Norfolk Eagles in their new nest

[Donna]

Over the past few months the bald eagles at the Norfolk Botanical Garden have been working on a new nest site within the Garden. Although the eagles were concentrating on the new nest site, sticks were occasionally added to the original nest.  It is not at all unusual for bald eagles to maintain multiple nest sites within a breeding territory and to periodically switch nests.

The new site is approximately 125 feet Northwest of the previously established nest.  In early December, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) biologists visited the Garden to lay out an exclusion area around the new nest site.  The purpose of this area is to ensure the integrity of the eagle territory and prevent disturbance to the eagles.  Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) personnel put a system of barriers in place to inform their visitors which areas are off limits to general visitation.  The barriers are put in place from Dec. 15 - July 15th and offer protection to the core of the nesting territory during the breeding season.

To provide web cam coverage of the new nest, the camera and associated equipment had to be moved.  To be certain the eagles had settled on the new site, the camera move was delayed until yesterday (Dec. 29th).  Climbers from Nuckols Tree Care removed the camera and moved it to provide coverage of this year’s nest.  The camera was placed in the nest tree - approximately 15 feet away from the nest itself, and provides an excellent view into the nest bowl.  Staff from the Norfolk Botanical Garden moved the support equipment.  A VDGIF biologist and a research asscoiate from the Center for Conservation Biology were on hand to direct camera placement, perform camera maintenance, and ensure that the work didn’t negatively impact the eagles.  In the light of early morning today both eagles visited the new nest site.

For the next couple of weeks the camera and networks that support the live eagle cam will be tested and we’ll get ready to go live for 2011.  This will allow us to see the completion of the nest building as well as mating and of course the first egg laying.  Join us as we follow this eagle pair.  These eagles are emblematic of the successful recovery of the Bald Eagle - as well as the ongoing challenges that the species face.

  New nest

[Donna]

http://eaglenest.blogs.wm.edu/ Norfolk Eagles get cozy and snuggle. 

[Donna]

Azalea is near the Adam Thouroughgood House in Thoroughgood section of Virginia Beach at midnight Jan 3. I am going to look for her. More details later.

Well, Azalea wins again!! I arrived at 7:45am at the exact spot where she was at midnight, but she had already flown the scene. I took a chance that she might return to Witchduck where she was on Jan 2 and where she has spent several nights lately. Also, photographer Jim Deal got a look at Azalea there yesterday. As I arrived a juvenile was being chased away by two adults. Was it Azalea? I don’t know. The juvie did not return. All was not lost however. The two adults put on a flying spectactular for the next 30 minutes. Dipping, diving and screaming. On New Years day, Jim Deal and I located a new eagle nest just a short distance from there. It is likely those two eagles that were putting on the show.

[Donna]

Norfolk Botanical Garden eagles build cozy new nest.

A pair of eagles are hatching another family this nesting season at Norfolk Botanical Garden

Maybe Mom is tired of the floor plan or wants a better view.

Whatever the reason, Dad is determined to keep her happy, so the eagles are building a new nest for the eaglets they will raise this season at Norfolk Botanical Garden. This is the eighth year they have nested together at the gardens in Norfolk.

Last year, the female eagle laid the first of three eggs on Jan. 31, so the pair works daily to get the new quarters in order before their nurturing duties begin.

But, sometimes they slack off, according to the "nuzzle, nuzzle" entry that the Center for Conservation Biology features on its eagle nest blog at http://eaglenest.blogs.wm.edu
"Not much nest building this morning," reads the blog.

"Male brought one small stick, hung around long enough to get a little lovey-dovey from mom, then left. She got tired of waiting for him to return so went after her own stick. After getting that in place, she left about 8am."

To make sure you can see everything that happens in the nest late January through late May, when the eaglets usually fledge, the botanical garden is moving its "live eagle cam" to the new location, and will have it set up for online viewing later this month. The camera was placed in the nest tree, about 15 feet from the nest itself. Biologists were there to direct camera placement, and clean up the equipment; you can see what the camera looks like in photos on the eagle nest blog.

