Hope (the Whimbrel) update
August 16, 2009Azalea on the Move
August 22, 2009
The latest satellite map through afternoon August 18 shows that Azalea has begun to travel. On Sunday August 16 at 1:00pm she was over the Creeds area of southern Virginia Beach. On Monday August 17 she left NBG about 1:00pm and flew out over Norfolk (Ward’s Corner), turned south and flew over Portsmouth and at 3:00pm was over the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake. From there she flew southeast flying over the Northwest River into Currituck County, North Carolina. She spent the night just south of the Tulls Bay Colony residential area. About 10:00am Tuesday August 18 she got up and started flying north back into Virginia over the Blackwater area and at noon was over North Bay in Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. From there she flew due north in a straight line over the Virginia Beach resort area to Fort Story at 1:00pm and then returned to NBG. In 24 hours Azalea made about a 90 to 100 mile round-trip and spent the night away from home for the first time.
21 Comments
How does she make this big circle and find her way back to this one tree? That’s amazing! I figured once she left on such a long trip that she would be gone for good. I’m so happy that she found her way back.
After seeing her ony briefly on Monday I was wondering if she had finally cut the cord to the nest…but she’s been back twice already today. I’m wondering if it’s feeding time and she still knows where her food source is found.
Thank you, Reese! Wonderful news – we are all so proud of her!!! wonder if she met up with the other two 🙂
She reminds me of the little kid who gets angry – threatens to run away- gets a few blocks away- and finds out home is best.
We know she is testing her navigation systems.
I, too, am amazed that she found her way back to the nest tree. I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to venture very far from home. It will be a sad day when she leaves home for good.
By the way, I purchased the 2010 Eagle Calendar. It is terrific. Beautiful pictures and lots of interesting information. If anyone is thinking about buying one, do it. You will be glad you did.
Okay guys – she was really embarassed with that Whimbrel thing and thought she would show us a thing or two. I hope she continues to broaden her prospects and finds just the right place to call home, albeit for a short time. She has good taste – Back Bay, Currituck, possibly Northwest River – ummm then she came back to Norfolk. You know – that Whimbrel is still trying to find her way back home. Azalea showed her how its done.
Beautiful Azalea, You flew right over my house and missed all the fish in my pond! You are welcome anytime, come stay a while and help yourself.LoL
Wow. What a day she had. Thanks so much the story. I just love her.
The on thing that is new to us in our town of New Castle Virginia since we have been seeing eagles here for about the last 4 years is this. I wonder if people look up and see this bird flying over, and since there will not be a presence of white for a while, how many people just think she is a Buzzard. I know its not a very good thought maybe, but i have learned to study them for a while before i make that distinction.
Oh I’m so happy Azalea is finally trying out her long-distance navigational skills! Our little girl is growing up! Good for her!
I am definitely going to get the calendar…..I better hurry before it sells out!
Thank you so much for keeping us up-to-date, Reese, CCB, NBG!
On Sunday we saw one adult & Azalea soaring and fly off together. It would be interesting if we could find out if the adult was around or with her. I think Rose summed it up, tho!
Reese, I haven’t seen the adult at the nest now for I two or possible 3 days now. Do you think the adult is done feeding Azalea now or do you think she is still passing food to her in the air like the day Shelly caught those amazing photos
I’m happy she’s “spreading her wings” but at the same time, a bit sad. I’ll miss her terribly and perhaps this is the beginning of her leaving our camera. Maybe she thinks her sibblings will come back and doesn’t want to miss them??!! It’s been such a learning experience for me and I’m very attached to them all. I mean, their on my slide show!! Is she catching her own food now or is mom and dad still feeding her? Do the parents know where she goes and watch over her?
I wonder has anyone seen her actually hunting and getting food for herself?
Lots of questions about Azalea being self-supporting, and not many answers this morning. She is sitting calmly this morning on the front branch of the nest tree. She appears to have food in her crop, indicating that she has recently eaten. As we have all seen, it is very unusual for her to sit quietly. She is usually squawking loudly – food begging. The last report of anyone seeing an adult at NBG was on Sunday August 16. Did Azalea get her own food? We don’t know. No one saw her do it. Was she fed? We don’t know since no one saw her being fed. Have both adults left the area? We don’t know for sure. May be there and we have just not seen them. Ask the photographers how many times they have walked directly under them sitting in the top of a tree and not seen them. Lots of times. We have more questions than we have answers this morning.
Reese, thank you for your continual “feeding of information” to us. As one of the newcomers to the Eagle Cam this year, I appreciate your understanding of our excitement, questions, and attachment to this little family…yet again! Blessings to you and all who make Azalea’s, HK’s, and HE’s journeys possible as well as our “journey” with them!
Reese, can you please tell me more about the “crop” when you say she seems to have food in her crop? Thanks!
ilovelucy – The Crop – Also known as the craw is an “expandable pouch” under the chin of some birds including birds of prey like bald eagles. When most birds eat, like the song birds that come to your bird feeder, their food goes directly to their stomach and 20 to 30 minutes later fertilizer comes out the other end, and they are ready to come back to your bird feeder and eat again. Birds with a “crop” can store the food they eat and therefore eat larger meals, eat less often, and send food from the crop to their stomach as needed. When the crop is full there is a very noticeable distended bulge under the chin.
I saw the blog from Margy on her getting her calendar yesterday and felt a bit disappointed that I didn’t have mine yet. Then last night as I was getting ready for bed my hubby said, “You didn’t see the mail today, did you?” And there it was! I didn’t get to sleep til after midnight. It is a keepsake! Thanks so much to all of you who had something to do with it!
Wow, it looks like she has made it up to the Northern Neck. Wonder if she will return? Sure hope she has learned to fish.
Thank you for the wonderful experience of watching this eagle family mature and do what God intended for their life cycle. They would be the first thing we would check on in the morning!We wish them all the best in their lives out in the world.