As I sit here this morning before going to the nest , I'm thinking of how this season went. Wow it's been a long bumpy ride this yr. As we all sat patiently, excitedly waiting for the eggs to come.Then We have one egg, then we 2 eggs.Oh the joy and then the excitement builds as we wait for the first egg to hatch. Just before the first egg hatches, Ozzie hurt his talon (claw) again Harriet had and imbalance issue which was so upsetting to watch her from day to day but she carried on. Ozzie was so tender and helpful those days. Gave Harriet more time off the eggs to do what she needed to do for her and what ever issue she had. At one time , it was thought she had fishing line or some thing wrapped around her wing. I and many other photographers took photo after photo looking and we never could see anything. So what ever it was , went away just like the imbalance issue. Ozzie's talon got better . Then we have a hatch! What a great day! E5 was here and we all rejoiced and waited for egg #2. E6 came into the world and we ..we were so eggtatic. Ya 2 bobbleheads again this year. But will all be better this year. Will both survive and leave us one day? E5 was more dominant, demanding, and there for got most of the food. Little E 6 just wasn't big enough and quite strong enough to ward off E5's bonking and roughness. I can say now, I was worried. Just the human emotions coming out. Trust the Eagles is what kept me and many others going and believing that Ozzie and Harriet will do what they have been doing without us for so many years and that's take care of their young. Harriet did, as we watched in amazement how Harriet and E6 figured out a way for him to get fed. These special night time feedings were absolutely astonishing to watch. How Harriet and E 6 knew to wait until E 5 was full and asleep just amazed me and I'm sure the rest of the viewers . WTG Harriet. These nightly feedings helped E6 gain the strength to grow and be able to survive E5's bonking and the relentless physical abuse. Little did we know that one day this would all take a turn for the worst. Our beautiful E5 would would be lost to us at such a young age. Oh our world turned upside down with the passing of E5 . Not again we would all say, how could this happen again. What is going on with our Eagles that we can not see or understand. The heart ache was great. But this time Ozzie and Harriet moved on quicker than they did with E3 . To watch that with E 3 was the most heart wrenching , amazing , informational thing I have ever seen. Made me understand that Eagles DO have feelings and to me DO express grief in their own way .
OK Back to the business of raising E6 . Ooh what a pistol this one is and a talker too. Not E4 but still a talker. With His little whistle -peeps and sounds of pure enjoyment every time he ate or Mom or Dad came to the nest . Ozzie has always enjoyed sitting with his kids. He gives Harriet more time to herself during the day. But when E6 gets to be a bit too much,Ozzie lets her know it's time to come home.
We have an Eaglet that is growing like a weed and getting more demanding and pushy as the weeks go by. So it gets to where Ozzie doesn't stay very long when dropping off the food. E6 will whine to Harriet to come down and feed him. Aw such a big baby. Harriet does this with the Love and Tenderness every Mother has for their offspring's. Soon E6 is flapping all over the place and we know it will be soon E6 will go to that first branch, then to another and another. E6 is branching and scaring the you- know what out some of the viewers. LOL It did me a few times too.
Then one day we are all waiting for Ozzie to come home. Harriet is calling , E6 is a bit hungry and we're all getting a bit worried. The next day ..still no Ozzie and Harriet is still calling and looking for him. Our hearts are in are throats as we sit ,and watch and wait. Where could he be? This... to the contrary is not normal for Ozzie or Harriet to do . They do not stay away this long, never have. so something is wrong. We all get our answer, one that shocked us all , scared us, worried us and yes had us all in tears. Ozzie was found injured... Thank God he was found !!!! Ozzie found by a wonderful person who was able to get a hold of the right people and stay when him until they came a got him... CROW has our Ozzie and I , All Thank You for that. We now know where Ozzie is at and some what know what happened to him.
Back at home , Harriet still trying to find Ozzie . E6 continuing on his growing up and Fledged ! Woohoo what a great day for all. I know I might have left out some things but I'm just winging it here. You all can fill in as you read. LOL
Now we have visitors to the nest . Holy smokes I have never seen so many Eagles , at different ages . I'm excited and concerned at the same time. Harriet is without Ozzie to run off the others and E6 just fledged and is just a baby. OH but was I wrong on E6 being a baby..... What a grown up Fledgling he became with Ozzie gone. He protected his nest and nest area almost as much as an Adult Eagle would.There were times I worried about E6 getting hurt. I understand this gave him great training but still he is young. He would chase after others older than him and keep them out of "his"nest. I watched in amazement at how well E6 took on the job as protector of all that is His and Mom's while Ozzie has been gone. I wish you all could have been standing there with me watching all of this unfold from day to day. As the other Eagles came and went , we had one that stuck around chasing others off and being chased by Harriet and E6. He was a persistent fellow and soon I guess Harriet just kept him around for the protection he provided . E6 didn't much care for him and let him know every chance he got...LOL Soon PB became a regular and not all agree but I thank God he has been there for Harriet and E6 . Sure he stole E6's food but at the same time it was teaching E6 to protect his food better. Out there , away from home there will be more than one trying to get your food. E6 is the most prepared Juvie ,I think that we have had. Did he get his own squirrel ? I'd like to think so. He did come back to the nest with a small bird too. He even protected the yonder pond from an Adult and it's Fledgling. Now that was brave. I was so worried that the adult was going to go for E6.
One day E6 left. Our Hearts were broken . The emptiness we all felt for 26 hrs. That little stinker. Out testing his new found freedom and had us all upset. Well in the long run...I guess it really prepared us for the Day he did leave us to be all he can be as a Juvie then a Magnificent Adult Eagle. I have no doubt in my mind that E6 will make it .
Now this leaves us with no one at home most of the time. Ozzie is still at CROW but doing well and I hope will be home by the end of the month, maybe first week of June ... This is just my opinion.. Nothing more .. I don't have in side info or a magic ball, it's just something I hope for.
Harriet continues to be at the nest with PB. No matter what others think , I would rather see Harriet with PB tagging along than to be by herself. The thought of her sitting for however long on the nest or the nest tree by herself just makes me cry. She is moving on doing what she knows to do and that's to get the nest ready again. This is her home. Hers and Ozzie's if Ozzie keeps on getting better. If for some reason Ozzie can't make it home, at least Harriet does have some one to carry on with. PB will learn , it may take until nesting season comes around again but he will learn.
Back from the nest . Both Harriet and PB decided to take the day off . Harriet was in the nest for a bit then went back to the front pine tree. PB left there and went to the fallen tree in the west pasture again. I think he likes it over there. Harriet left the front pine and went to a pine just behind a group of palms by the fallen tree where PB is. Harriet was preening and PB just chill-in . PB left first to the Norfolk pine. a few Min's later Harriet headed that way too. I left around 7:20 am to go to CROW with Joni to take some donations and live shrimp for the baby otters. Of course we bought the shrimp at a bait shop close to CROW . LOL
