This morning was my first chance to follow up on Rick's report, so I followed his tracks and biked to Maplewood Rd off NYS-89. For a couple hours I watched with a scope through trees. The two young BALD EAGLES are full size and well feathered, and they have climbed out of the nest into the crown of the nest tree. They were alert but fairly inactive, occasionally stretching or preening a bit. They are not subject to full sun all day, but their mouths were open against today's heat, and they occasionally drooped their wings a bit. I don't know whether this posture is also for heat regulation, or because their muscles are not well-developed. They were not exercising their wings, but occasionally used them for balance when walking on the branches. As I pondered their situation it occurred to me that not only are the young dependent on the fish brought by the parents for food but also for their entire fluid intake. No adults came while I observed, but I hope they bring juicy fish frequently on these hot days.
While there I met several neighbors, and I learned that the nest seems to have been started last year, when 2 young were also raised. It is not very easy to see the nest from the public road, and I think it would be difficult from a car due to the angles and obstructions. Neighbors are excited this nest, but they are justifiably against extra traffic on this narrow road with its blind curves. If you would like to see this nest and young, who may be leaving soon, I recommend biking, as Rick and I did, enabling one to pull off the road, or walking along the road, as the neighbors do, to the best viewing site. Contact me off-list for the precise location and best viewing strategy.
--Dave Nutter
On Jun 07, 2011, at 06:10 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote:
Rick Manning called this afternoon confirming suspicions and rumors I've had or heard for awhile but never really checked out. While biking on Maplewood Road in the Town of Ulysses (the road off NYS-89 near Glenwood Pines Restaurant and the Ithaca Yacht Club) someone pointed out to him a BALD EAGLE nest with 2 large nestlings at the top of a pine tree. This is very cool that we have Bald Eagles nesting in Tompkins County! I had seen adults going in that direction from Stewart Park last year, so this may not be the first year for this nest.--Dave Nutter
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