Subject: [Tweeters] Eagle Nest- Rebuild?
Date: Jan 11 20:39:23 2006
From: Martin Muller - martinmuller at msn.com


Michael,

If the pair has raised young successfully in this location, and if those adults are still alive, chances are good they will re-nest.

While eagles may work on their nest throughout the winter, they can build a perfectly adequate nest between now and the date of the first egg, in cases where a winter storm has blown down an old nest.

Sometimes young eagles will destroy their nest during flight practice. As they get older and stronger, they flap their wings but hang on to the nest to avoid premature departure. Often the repeated upward tugging leads to the nest disintegrating. As if that is not enough, during hours of boredom, while waiting for the next food delivery, half-grown eaglets will also pull sticks from the nest and chuck them over the side. All of this regularly leads to almost no sign of a nest remaining at the end of the nesting season. The adults regularly rebuild in the exact same spot.

On the other hand, if one or both eagles perished, or if they repeatedly failed to raise young in this location, or if land use near the nest site changed recently, they could very well move to a different -nearby or not- location.

Look for adults carrying sticks on the first sunny morning after this rainy period ends (if you get the chance).

Martin Muller, Seattle
martinmuller at msn.com<mailto:martinmuller at msn.com>