5:43 pm

#4 arrives on nest and begins poking about in the nest bowl


OH OH Here comes trouble

#4 made another visit to the nest

5:44pm ~ Congowings: This looks like it might be #4
Reese: new female in the nest
Congowings: And the male didn't want her there
Congowings: Yes, the male came into the nest and chased her out.

5;58pm ~

5:44pm

Dad wastes no time in sending her on her way






At the present, Dad shows no inclination to accepting her - he continues to stand guard at the nest rim - he waits for DT

6:45 pm

Whenever home today I have been watching this nest as much as possible. It is absolutely a tangled web at this point. So many questions too.

Thank you BET.
carolyn

Norfolk Dad Keeps Watch at the Nest

March 9, 2012: Dad guards the nest. The female eagle he has bonded with, #3, hasn't been seen since yesterday. Several other females have tried to take over this nest, but Dad has chased them away. He stayed around till 5:10 PM EST. Around 5:45, eagle # 4 (thought to be a female) arrived, and Dad chased her off. Female #3 is four years old and is probably too young to lay eggs. #4 was also seen earlier today.

From the website: "Because female #3 still has some dark areas on the subadult feathers she is being called Dirty Tail. Dirty Bird is sometimes used to describe a bird that is four years old - since they almost have the white head and tail feathers, but still have some dark feathers in areas - making them appear dirty."

Dad and the previous female had been together since 2003.

Edited to add: I took my information about #3's age from the moderated chat. I have since learned that she is 5 years old. When she goes through her molt, she will look her age.

Poor Dad Norfolk! Life has not been easy for him. He lost his mate to an accident, and then he lost his three eaglets. Now he hasn't been able to settle down with a new mate of his choice.

Beans - question for you? Where did you hear that #3 was too young possibly to lay eggs? I had not heard that spoken out loud although there was some question on it. Just curious......
Thanks,
carolyn
Thank you for the video!

I've posted this question several times on the moderated chat but it hasn't been answered. My question is this- is it totally out of the realm of possibilities that DT might've gone into a fast labor yesterday while she was away from the nest, and given that this is all new to her, could she have laid an egg somewhere and is sticking with the egg for now? I just find it strange that she came out on top in her locked talons confrontations and was seen on the nest yesterday morning in the nest cup, and then absolutely no one witnessed anymore confrontations, or have seen any sign of her on ground or in air.

Quote by: GG

I've posted this question several times on the moderated chat but it hasn't been answered. My question is this- is it totally out of the realm of possibilities that DT might've gone into a fast labor yesterday while she was away from the nest, and given that this is all new to her, could she have laid an egg somewhere and is sticking with the egg for now? I just find it strange that she came out on top in her locked talons confrontations and was seen on the nest yesterday morning in the nest cup, and then absolutely no one witnessed anymore confrontations, or have seen any sign of her on ground or in air.

That is possible. Who knows with a first time experience for her. I am hoping she is just off recovering from all her stress of the last few days. We will have to wait and see the next few days! Original ma disappeared a few years ago after a confrontation and she was laying on eggs. They recovered those eggs after a few days and then she showed up like nothing had happened and went on to lay a few more eggs. The only one of those eggs that hatched was Buddy who is now a permanent resident at the Wildlife Center of Virginia after he contracted Avian Pox, noticed by pictures a photographer took at the gardens and he was extracted and treated at the center.