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| Cowghetti...yum! |
It's time for a look back at 2017! We asked the Decorah North Mods for some favorite moments from Decorah North. We hope you enjoy a trip down memory lane!
2017 marked the 8th year that eagles have nested in the valley of the Norths! We don't know whether the same eagles have been here all along. The first nest (DNN0) was built in a pine tree. The branches collapsed after the second nesting season and the eagles moved to a dead elm tree. They nested there for just one year before moving to their current location in late 2013. 2017 will mark their fourth season in the nest we are watching them in now! Although we refer to it as DNN, it is technically DNN2.
Sherri Elliott said: "Seeing Mr. North's new maturity and almost 50/50 partnership in purveying provisions this year. Hearing Mrs. North 'teakettle' for the first time this year with new mic, and knowing she can easily set it to 'steam' like Mom Decorah. Observing both parents in a deep dream state, vocalizing, jolting, and in the case of Mr. North drowsy scolding at night. The North's dexterity in footing to roll their eggs."
Her favorite videos included:
12/21/17: Coyote Howling & Chorus - https://youtu.be/tB_TU-hFuIE
It's not eagles, but it is very cool! The chorus made the hair on the back of my neck stand up!
12/03/17: Perch party! Not 1, not 2, but 7 Eagles - https://youtu.be/q7P00h8vJ6o. Sherri said: To me this ranks as one of the top observations of BE sociability and reminds me of last seasons “Pool Party” with multiple BE’s bathing in the stream.
11/30/17: Struggling to Lift Stick from stream pasture - https://youtu.be/_61VDr4OqJc
Sherri: This was Mrs, who later brought the stick to the nest, but to me the observation seems a lot more like stick play rather than attempts to lift and carry.
11/29/17: Keep Off Our Nest - Dad attacks J/SA - https://youtu.be/19hhzDKRgLA
If you watch the North Nest, you know all about the Super Flyway. The North's accept visitors across the field, but don't tend to appreciate them at the nest tree. It isn't uncommon to see hungry juveniles and subadults attempting to steal a little breakfish during peak migration.
11/24/17: Splashdown, Parent Catches a Fish - https://youtu.be/txA1XfSmHqc
Sherri: I love to see them fish!
11/07/17: Sub Adult Chase - https://youtu.be/Y7Z5riTs_tA
10/30/17: Eagle With Fish & One In Pursuit! Perching & Nice Fly-Off - https://youtu.be/YTsASh1c3K8
10/25/17: Intruder wants Dad's Fish - https://youtu.be/caQq6uqZRvY.
10/11/17: GHO Visits - https://youtu.be/cpE63ODKquw. We've heard GHO at Decorah North, but we've never seen them nest shopping like this before!
7/26/17: Sighting of DN4 and DN5 - https://youtu.be/Jto4hhl-eDg. We believe this was the last sighting of both caught on cam.
7/22/17: 2:35 p.m. CDT: Round the Pasture We Go - https://youtu.be/IBXVO-2FQJU. Two fledglings/juvies and both parents seen flying in the pasture.
6/15/17: DN4 & DN5 Rumble in the Nest - https://youtu.be/qMxXrznXJsM. A lot of you watched and commented on this. DN5 had a very strong response to DN4's return, although they quickly accepted one another once the initial surprise wore off.
6/11/17 - DN4 Accidental Fledge (knocked off by DN5) - https://youtu.be/SsY0WYgqM7E.
What do you mean? I didn't notice my sibling was there! We got a lot of email and comments about this as well.
5/30/17: Small owl attack on DN4 - https://youtu.be/rkvCp8XyVpQ.
I initially thought this might have been a barred owl, but it is really small! We're going to share this video with Karla Bloem of The International Owl Center and see what she thinks!
4/17/17: Dad North's cowghetti delivery gets hung up on the rails, and Mrs fetches it. Hmmmm....cowghetti! https://youtu.be/apRlJEl84uk
4/08/17: Dad North Alerts & Defends from Intruder (with DN4 copycatting Dad's wingspread) - https://youtu.be/IQAAZi7Tu4g. I saw this exact same behavior when we banded falcons at MPL's Cohasset plant this year. It was charming and fascinating to see "Big Sis" copying Mom's defensive behavior!
3/11/17: Mom Home, Drowsy Dad Refuses To Leave - https://youtu.be/9EQ2mIzZh5U.
This was so cute!
River Eagle also liked Mom's late evening arrival. I had completely forgotten about "Stranger Danger". Mrs North's late arrival startled Mr. North but scared chatters who thought a stranger was invading. The "Juvie in Pasture Runs Parent off of Prey" video was another favorite. I think I'd rather face a hangry human than a juvenile bald eagle intent on eating, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed seeing the green pasture again!
6/22/17: Juvie in Pasture Runs Parent off of Prey - https://youtu.be/AUNyG__scVI
ModV brought up many of the same moments, but added two new ones:
5/08/17: Goose at the nest - https://youtu.be/cDv_sBFwyyQ
One of the most interesting sights was early one morning when a goose landed on the babysitting branch.
3/07/17: Mrs. North dreaming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voNRDmpde1A
Mrs. North dreaming was so cool to watch!
(Blog here: https://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2017/03/sweet-eagle-dreams.html)
Mod7 and BeautyofEagles both brought up a personal favorite of mine - a peregrine falcon visits DNN! Note that this video also contains some cows! https://youtu.be/HyVFISzaqOQ (Blog here: https://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-peregrine-falcon-at-decorah-north-nest.html).
Mod7 said: "Of course the OOPS PS (there's always a few!) of DN5 on Mrs. North. it's almost like DN5 aimed at her. lol Don't PS on the eagle that feeds you!" https://youtu.be/9sCoTpJpK2g
"And watching Mr. North feed the little ones...you can really see the change in him and he's grown so much. It melts my heart when he takes care of his eaglets." This video is really lovely: https://youtu.be/JIRm2Oh6qjE
Thank you so much for the trip down memory lane!<3 p="">
