[JAV0108]

Papa Eagle showed up with a fish and fed the babies. Hopefully this will continue.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by FoPAA

I am so, so sorry to tell you this news:


Norfolk Botanical Garden:
This morning an adult bald eagle was struck and killed by an incoming airplane at Norfolk International Airport. It is believed that this bird was the female of the nesting pair from Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG). The strike occurred sometime between 8:30 and 8:50 a.m. These eagles were well known through the Norfolk Botanical Garden Eagle Cam provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), Norfolk Botanical Garden, and WVEC, and have been at NBG since 2003.

According to Stephen Living, VDGIF biologist, and Reese Lukei, a research associate with the Center for Conservation Biology (CCB), “We are fairly certain that this is the Norfolk Botanical Garden female eagle due to her physical characteristics, size and the fact that she has not been seen at the nest since the strike.”
This year the pair of eagles has produced three chicks at that nest site. Biologists with the VDGIF, CCB, and the staff at NBG will continue to monitor the nest and are working to ensure the health of the eaglets.

I have been watching these eagles and their offspring for two seasons. I usually log on to the website every morning but missed it this morning because I'm very busy right now in Canada getting relocated to Lagoon City, Ontario.

What a shock. I cried when I read FoPAA's post. I feel very connected to this pair of eagles and their offspring. Sadly, the dad can't hunt and protect the nest at the same time. I have my fingers crossed that the eaglets will be safe. I wonder if the biologists will get involved if the eaglets aren't getting enough food.

This particular female eagle who is missing and presumed dead lost her first mate to a plane mishap. Then she remated with this male eagle, and they've been raising families together every year.

I know there are wars and other terrible things going on in the world, and atrocities being committed. But still, I'm sad that momma eagle won't be coming back to the nest.

[Barefoot]

The decision has been made to remove the three eaglets from the nest and relocate them to the Wildlife Centre of Virginia. It is supposed to happen around 10 AM this morning.

[KathieI]

RIP, Momma Eagle. I'm so sad to hear this news.

Admittedly I haven't been watching this cam much this year and 2 days ago, I logged onto it and was shocked how much the eaglets have grown. Such a beautiful sight.

Because of the education I have received about these eaglets for the past 2 years, I've been able to see things I would never have expected to see or know. Yesterday, around 3pm, I was driving in Fruitland Park on 441/27 near the Griffin Park, and I swear there was an eaglet walking amongst the trees on the side of the road. It was a large eaglet, much like the ones in the cam but you can almost tell from the shape of the head and body, that it was an eaglet. It was very exciting to see it and I watched to be sure it wasn't hurt or in jeopardy of being hit by a car. All was okay so I continued on my journey. But I was very excited to see this.

[Bonny]

I also have been watching this site for a few years. So sad this had to happen. At least they are able to get the babies. Poor little babies don't know what to make of this.

[bkcunningham1]

Oh Barefoot, I feel the same. So sad. I had just told another person about the cam yesterday morning. The eaglets are now gone from their nest. I wish them Godspeed in their new home and hope the father finds a new mate.

[jebartle]

There must be something that they can do to protect these eagles!
So so sad!

[Bonny]

Not much they can do. It's nature. Thank goodness, because of the web cam, they were able to take care of these guys.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

Oh Barefoot, I feel the same. So sad. I had just told another person about the cam yesterday morning. The eaglets are now gone from their nest. I wish them Godspeed in their new home and hope the father finds a new mate.

I hope WVEC shows some pictures of the eaglets at their new home in the Wildlife Centre of Virginia. I wonder if the male eagle will mourn, like elephants do. I'm sure the male eagle will find a new mate. The female that was just killed lost her "husband" in 2002 to a plane. And she remated ... following instinct I guess.

Apparently she nurtured at least 19 eaglets to maturity. I do love the nature webcams. Now I'll have to satisfy myself with the Decorah Cam and the ones in California, Santa Catalina Island.

[bkcunningham1]

I don't know if he'll mourn in the human sense. But in my mind, he was all set to feed the eaglets and work with his mate and do what nature intended until the babies left the nest. He'd have to be confused and "lost" (I don't know a better word) for awhile. Then instinct will kick in and he'll go about his life. It still makes me feel sad.

I suppose his new mate will have her own nest and this nest may be abandoned. What a sad day. You are my hero for turning me on to that silly webcam Bare. I have had so many hours of enjoyment out of watching, sharing and talking about the eagles' nest. Thank you.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

I don't know if he'll mourn in the human sense. But in my mind, he was all set to feed the eaglets and work with his mate and do what nature intended until the babies left the nest. He'd have to be confused and "lost" (I don't know a better word) for awhile. Then instinct will kick in and he'll go about his life. It still makes me feel sad.

