Bird Cams Around the World

Golden, I will ask Dr. Watts about the raccoon guards. I'm sure he will be interested to hear about the eagles returning. I am surprised the guards aren't working though...
We lose a bunch of broods every year to racoons. He saw one grabbing pretty large chicks a few years ago.

Arrghhh ....... I thought they put guards on the tree like 3 years ago!?!?

Raccoons will eat the eggs ... but Eagles will also eat Raccoons. Anyone remember the Eagles4Kids nest last year?? They must have raided a raccoon nest somehow.

PS ... SGB .. no cam links on page 1.

The raccoons have been here the last 2 or 3 seasons. The eagles have always returned. The coons seem to know that it is off limits or the tree guards worked. I am all for a good little food trap in a med sized doggie den and move them elsewhere. But....

The pics today show NO white on either eagle...may have been washable white marks. I missed them today. Eggs usually around 2/14 to 2/17 here.

I was watching at sunset last night. Dad flew into the nest for a minute or so. I watched him fly off to the tree in the upper left corner - where Mom was already sitting! Heard them chattering to each other followed by a bit of bonding.

10 pics - watch the upper left corner for the change in movement on the tree.

Oh Patti you got dad in his tree thanks very much I love to hear them talk to each other when he is over there

OMG OMG gmbird just emailed this to me , it is less than a half mile from Fort St Vrain Eagles nest

Save the St. Vrain River Valley - Stop the Firestone Shooting Range!
Attention Residents & Property Owners of Firestone, Mead, Platteville and south Weld County!
In February, the Firestone Board of Trustees is scheduled to take action on annexing and zoning a massive, outdoor, regional Shooting Range & Facility. We are neighbors and property owners concerned about Firestone's rush to annex this property, and the Shooting Range’s impacts to noise pollution, traffic congestion, wildlife, water quality, recreation, agriculture, property values and safety around Firestone, Mead and Platteville.
What is the Location of the Proposed Shooting Range?
The shooting range is proposed on 900 acres north of Firestone at County Road 17 & Highway 66 in unincorporated Weld County, right alongside the St. Vrain River. The site is next door to family farms, ranches, a dairy operation and some of the most pristine areas of the St. Vrain River valley. The property to be annexed is FOUR miles from the nearest current home in Firestone, and the shooting range would be only 2 miles from homes in Mead and Platteville!

How Big Will This Shooting Range Be?
This will be one of the largest outdoor shooting ranges in Colorado. The “Second Amendment Firearms Experience” developers say their outdoor shooting range will allow for “150 simultaneous shooters to be engaging targets at any one time,” with “many more opportunities available on our enormous ranch as our membership grows.” They also plan a 65,000 square foot “enormous metal building” they say will include a welcome center, clubhouse, café, gun shop, video simulators, and gunsmith and armorers.

The meeting was on January 29th. I am going to email the Wildlife Rangers and see what they are saying about this. It is so close to a nesting pair of eagles. I sure hope the Federal Gov Wildlife people were there letting it be known that this may be a nice big area but is not available because of the eagles. GRRRR this is upsetting. I see too much open space being developed.

On a happier note the eagles mated in the nest this afternoon. Someone emailed me but I did not get a snap in time. lol

We will soon have eaglets here.

Nice work SGB I did send a note inquiring if there were eagles nests near by and if the Wildlife people had had input. Glad I was not growling at them lol.

Eagles are so smart having a nest near two food sources with both waterways near the nest. I am wishing for fewer turtles and more fish this year.

Well, tonight instead of raccoons ... how about a mouse?

That poor thing is dead isn't it I had to go look a second time

I finally got around to asking Dr. Watts about the raccoons. He said if the tree is wrapped properly it should prevent them from getting in. Although, if there are trees nearby they may be able to access it through them.
Here is the rest of what he said:
Raccoon access into the nest is almost always a death nail. I have looked at a lot of data from our surveys and it is rare but not unheard of here in the bay for them to reuse it unless they get in a pinch. They may come back to it a year or more after the nest is abandoned by the raccoons but definitely not if they have used it recently. Here the raccoons will typically burrow into the nest and make their own nesting place.

So, this pair is pretty remarkable to keep coming back. I'm sure glad the eagles keep them away once they start nesting!