 and K26 have done. Wouldn't that be terrific?

Thank you for the weekly update and the photos, Chris. It sounds like all the eagles are doing well. I enjoyed reading about how the eagles remember where the food sources are, and travel from island to island at certain times of the year, following the "food".

P.S. A32 is really on Santa Cruz, too. Check out the NOBS thread from yesterday!
The team has some pictures and video for you.

P.P.S. Gorgeous picture of the heron. Its legs just seem to blend in to the background.

oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh....Our girl is back home. What will her parents do with her this close?? I'm so glad you saw her back around home. Maybe that means she intends to stay around and not travel off like some do!!
I can't wait for the eggs I'm telling everyone I know that has a computer to watch. EGGS!!! Yippee

Oh, sorry I just got so excited....thanks Chris for the brillant info and the fact that you got to go in the "boat" around the island!! And they were fabulous pictures. Glad to "see" them and know they are well.
Our girl is home...yeah....Hope we get to see her on our trip...!! Could you whisper that fact to her??? tell her we're coming and to meet us at the harbor!!!

I'm so excited...isn't there a song about that???

OK,!! more to convince DH to go on the Santa Cruz trip with me.. Thanks for the update and the pictures.. The blue heron is beautiful, isn't that a long trip for them to make from the inland lakes?

Chris, Thanks for the wonderful update, particularly that our Cruz is back on Santa Cruz island. Thanks for the great pictures, and thanks for fixing the camera,

Thank you Chris for that wonderful update! Great to hear our girl is back home. And thank you for getting the cam straightened out for us. You guys are great!!
Until nest time!

On Santa Cruz Island we now have 8 eagles: A-04, 29, 33, 43, 45, 49, 55, and 60.

Don't forget A-32 makes 9!

And thanks for the wonderful update and straightening out the SC cam!! You guys rock

This post has been edited by Paula eaglet momster on Feb 15 2007, 10:26 AM

Great great news, CRUZ IS BACK!!!!
She came back for Harpo and Cumbrians visit, so they can see her when they visit Santa Cruz. YEA!!

Great update, Chris, keep 'em coming. We love all the info on who is where and when. Sounds like it is going to be a wonderful season for eagles.

WOW! How great to have Cruz back on SC - Hope you can catch some sighting of A-32 on one of your visits - she is big and hard to miss.

Thanks for a great update including pics.

And what about A-10 and A-26? Am I missing something? Boy I can't wait till I catch up with all the back posts (if I ever do!)

Elaine, do you mean Cruz' parents? (K-10/26?)
I think when the crew reports to us they are mainly just telling us about the eagles with functioning transmitters, and not so much about the well established adults that are on the Island.

Thanks Chris

Have just come back from Pine Mountain and saw your report. If our girl approaches her home nest, will the parents recognize her or treat her as just another young eagle I wonder

Jeanette