I suppose his new mate will have her own nest and this nest may be abandoned. What a sad day. You are my hero for turning me on to that silly webcam Bare. I have had so many hours of enjoyment out of watching, sharing and talking about the eagles' nest. Thank you.

You are so welcome bk, it's nice to know that people care.

The father eagle returned to the empty nest at 2:14 with a fish. He spent 15minutes in the nest just looking around, trying to figure out where his wife and kids went. So sad. The male was with the female when she was killed, but he managed to get out of the way of the plane. The Admins said that the male spent some time this morning looking for the female. At least now we know that the three eaglets are safe from predators and will be sure of enough to eat.

The male eagle will probably find another mate, as the female did in 2002 when her male partner was killed by an airplane. Perhaps we'll see the male return next year to the same nest with a new mate. I hope so.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

I have been watching these eagles and their offspring for two seasons. I usually log on to the website every morning but missed it this morning because I'm very busy right now in Canada getting relocated to Lagoon City, Ontario.

What a shock. I cried when I read FoPAA's post. I feel very connected to this pair of eagles and their offspring. Sadly, the dad can't hunt and protect the nest at the same time. I have my fingers crossed that the eaglets will be safe. I wonder if the biologists will get involved if the eaglets aren't getting enough food.

This particular female eagle who is missing and presumed dead lost her first mate to a plane mishap. Then she remated with this male eagle, and they've been raising families together every year.

I know there are wars and other terrible things going on in the world, and atrocities being committed. But still, I'm sad that momma eagle won't be coming back to the nest.

Well said. I feel the same way.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

You are so welcome bk, it's nice to know that people care.

The father eagle returned to the empty nest at 2:14 with a fish. He spent 15minutes in the nest just looking around, trying to figure out where his wife and kids went. So sad. The male was with the female when she was killed, but he managed to get out of the way of the plane. The Admins said that the male spent some time this morning looking for the female. At least now we know that the three eaglets are safe from predators and will be sure of enough to eat.

The male eagle will probably find another mate, as the female did in 2002 when her male partner was killed by an airplane. Perhaps we'll see the male return next year to the same nest with a new mate. I hope so.

The Norfolk Eagle Cam had an expert biologist on the website later this afternoon. They are receiving thousands of e-mails and questions on the blog. The expert was explaining the decision to move the three eaglets to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Many people were criticizing the decision to remove the eaglets since the dad was still trying to feed them.

I found the explanation very interesting. Many people thought the biologists should have left one of the three eaglets to keep the dad company. However the expert explained that one eaglet would be very vulnerable to predators when the dad was out hunting. And that we think the eagles are feeling human emotions of loss and sadness and confusion. But in fact the dad will adjust to the situation in a few days, and before long, he will probably find a new mate. And possibly even return to the same nest next winter.

Other people thought the biologist should have left all three eaglets in the nest because the dad was still bringing them fish and trying to provide for them. The biologist explained that the eaglets will soon double in size and require huge amounts of food to stay healthy. It really takes two eagles to raise a brood, one to hunt, and the other to protect the nest. By himself, it would have been impossible for the dad to defend the nest against predators plus provide an adequate amount of food.

As the eaglets grow larger, if they aren't getting enough food, they woud become very aggressive and fight each other and possibly kill the weakest eaglet. They would become weak and malnourished. The biologists felt the most humane solution would be to take the eaglets to a sanctuary. They will be in a "simulated" natural situation, and will eventually fledge and learn to fly in a 200 foot enclosure. The biologists will even provide fish tanks to teach the eaglets how to fish.

I'm glad that today is over. I spent waaaaaay too much time on the Norfork website. It was so emotional seeing the eaglets removed from the nest. And also when the dad returned with a fish, and the kids were gone.

By the way, the plan is to get a webcam up and running of the eaglets at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. I'll post the link here when it happens.

[Barefoot]

The three eaglets were moved on April 27 to the Wildlife Center of Virginia after their mother was killed by an airplane. The Wildlife Center has managed to get a webcam operational so we can see the progress of the eaglets. Even tho they're in "captivity", the Wildlife Center will do as much as possible to simulate natural conditions.

The picture quality is very grainy now, but it will improve.

[tippyclubb]

Here's another link to a live eagle cams set up on islands off the coast of California. There are three nest with eaglet chicks and you can watch the parents feeding them. You can see the parents flying to and from the nest. Turn up your sound so you can hear the birds and the ocean.

http://www.iws.org/bald_eagles/nestchat.html

It's intersting but beware its addicting!