Free Range Photography

Last Saturday I walked up to the Benbow Bald Eagle nest, hoping to see some action. I took it as a good omen that there were lots of birds along the trail on the 20 minute walk to the nest-watching spot. Acorn Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, American Robins, Hermit and Varied Thrushes, Steller’s and California Scrub Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, California and Spotted Towhees were all busy, flitting about looking for food, moving through the trees.

When I got to my destination I didn’t have to wait long to find the first eagle of the morning. As the fog lifted, I saw an Eagle flying downstream, high over the river, carrying fluffy nesting materials. She (I am guessing it was the female) glided right past the nest with her decor still in her talons, so I assumed she would circle back, as I have seen before, and deliver the material to the nest. But she continued way downstream and out of sight.

I immediately began to wonder if a new nest were being built downstream. After 20 minutes or so, the male showed up and perched in a tree maybe 30 yards downstream from the nest and somewhat lower. This bird stood like a statue for a few moments and then began to sing. (Video linked below with audio of singing eagles.) I could barely make out a response from much farther away from the female.

After a few more moments, the female reappeared, still carrying the fluff, and perched in a tree maybe 10 yards downstream from the male, and just a bit lower. Not long after landing, she dropped the fluff. I read somewhere that birds of prey are really good at grasping but less skilled at letting go, so I’m not sure if her dropping the material was intentional or not.

There was more singing, a true duet now. Then the two of them just stood on their respective perches for a long time, almost motionless. There was a bit of preening, and a lot of head turning as surrounding sounds caught the attention of the eagles, but for at least an hour, apart from the occasional call or song, they hardly moved.

Then suddenly they both took off for no apparent reason. One flew to a snag maybe 1/4 mile downstream and the other took to the sky, circling not far from the perched one. I saw a pair (presumably these birds) mate on this snag last year, and thought I might see that again, but it was not to be.

Instead, the circling bird was soon harassed by a couple of Red-tailed Hawks and ended up soaring out of the area in a northern direction. Not long after, the perched eagle took off in the same direction and I didn’t see them again.

The nest looked as though it’s been worked on a bit since my last visit, so I’m hopeful this pair will reverse the bad luck they’ve had the past couple years and fledge a chick from this beautiful spot.