Want to guess where Azalea is as of Aug 4 at 11:00am? Hmmm! Let me think about that! Have anything to do with catfish? Well, you all got it right!! Yep, back at the NC Tidewater Research Station and the privately owned catfish ponds east of Plymouth, NC. Azalea made another one of her roundtrips back to Virginia to make sure we were all doing well up here. She left TRS at about noon on July 29 flying to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, then on to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River. She left there at 11:00am Aug 2 flying south back into North Carolina and spent the night near Beasley Rd just north of Route 64 in Washington County. About noon yesterday, Aug 3, she returned to the NC Tidewater Research Station and, of course, the catfish ponds. Last night she went back to the communal roost on TRS property in the lower left of the map. As of this satellite map at 11:00am today Aug 4 she is near the TRS fish research building – white arrow. Click maps to enlarge.
2 Comments
Hi Reese, so what do you think? When Az is ready to mate, do you think she will continue to commute back and forth, or settle down? Thanks for all you do Reese!!!! Susan
Susan – My bet is on Azalea eventually settling somewhere in the Hampton Roads area, most likely Virginia Beach or Chesapeake. While she has spent a great deal of time at the catfish ponds, she continues to return to southeast Virginia. These rural areas she seems to prefer offer many opportunities for nesting, and there are several other juvenile bald eagles here as well.
Well, we can’t say she doesn’t know what she likes! A strong eagle with a healthy appetite. Thank-you so much for the current news….