2 Matings, Nestorations with a show of sexual arousal too ??

Harriet was in the nest tree by herself this morning.M15 came in from the west pasture a little after 6:00 am. M15 lands in the nest and Harriet is talking to him. She had been calling out to him off and on since around 4:22 am before I left for the nest. I didn't hear him call back at all while she was vocalizing.Harriet drops down into the nest both are in the nest  checking things out for the day. After being busy yesterday I was wondering if they would stay and work on the nest some more. Soon I got my answer. M15 was off and flying towards the front pines and got a  nice stick. M15 lands and Harriet tries to help him with placement but M15 does it himself. M15 hops up to the veranda Harriet is still in the nest. M15 looking around and Harriet just sitting there looking at M15 . I 'm taking pics and said to myself "Don't poop on Harriet ,don't poop on Harriet " and sure enough, M15 pooped on Harriet. Donna and I bust out laughing. You should have seen the look on Harriet's face. Priceless !  

 Harriet looks at us like "Did you see what He just did?" Yes Harriet we did. Well to make up for what He just did ,M15 flies to the front pine and gets a nice branch with pine on it. That a boy. Harriet might forgive you  with that .

 While M15 is placing his pine Harriet hops up to the veranda. M15 joins her and there is a discussion. At first I thought maybe mating but it just might have been a talking to about the poop shoot M15 did.

M15 flies to the attic branch and Harriet joins him. We have mating for the first time this morning.I guess that made up for the PS.

Now I want to show you all something that Donna pointed out to me one evening when she was at the nest and M15 saw Harriet coming and was vocalizing his hello/welcome home and thought there was going to mating but it didn't happen. So since that day we have been looking for it to happen again just before mating to see if this is really happening. M15 we noticed unfurls/ opens up his feathers right there at the brood patch as they are vocalizing in what maybe a sexual arousal show? Now we did see Harriet do the same thing with the second mating this morning.
This is M15 just before the first mating. He is to the right of Harriet. Look at his feathers.

The  2 photo's above show Harriet's brood spot opening up. Now I know we haven't seen her brood patch but if M15 has one ,Harriet has one too.  So we find this very interesting and so far can not find any information on it. So if anyone reading this has some thing ,Please share it if you will.
OK back to the happenings of the morning....
Done with mating both sit and preen for a bit and just hang out. Donna leaves for a few Min's and as she is leaving she tells me to look at the sun with the fog covering it makes it look like the Moon was still out. So I turn around and wow . She was right.

So now we have the fog coming in which makes getting photo's a bit harder for me. Oh well I do the best I can so for give me for some of the shots you will be seeing.
I turn back around and Harriet is in the nest. Donna makes it back ,then M15 flies to the right pond tree. Looking around he doesn't find any sticks so he flies to the tree closest to the pond. Lands on a lower branch and is looking around. He drops down to the ground and is gathering some old pine needles , moss and a small stick. WTG M15 the nest sure needs all of that.

So now I'm getting closer to checking off some of the  things on my list. Yep it's getting closer.
M15 makes it back to the nest with all of his materials and Harriet helps him place it. Well some of it...LOL

With this done Harriet hops up to the attic branch and M15 follows Well Harriet starts vocalizing and side kicks M15. Poor M15 with his head down is just taking it. Then when Harriet is done M15 picks at one of his toes and Harriet is just looking at him and I just start laughing.  These two are so much fun to watch.

After M15 is done picking at his toe ,he turns around and we have mating #2 . Photo's are up above .
Both sit with their heads bowed for a few Min's then Harriet goes to the front pine and gets a small stick. Harriet places her stick and moves a few others . She then goes to the porch branch. Next she heads over to the left pond tree. From there she to the front tree's and gets a stick and heads back to the nest. Harriet again heads out and gets her some more pine and M15 heads over to the west pasture tree line for a stick and heads back to the nest. Sticks in place both rest for a bit. Harriet on  a higher branch and M15 on the attic. Well Harriet spots a small stick she just had to have in the nest. She moves up higher and ends up spread Eagle trying to get it. What she does end up with is some dried up pine needles instead.

Harriet heads over to the west pasture tree again and brings back another stick. Boy what a day. Both rest a bit then M15  leaves the nest and heads over to the tree's by the parking lot. Not sure if he stayed there or not. Harriet stay until 10:00 am preening and vocalizing off and on then heads off past the Church heading NE .

Instincts.... M15 has them.

