Azalea – 2009 Year-end Review
Azalea – Christmas Week 12/19-28
December 29, 2009Welcome to the CCB Eagle Nest blog
December 31, 2009
A few facts about Azalea (banded HH):
Egg layed Feb 13
Egg hatched Mar 22
Banded HH April 22
Satellite transmitter fitted May 20
Fledged June 13
Left Norfolk Botanical Garden Aug 21
Azalea has proved to be quite independent and something of a loner. She took a long time to fledge and a longer time to finally leave her home natal territory. Other than one over night sojourn to Currituck County, NC, on Aug 17/18, she stayed closeby Norfolk Botanical Garden. When she did leave, it was a 100-mile direct flight to the shore of the Potomac River on the Virginia Northern Neck (Upper Peninsula). A surprise was that she spent so much time on the Wicomico River and near the mouth of the Potomac, rather than going to the known bald eagle concentration area at Caledon Natural Area about 30 miles further west and upstream on the Potomac. She did make a visit to the bald eagle concentration area on the Rappahannock River near Tappahannock, but stayed only two days.
Azalea has also spent a significant amount of time at two landfills in King & Queen County and Gloucester County. There is not much research data about how bald eagles use these landfills, so her visits are adding to our data base. Much more study needs to be done on this eagle behaviour.
Azalea made a very brief trip back to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia on Dec 10-17, with a second even briefer flight into NC. During this trip she stayed mostly at Stumpy Lake City Golf Course and made two visits to a deer carcass in a farm field in Virginia Beach. As of year-end she has returned to the Middle Peninsula Landfill in Gloucester County. We look forward to following her travels in 2010.
12 Comments
Thanks Reese. At least we do know she is OK. I hope someday to see all 3 again. I miss them so much.
Dixie
Thanks Reese – I hope she is giving CCB and our monies worth.
We worry that the landfills are not a good feeding ground——– but she seems to be doing well.
She is proving she is a true Virginian 🙂
Thanks for the recap, Reese.
Reese, if Azalea is a bit of a loner does that mean she may never pick a mate? Are some eagles loners for life? Thank you.
Reese-
Thanks for your description of Azalea’s sojourns. I would like to know the timeline from conception to laying of an eagle egg… all of those details that are not given… I am not shy but just take a scientific view. I want to know what the procedure of mating, time of day or night– in flight or in the nest, etc….
Emalee – I don’t know that anyone has researched the subject of spinster eagles. I guess we will have to wait four years to see if Azalea finds a mate or continues her loner ways.
Happy New Year to everyone,also to those of you who do so much for our Eagles,keeping us up to date and caring for them when they are in need.
Love following Azalea,hope she stays well along with the others. Finally my Eagles are fine,very elusive,female just peeked her head out of the nest.Here in Fl our nest in the park should hatch in about 2 weeks perhaps. Last year it was early January that the twins appeared. I love this site and look foward to the new Eagle season
Thank you all so much for the enjoyment. This has certainly been an eye opener on eagles. I just love going on line and going to this site first every day. Happy and healthy new year to all.
The banding, transmitter placement, and now tracking has been such an opportunity for so many of us to learn so much about the eagles we’ve come to love. Thank you, and everyone involved, for taking the time to share with us.
It’s only going to get better, too! 🙂
Wow – Azalea has made great leaps and bounds in her first year -from little fluffy bobble head to self confident Southern gal. I do not think we need to worry about our Diva being on her own. She definitely seems to have no trouble finding food or her way back home. Thank you Azalea for continuing to delight us with your comings and goings. Thank you Reese and Libby for educating us and keeping us up-to-date. Finally, thank you NBG, WVEC and DGIF for making all this possible and for putting up with our prying eyes and our desire to know every little tidbit about the lives of this wonderful eagle family. You have given us the opportunity to witness one of the amazing miracles of nature.
When will the Eagle Cam be up and running 24/7? Will that be through WVEC again? Thanks. I know I’m not the only one checking in regularly to see what’s going on. Again, a huge “thank you.”
Reese, I would like to know if I can visit the gardens and watch the banding when the eagles have their new brood or if this is by invitation only. I would really love to see them up close, or as close as I can.
Thanks.
Margy