[Tweeters] Wiley Slough - Bald Eagle Nest

[Jim Betz via Tweeters]

Hi all,

   The chick hatch is probably imminent.  Both parents are staying 
'near' the nest
essentially full time and they are more "active" than they were even a 
week ago.
I have not seen evidence that the hatch has already occurred - but they 
are not
sitting continuously and will both go off to a nearby roost for as much 
as a half
hour or more (don't need to sit on warm days?).  They are switching off 
which
one is staying closest/on the nest - maybe two or three times a day.
   One of the parents (the male?) has very "creaky" wings and flies in 
the vicinity
once or twice a half hour - mostly moving from one tall tree to 
another.  It also
calls out when sitting.  "Proud Papa Bragging" ... ? *G*  It flew quite 
close to my
head one time when I walked under the nest in order to get past - the best
viewing is usually from the 'far side' of the nest.  (Do you remember 
"Far Side"?)
   I am getting out there about every other day.  Hoping to see a "fuzzy 
head"!
What I've seen so far is "a head sticking up over the edge of the nest".

https://eamon.smugmug.com/Family-pics-from-jim/Birds-and-Stuff-from-Jim/n-4Cw3NF/Birds-Web/i-23ZcCzT/A

   This nest is about a mile's walk - one way - from the parking lots at 
Wiley.  Depending
upon the tide you will see ducks (mostly mallards and green-winged 
teal), yellowlegs
(both), great blue herons, tree swallows and maybe the occasional barn 
swallow,
Downy Woodpeckers, a cormorant, and perhaps even a TUVU.  It is 
interesting to me
how few gulls there are.
   It takes me about an hour one way from the parking lot to the nest - 
because I
stop and bird along the way both ways.  I've been spending about 1/2 to 
a full hour
near the BAEA nest.  It is on the right side of the walking path (dike 
top) and only
about 20-25 feet up in a tree ... pretty hard to miss it.  When you get 
to where the
sitting bench is you are 'about 2/3rds of the way'.

   There have been reports of a Great-horned Owl family near the boat 
ramp at
Wiley - I saw the adult one time about 2 weeks ago but have been 'blanked'
since.
       - go Birding!   ... Jim in Skagit County