 Sitting here waiting to go to the Dr. and watching the cams. I happen to check chat ,which I really shouldn't do but did anyway. I'm still surprised at the comments being made of how M15 was taught how to do this and how to do that. Not one person even thinks that M15 has any instincts at all that he had to be "taught " how to fish, how to bring food to the nest and how to build a nest. Do they really think that M15 made it this far and never knew how to fish before? Bringing food to the nest for Harriet is something that was done by instinct. Not from Harriet bringing in the water fowl the other day. She did to make it easier for her to eat it.She did this with Ozzie too. Was Ozzie being taught also?? Did everyone forget how she brought food to the nest for E6 and it wasn't showing M15 to bring it for her???? She brought a fish in during the summer and ate it by herself . She didn't wait to show M15 he was to do this for her down the road. Some ppl think that M15 watching Harriet take a bath was teaching him. Really?? M15 never took a bath all those years he was growing up?
M15 was a single "Guy" he didn't have anyone to take care of but himself. Stealing food is what Eagles do and when you're a single Eagle you fend for yourself. He had no need to build a nest so it took him a bit to get the hang of it. Does everyone think Ozzie and Harriet knew how right away? I'll bet that took a few years to get it down the way Ozzie did. He had his Eagle instinct to guide him in what he needed to do. Same with Harriet. M15 does too. No one seemed to think he needed to be shown/taught how to protect the nest, E6 and Harriet when he first came in. He just did it... INSTINCT !
He followed Harriet around because his instinct and hormones led him. He knew the territory and did his job patrolling it. He's from here  not an Eagle on vacation and decided to stop and help the little woman with a child. He's from here ! He has watched Ozzie and Harriet and other pairs I'm sure. He knows the routine . Remember a stolen meal is an easier meal if not caught.
Cutting M15 short of his own is just wrong in MY mind and way of thinking. He's an Eagle . He knows the Eagle way and I wish ppl would stop and think about what they are saying.He's not a human being that needs to be "taught". He is an wild animal and has instincts on how to do things.
Again I'll say, Learning by emotions for me is not that way to learn. Learning by misleading information is not learning. To say you think or that Harriet is teaching him is to me saying you don't value M15 as a All knowing /instinctual Eagle.  It tells me you're guessing that he doesn't know how to do this.
I have learned so much by sitting there watching their behavior. M15 never had to get a stick on the fly. What would he have need for it as a single Eagle? So it took him a couple of tries but he did do it. Putting the rails where we think they need to be is not His worry . He puts them where he thinks they need to be. He'll get better at it as the seasons come and go. The same with anything that has to do with Nesting season. He knows how ,it just won't be like you or I would want it . Again did you know everything there was to raising children when you had them ? I'll bet you had a lot of help with your first one... It will come to him in time. Harriet will show him by what she does... not teach him. The instinct is there just trust him to follow up on it .
I made the comment one time that Decorah Dad had to teach the new Mom how to sit on the eggs. Well my comment was corrected by the one that is leading you all to think that Harriet is teaching M15 that Dad did not teach her , he showed her by doing it.  So read that sentence again and answer your own question of why is there a difference in the two situations???  Why is one "Teaching" and the other is "Showing" ? Hmmm I don't know do you?
So hopefully the next time you or someone wants to say Harriet is teaching M15 , think about it . She maybe showing him, not teaching him. He already knows , he just didn't have the need to do it when he was a single Eagle. And who knows maybe they do practice branch getting for some thing to do when they are young.I don't know.
Just like his mating attempts at first. It took a bit for him to realize that humping the branch wasn't getting him anywhere.Well for him it might have....lol  It was much better to get Harriett than the branch.
I see M15 growing every day. Maturing into a very fine Male Eagle that hopeful one day here soon will be a Dad. He's already a great mate for Harriet. He was the first day he showed up.
So I hope the next time when someone says that Harriet is teaching M15 someone besides me will stick up for him and say " He already knows,He has his instincts that guide him."

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/instinctual

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/instinctual

http://grammarist.com/usage/instinctive-instinctual/

Robin & Ben the New Kid's in the Neighbourhood.

Ahhh Sunday early I check the cams out before heading to the nest. I hear both of them vocalizing but just see M15 on the outer branch to my left.. above the attic branch. Harriet must be in the front pine for her vocals sound further away. So it will be a hide and go seek when I get to the nest.
Sure enough M15 is on the outer branch and Harriet is in the front pine. Just before 6:00 am M15 drops down to the attic branch. A little after 6:00 am harriet flies into the nest and M15 drops down to the nest. Both are aerating and vocals are head from both of them. M15 to the veranda then to the attic branch. Harriet stays in the nest then hops up to the veranda still vocalizing. Oh it's that time of the morning. Yep ! We have mating this morning.   Done with the deed ,M15 takes off to the front pine to get something for the nest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KqLA_c3s4k

When M15 came back I couldn't tell if he had anything or not. He went to the attic branch first then dropped down into the nest and was moving stuff around. Done with some rearranging M15 flies back up to the attic branch. Harriet still vocalizing off and on then she lets out a squawk and leaves the nest tree heading to the cell tower with M15 right behind her. They fly low past the tower then head to the trees at the parking lot. I see a pair on the cell tower so we head over there Donna and I to see who it is. Sure enough it's Robin and Ben who we are assuming are the Riverbend area Eagles. Now from my understanding ,the RB Eagles that were there a couple of years ago were a bit older than these two. What I mean by older is that they had all of their white feathers already. Now like I said this was told to me. No one seems to have photo's of them . So I'll stick with this is a new couple and will be interesting to see how their year goes too.
Now Harriet and M15 are just a vocalizing at these two. I hear Harriet more than I do M15. She is letting it be known you are very close to MY  territory and I'm not liking it. R&B really don't seem to be bothered by the vocals at all. They are looking around but not over at Harriet and M15. Interesting.

