Bird Cams Around the World

Pat, I posted it so we could watch on this page. I also posted your video at 2 other forums. Was that O.K.?

Thank you for recording this.

Hi all. Watched the removal of the eaglets this am, tears streaming down my face the entire time. I will miss the eaglets, I will not like seeing an empty nest, but my tears were really for Dad. I too am sad he has to grieve over loss of mom, and will return wondering where the eaglets are, and may even avoid area if he fears for his own safety? Have considered all the experts have had to say about the situation. With the popularity of this nest worldwide, I am sure they had to consider survival of all 3 eaglets as a first priority, even over Dad's emotional adjustments. And that is truly the best thing for the 3 eaglets, to be kept together, and guaranteed survival. Unfortunately that is not the best thing for Dad, having kept one may have been in his best interests. But then they probably asked themselves, what happens if something goes wrong? I watched Julian struggle a little trying to get number 1, whose wings were flapping like crazy this time, just a week after being banded. She gave him a harder time. What about 3 weeks from now if something went wrong, and the eaglet needed intervention. Maybe we would all be sitting here crying because she fought being captured and fell out the tree and hurt a wing or foot. Or maybe being alone on the nest, an adult eagle attacked her? I know we always complain about intervention, and these experts are truly caring about the best for the eaglets. Im sure they did at some point consider Dad, but the priority has to be on the eaglets guaranteed survival for release. There is no win-win for this situation. They cannot control the outcome of Dad. They can control the outcome of the 3 eaglets for release. The eaglets are mom's legacy that have to carry on. My heart is broken too, but I have to support them for trying. And let me say this, I have looked at alot of other forums. Though we may have differences of opinions with regards to intervene or not intervene in all these cams we watch, or are we too emotional or not emotional enough, my BCAW fellow viewers are always there for each other in times of tragedies. I thank you BCAW and fellow viewers for always being there for each other, and for me in my times too. THIS IS THE BEST FORUM EVER

Good recording Pat. You honor this nest with it. Thank you, my friend.

Great video. Also love the banner. Well done all.

MA, I just noticed your banner. It is one of your most beautiful.

I am watching the video and it just seems so surreal. Just one week ago we were celebrating their banding and I am amazed at how different the eaglets look today. They are growing so rapidly.

Thank you to the volunteers from Nuchols Tree Service for being available for this important job.

Just checking in. Thanks to all of you for your support and kind words today. There are many of us that have watched this cam for 5 years, and we are all equally affected by the loss of this incredible eagle. She set the gold standard for all raptor moms.

Thank you sgb for the beautiful banner. She was a great eagle.

With regard to today's activities, I think Dad is an incredible hunter and amazing parent. There are many documented cases where a single parent is successful (on this forum), and if any bird could handle it he could. He was right on schedule and had just brought in a fish when the trucks arrived.

As a rehabber, wildlife are always better off in the wild. Our goal is to get them back to the wild as soon as possible. Rehabbers actively foster with other parents, and we've seen it here too. There are at least 600 nesting eagle pairs in Virginia, and plenty of knowledge of eaglet ages since they just did a survey. The Wildlife Center will do a great job with them, and they will be released with plenty of fanfare. Would they have been better off left in the wild? I think so, but I know plenty here support intervention. I wish we had intervened with a falcon this weekend, but only because it was starving to death.

So life goes on, we will all know the eaglets are ok, and Dad will find a new mate and go on to be a great parent, likely teaching his new mate how to do it.

You are so right about all of it Barb. I agree that if possible, they are best left in the wild, but rather than let this get to a critical situation, I think the intervention is the best. At the tiny rehab facility where I volunteer, we just rescued a great horned owlet and our resident foster GHO immediately started feeding it. This is what they are wired to do so I imagine the fosters at the Wildlife Center will do the same.

Please let us know when they will be released Barb. We all await this and for Dad to find a new mate so he can do what he does best.

thank you Barb, for sharing your thoughts. We value your opinions greatly.

Interesting information about the decision on the moderated chat.
From,
Ed Clark, Wildlife Center of VA: 
A lot of folks were initially upset about the fact that the babies were not left with the remaining parent, but there is more to that story.

Those who think one eaglet should have been left in the nest really don't have a handle on the reality of life in the wild. That single eaglet would have be extremely vulnerable to predation or injury from exposure without siblings or two parents. There are a lot of human emotions and sentimental thoughts bouncing around, but the biology says that these chicks have the best chance of survival in a two-parent nest, or in captivity.
Ultimately, if things go well, the babies will be released in Tidewater Virginia, somewhere near a large eagle population. It is too soon to start planning the release of these guys, but we have typically released previous young-of-the-year near the Westover Plantation, across from the James River National Wildlife Refuge, where there is a large concentration of immature birds.
For those who take exception to the decision that was made, let me first say that it WAS NOT our decision. We voiced our input and that was all. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries made the decision.... not the Wildlife Center.

Ed makes a very sensible point about predation if one chick was left in the nest.

Thanks for posting Ed's comments, Mick...and he does make a very good point...I do think its a Catch22 situation...and at the risk of reading too much into his last comment: "let me first say that it WAS NOT our decision. We voiced our input and that was all. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries made the decision.... not the Wildlife Center."...kinda makes ya wonder and appreciate the difficult discussion and decision that was made..

Compassionate point sgb.

Ed just signed off chat.
Barb, please thank Ed for me. Am I correct? Isn't he your co-worker? Many thanks for the information he presented!

Ed Clark, Wildlife Center of VA: 
A lot the young birds we have gotten are much younger than these chicks. I don't want to jinx it, but I would be happy to bet on complete success with these guys, barring an accident of something unexpected. We hope these babies will be ready to go by August or so.

The good news is that these babies know full-well they are eagles. We won't need puppets or disguises. Eagles imprint on their species within the first couple of weeks. The reaction of the eaglets to the guy in the nest with them shows what they think of people---not much! We will avoid taming them or getting them used to people, but they know they are eagles, for sure.