Sheperdstown Eagles: Intruder

[Donna]

Again today the intruder appeared at the nest, 3 times that I saw, one time landing. Ground observers did see the male, Liberty, today. They also observed the intruder sitting in the tree above Belle. The intruder appears to be a young adult female as she still has black markings on her head. When Belle leaves the nest, the intruder chases her. All this according to ground reports.
The intruder landed on the nest at 7:30 pm nest time. Belle charged her with open wings, then went and stood over the eaglet until the intruder left. I recorded the event but missed the landing.

http://s846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/M_B_H_B/Forum%20Video%202011/?action=view&current=3-17-11.mp4

The intruder is sitting on the nest and momma is protecting her eaglet.

From CMNH Mick

Update Shepherdstown. The intruder female remains but doesn't show aggression, only a constant presence.

UPDATE:

1 hour and 45 minutes ago the eaglet stopped moving. 45 minutes ago, Belle finally brought a fish to the nest. It was too late.

Does this mean the eaglet died?? No more posts after this one!

[Dumpsterkitty]

It appears so.  Fly free little one!

Just reminds me how incredibly lucky we have been here. 

[Kris G.]

 

[Kris G.]

Update on the NCTC site:   


March 21, 2011
In upcoming weeks, we will do our very best to post regular, factual updates that are grounded in science. Over the weekend, we were able to confirm the presence of a third adult eagle near the nest, and we are almost certain that it is a breeding age female. Typically, the presence of a new female means she is competing with the established pair of eagles for the current nest. Nest competition is a common occurrence in areas with healthy eagle populations, meaning the total population of eagles near NCTC has likely increased in recent years.

We have also confirmed multiple sightings of the male eagle who is part of the established breeding pair. The male does not appear to be injured, and appears to be in good health. The eaglet which hatched on March 17th has died and the remaining egg is not likely to hatch given that it is not being regularly incubated by the parents.

We do have biologists on staff here at NCTC who have been offering their expert assessments of the situation. In addition, our land manager has been communicating with another raptor biologist based in our Chesapeake Bay field office. There is general agreement among our biologists that if the new female eagle is successful in chasing off the current female, the new female will then need to recruit a male to join her. However, it is likely too late in the nesting season for success in laying, incubating and hatching any new eggs.

You may wonder why there is competition over this nest - and there are several potential factors. Eagles prefer to nest in the tops of large trees located near rivers, lakes, and other wetlands. The NCTC nest is located very close to the Potomac River, which is a plentiful source of fish for nesting eagles to hunt. In addition, eagle nests represent a considerable investment of effort to construct: they can be up to 10 feet in diameter and weigh up to 2,000 lbs. And finally, as mentioned above, nest competition frequently occurs in areas with a significant eagle population.


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Monday, March 21, 2011
Remembering Paddy O'Joy our PJ


There are no words. Not sure there ever really will be, but there are memoreis of the heart and this song sets those so beautifully to music I wanted to share. My photos and videos are from St Patricks day. These are the images I want to hold in my heart as Paddy soars in the heavens.


I hope you will stop and leave some words for all of us as to how you are dealing with and learning from what you have seen.

Remember to pray for safety and strength for Belle as she continues to fight for what is hers in the wake of such loss and exhaustion of her own.Remembering PJ our Paddy O' Joy

[Tokira]

Shepherdstown update:
http://www.spiritofjefferson.com/new-eagle-marking-territory-at-nctc/
Carol
WV (about twelve miles from NCTC)

[Donna]

Shepherdstown update:
http://www.spiritofjefferson.com/new-eagle-marking-territory-at-nctc/
Carol
WV (about twelve miles from NCTC)

This is so very sad. I can't read these articles without shedding a tear for them. Thanks carol.

[Kris G.]

EagleCam drama continues to entice viewers
Intruder who disrupted nest shown on webcam has been seen nesting with female
by Catherine Caudill
For the Daily Mail
 
American bald eagles nicknamed Liberty and Belle have occupied the nest for seven seasons, but officials at the National Conservation Training Center say that lately, Liberty has been chased away by another male eagle that has kept him at bay. Belle and the intruder have since been spotted in the nest together.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - As the drama unfolds, the husband disappears for an indefinite period of time. Meanwhile, a suitor moves in to court his abandoned wife and attempts to take over his home.

This real-life soap opera is actually being shown on the Shepherdstown EagleCam.

For seven seasons, two American bald eagles nicknamed Liberty and Belle by their online viewers have nested in a sycamore tree on the National Conservation Training Center campus in Shepherdstown, successfully fledging nine eagle offspring over the years.

Eagles are typically monogamous and return to the same nest every season. But there are exceptions from time to time - particularly when a third eagle turns up.

"For six years we were watching an Ozzie and Harriet family," said Steve Chase, chief of the Division of Education Outreach at the NCTC.

"What happened this year . . . it went from Eagle 101 to Eagle 301 or 401."

The EagleCam, which streams online on the Outdoor Channel's website, has thousands of viewers across the globe. The camera is mounted to the tree above the nest, allowing observers to watch the birds both night and day.

Around the time Liberty and Belle's eaglet hatched this season, however, another eagle appeared - one that was intent on taking the nest for his own. The intruder, who could be distinguished from Liberty and Belle by a distinctive brown spot on his head, chased the resident male away from the nest and kept him at bay.

Unable to keep the eaglet and her other unhatched egg warm and hunt for food at the same time, Belle's offspring did not survive.

She fought the intruder for several days, chasing him out of the nest when he occasionally swooped in. But soon they could be found in the nest together sprucing the place up - moving a twig here, moving a twig there.

Could they be planning a brood of their own?

Apparently so.

[Kris G.]

Update posted on their blog today:

Thursday
Was out yesterday.

We have additional news that could relate to our missing resident male.  A few days ago, our land manager found the remains of a bald eagle near the waste water treatment  plant.  The bird was not in good shape, so performing a post-mortem on it is not really possible.  The degree of decomposition and proximity to the nest indicates to us that there is a good chance that this is our missing bird.

We will never know for sure though.

Wanted to let you folks know about this as soon as I could.  It has been a rough season for bald eagles around the Region.
   

[Donna]

Oh boy, this is not good. I don't like these stories. After I saw it a while ago, I just couldn't watch anymore. 

[Donna]

Nest location:
On the grounds of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's NCTC (National Conservation Training Center) -- on the Potomac River near Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Shep is the new male this year. We wish them well.

Belle (female)
Shep (male)

1st egg today

http://outdoorchannel.com/Conservation/EagleCam.aspx cam

[Donna]

http://outdoorchannel.com/eaglecam

1st egg. Hope all goes well with them this year.

As the blustery temperatures start plummeting in Shepherdstown, WV at currently 17 degrees, our eagles are setting up house in their beautiful sycamore tree located at the National Conservation Training Center, just a hop, skip and a jump from the Potomac River, where they have nested every year since 2007. Each year, the eagles add sticks, grass, and other material to their nest, so every year, the nest gets bulkier and heavier. Our NCTC nest is approximately 7-8 feet in diameter and could weigh nearly a ton by now.  Eagles add material to their nest every year to build the sides up higher in order to keep the eaglets from falling out.  You might think this is not necessary, but the nest needs to be so big because, even though the chicks are small when they hatch, within a couple of months they get very large. You can imagine with, potentially, three very large chicks and two adults, each with a wing span of 7 feet, the nest can get very crowded, very quickly.  Check out the photo of a man installing the eagle camera.  You can see just how big the nest really is.

[MAK]

Just amazing isn't it? Nature rules!!!