Harriet and M15 are sitting on the same branch . Robin leaves the cell tower. Harriet vocalizes .

                            Harriet and M15

Now Ben is left on the cell tower and Harriet really gets to vocalizing to the point Ben even answers her back and throws back his head as his vocalizing.

This makes both Harriet and M15  move from one tree to another. At one point I thought one of them was going to head towards Ben. I didn't know which way to look. M15 then swoops down and thru the tree's to the right of them and back  towards the Publix area it looks like . Ben leaves heading in the SW direction as Robin did which is straight to the river from where we are. I sure need to check this area out one day to see if I can find their nest.
We head back to the nest and as we do Harriet leaves the tree she was in at the parking lot right over us heading back to the nest . M15 and Harriet are in the nest when we get there . M15 flies up to the attic branch and Harriet is still in the nest. Harriet still vocalizing off and on them goes to the veranda and M15 soon joins her and we have mating again this morning. Boy they sure are out to make the eggies ..LOL  Well it is Nov and we should see a lot more mating going on ,I hope.
M15 sits to the left of Harriet ( my left... her right)  on the veranda.

M15 then heads up to the attic branch and both are looking around. Harriet is doing some preening and still won't show me her brood patch. I know she has one if M15 does so does she. She's just not showing us yet.

Soon both of them head over to the west pasture treeline and land in different tree's. We didn't see Harriet leave her tree but could tell because it scattered the Cattle Egrets which were in the NW part of the pasture. They all headed for a tree closer to the pond. About 30 mins later  we see M15 head to the NW towards the poles.

I left around 9:00 am . On my way home saw one of ours on the pole by Bob's. As I was heading further down Del Prado I spotted an Eagle and pulled over to check it out. It's Not one of ours and it's not one of the Sable Springs either. Well I'll be . This one is about 4- 4 1/2 yrs old. Just one more  maybe two more molts it will be an adult by this time next year. Nice looking young en  .
  This Baby still has some black on it's beak and a lot in it's tail feathers. NO THIS IS NOT SLIM !!!

Got my Check List ,Do You ?

So I was just getting my check list together yesterday of the things I wanted to see before we have eggs. Here it is  and I can check off two things.
1.... Brood patch on Harriet and M15.....
 Well last night one of the photographers got a photo of M15's. Yay . Now to see Harriet's
2.... A food gift for Harriet from M15.....
8:00 am this morning M15 brought her a real nice size fish gift. WTG M15 . He did good on not eating it before Harriet got there. Boy he sure was looking around for Harriet tho. Harriet came in  from the NW just a squawking and landed in the nest to claim her gift. She sure let M15 know it was HER fish not his. He did good in standing his ground tho. He didn't leave the nest right away when she landed like  Ozzie had in the past. That may change in time if Harriet pushes him out of the way..LOL Hopefully we should see more of them. M15 you did a great job today. I'm so proud of you and always knew you would do what comes natural for you. Instinct... it's a wonderful thing to watch.No teaching this at all.. you knew what to do.  
3... More nestorations like rails and fluff......
Now I can live without the rails but I know most of you can't . I have seen a lot worst nests and the Babies did just fine. Now I would like to see more of a nest bowl and egg cup. Harriet needs more fluff to lay on for the long hours ahead of her. A nice deep egg cup would be great too. Ozzie & Harriet had one deep egg cup last season. I didn't think we'd ever see the eggs or the little ones when they hatched.
4.... More mating of course.
5...Hanging around the nest more......
 The closer it gets the more Harriet will stay close to the nest tree. Maybe by then there will be more fluff in the nest and Harriet will be checking it out a time or two and maybe she'll spent the night again. I know ,I know ,I got over excited the first time she did it but I promise I'll behave myself the next time. Well at least I'll try.
These are  a few things I have been looking for and wait to see them happen. Again this is my list of things that I have observed in the past and I'm just seeing if they will be the same this time as far as how soon we see them. Harriet's brood patch was first seen Oct 31st 2014. I don't remember seeing Ozzie's like we do M15's. Here is the link for the photo David Eppley Photography took of M15
https://www.facebook.com/453803511405998/photos/a.454287701357579.1073741828.453803511405998/795988933854119/?type=3&theater

So I hope you have your check list ready or make one up. Things will be happening soon and I sure can't wait for it. I'm so excited for all the new and great things that will be going on. To see a New Dad in action, how he will take to egg sitting and babysitting for the first time. Oh to see M15 take his first look at the eggs and the Babies and how he will react. How Harriet will help him along the way. For me it will be almost like going back in time in my mind and watching Ozzie & Harriet their very first time. Well almost any way .

                           I'M JUST SO EGGCITED !!!!!

M15 bringing Harriet a fish gift this morning.

M15 looking at the fish before Harriet got there.

 Harriet on her way to get her gift.

M15 watching Harriet. You did good M15

Harriet flying up to a higher branch to do some preening after eating. M15 watches her.

"Come on Harriet Show me your brood patch" and that's a look of "NO" !