The newly constructed site marks the third nest that the eagles have built within the botanical garden, according to Stephen Living, watchable wildlife biologist for the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.

"It is normal for eagles to maintain multiple nests within the same territory and to periodically switch between them," says Living.

Why the eagles decided to build another nest is always a guessing game, agrees Reese Lukei, research associate at the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary.

"But, some factors likely are damage to a prior nest or nest tree, disturbance from other animals or people, insect infestation, insufficient foraging success or just a change of venue," he says.

"Only the last factor appears to be why the botanical garden eagles have built a new nest."

All of the nest sites are within approximately 220 feet of each other. The new nest is about 5 to 6 feet wide, according to Lukei. The parents continue to bring sticks and bedding material like pine straw, and will add to the nest as needed throughout the breeding season

In December, botanical garden and inland and game fisheries staff set up protective barriers around the nest to protect the breeding ground. Recent eagle nest blog posts mention the pair meeting on the "love branch," nuzzling a lot, for sure.

Watch the nest

•See photos of the eagles building the new nest at the Center for Conservation Biology's eagle nest blog at http://eaglenest.blogs.wm.edu

[MAK]

  Very AWESOME eagle pics!  Thanks Donna. 

[Donna]

Yesterday morning Jan 10 the female moved a large piece of rotting tree trunk that has been in the back of the nest for about two weeks (you can see it in previously posted photos) to the front edge of the nest blocking our camera view into the bottom of the nest (photos 1-3). This morning the male moved that piece of wood to the right side restoring our view into the nest pocket (at least for now). Note you can see the eagle’s feet in last photo.

[Donna]

http://eaglenest.blogs.wm.edu/ Norfolk eagles caught mating on new nest! Won't be long for them!

[Donna]

http://www.wvec.com/marketplace/microsite-content/eagle-cam.html online now

[MAK]

  Love this cam! 

[Kris G.]

Love this cam! 

Me too!!! 

[Donna]

Both there now


Male in nest, female on branch

[Annette]

Great sight on that nest!  

[Donna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rnrWLfF8uQ from today

[MAK]

         

[Donna]

Update on Buddy

NBGE Training Updates

Support the Wildlife Center’s care of Buddy

The staff of the Wildlife Center has started a more intensive program of training for Buddy, the Norfolk Bald Eagle.  The ultimate goal would be to train the bird to sit calmly on a handler’s gloved hand, so that the eagle could be taken to programs and presentations off-site.

Please check back in for periodic updates on the eagle’s training.

A Helpful Guide to Raptor Training Terminology

Training Raptors:  Wildlife Center to Present January 29 Program at Wild Birds Unlimited in Virginia Beach
[Program by Claire Train will include training update on Buddy].
January 25, 2011 update from Claire Thain

Buddy’s training is coming along with some ups and downs—sometimes he does exactly what’s asked of him, and other times he’s extremely headstrong.  If he doesn’t perform the behaviors I ask of him the first time, I’ll leave and come back later for a second training session.  I’m trying some new techniques and regularly consult with other eagle trainers as Buddy’s training progresses.

Bating off the glove is a regular experience for Buddy; however, this behavior will lessen as he becomes more comfortable staying on the trainer’s glove.  At this point, he still has not learned to come back up and grip his feet on the glove, which he should be learning soon.

Figuring out the best way for him to understand how to do this has presented a challenge. As an alternative, I’ve been working with Buddy to teach him to make short flights to the glove. I’m hoping that this training will help encourage him to grip the glove.  Buddy caught on quickly to this technique when I first introduced it.  Hopefully, flying to the glove combined with increased amounts of time staying on the glove will help Buddy learn how to return to the glove from a bate.

JANUARY 25 UPDATE, 3:00 pm:   Amanda Nicholson, Director of Outreach, accompanied Claire on today’s training session to take some photos of Buddy for this training update—and for the first time, Buddy bated and returned to the glove!  Claire was thrilled with this break-through and hopes that Buddy will continue to repeat this behavior consistently.

A very handsome Buddy.