Tweeters,

Several oddities in aerial survey of south Puget Sound Bald Eagle nests last Wednesday, April 25th:

1) Three nests with eggs sitting exposed. In two cases, a single adult was perched nearby. In the
third instance, there were two eggs and no adults to be seen anywhere.

2) At cove below Minter Creek Fish Hatchery, not only a nest with an incubating adult but at least
31 other eagles (both adults and subadults) on the mud flats and flying about.

3) At Fox Island, 1 adult sitting in nest as though on eggs and, about 50 meters away, 2 more adults
perched side-by-side on a limb. Threesome?

It was a warm day. Were eagles taking a break from incubation duties, sensing that warm conditions
would allow it without harm to the developing chick inside the egg??? Alternatively, maybe these
particular eggs are not going to hatch and the adults have already figured that out and given up.


Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov