First Night At Nest Tree Together
Azalea Back at Kings Grant
December 4, 2011Camellia Remains at Lake Joyce in Va Beach
December 7, 2011The Norfolk Botanical Garden bald eagle pair have been staying one at a time in the nest tree – most nights – sometimes neither stay like tonight. However, for the first time this season both the male and the new female remained on the back branch behind the nest all night last night. The photos are a bit dark because of the distance from the IR light to them, but enough light to know it is them. Christmas lights in the background from the Garden of Lights at NBG.
Waking up this morning December 6, 2011!!
37 Comments
KISSY KISSY thanks
Wonderful to see. Thank you for posting these.
Also the new cams/cameras are so clear!
I almost want to quietly back out and close the door. They need their privacy. Thanks you for posting them!
Awesome pictures. Love seeing the two of them together. How precious are those pictures. Thank you for posting them.
Reese,
Such wonderful pictures. I think that for sure, we have our new pair.
The email from NBG about the three new cameras is such a surprise. I loved looking at m&d with the old camera, cant even imagine how these will be. This man must be such an eagle lover like you and us. It was so, so nice of him to remember all of us and the love that we have for God creatures.
In case you are not up on the latest news on NX, she is doing well. I watch all your maps and I enjoy knowing where all your kids are.
Hope that you had a great birthday, you only derserve the very best……thankx 4 the update.
Oh Reese, such a beautiful pair…so good to see that spdad has found happiness…thank you
Oh my gosh! I have been away from the computer for a short while and did not know that our male had taken a new mate until I saw the newest NBG email! I am so happy to see this and looking forward to the new nest season…Honestly, seeing him with a new mate brought tears to my eyes. Last year was tough for all of us eagle lovers. Thank you as always, for bringing us this amazing site. Happy belated birthday, Reese…
Wonderful ppictures! They make a great couple. I am looking forward to watching them on cam. Many thanks to David McDonald for donating the new cameras to NBG. What a generous person he is. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Reese,
Thank you so much for posting these photos! This is just too cute. Nature and wildlife is soo remarkable. I love this female already…and it looks like dad does too 🙂 Thank you again!
Such sweet intimacy! the male’s body feathers look lighter in color than the female’s…guess maybe it’s an artifact of his distance from the IR source? Thank you for sharing the pics!
What a beautiful sight. I am hopeful we will get to watch them bring 2 or 3 more eaglets into the world. Thou’re the man Reese.
How wonderful to see these two really connecting…and I sure can tell they ARE! ♥
Is it the way the photo is taken …or is she really quite large??… I don’t know if it is the shadows, but she looks much bigger than him. Are my eyes playing tricks on me????
Hope your birthday was amazing Reese !!!
Response – Female nearly always larger in raptors. Very true in eagles.
Love these pics!! So sweet! Gave me such a good feeling. They so look like they care for each other. Thanks so much for posting and for keeping us informed. Please express thanks to the man responsible for the cameras. I really look forward to watching in the new season.
Such beautiful pictures. Can’t wait for the new nesting season. Glad to see some of the other kids home for the Holidays. So glad you have the transmitters on some and the great photo of the other banded ones.
Talk about a warm fuzzy feeling, beautiful capture. Am looking forward to the new season.
Hurray! The world is back on its axis now that Dad is not alone! Thank you for sharing! I am so happy Dad chose to come back to the same nest with his bride. Not sure if I can watch the cam much this season, it was so very difficult for me when mom died. Soooooo sad! But there is joy again at the nest!
I dare say they have bonded….life is good!
Love, love, love these captures! Thank you so much for sharing with us. They are so sweet. Really looks like a strong bond these two already have. I’m so happy Dad found another mate!
A huge thank you to Mr. McDonald. Another thank you to you, Reese. I am so eager for another season to begin. They look like a beautiful couple.
Thank you Reese. Just brings tears to my eyes, after all the sorrow we shared. What is your opinion about the juvenile that they are both tolerating very close to them, as per the pictures of yesterday? Love that the kids are coming around the Gardens to visit! Have a wonderful day and very Happy Holidays. Can not wait for our new season!
Response – Ann – not unusual at all for eagles to be attracted to other eagle nests. We have seen that with Azalea and Camellia. However, once the breeding season begins in about a month, then these adults will be a lot less tolerant of these kids showing up, and they will be ushered away.
Thank you Reese for posting the pictures-what a lovely couple they are. Happy Belated Birthday!
Ah, Reese, you have done it again another time! Love these pics. The evening ones remind me of an evening last February or March when the “then” pair both stayed on that branch till I had to go… very magical. And the morning one? “So, should we go to Golden Corral or Shoney’s?”
Those pictures are a priceless look at the intimacy shared by two eagles. I truly believe there is emotion there even though many say not. Dad Norfolk has a beauty there and hopefully as fiesty as Lady Legacy. Dare I say he has good taste in female eagles.
Someone earlier commented on the size difference – she sure is a lot bigger.
As always, Reese Lukei’s photos are beautiful… But #3 made them look like a true couple.
Here’s to a successful mating season. I hope we will see new little bobbleheads.
Sorry for the typo of my own surname… Still recovering from receiving a prosthetic left rotator cuff and several of my left fingers have a mind of their own.
Reese, since there are now so many eaglets who have fledged from NBG/this area, would they ever begin a communal roost nearby? (Love to follow Azalea & Camellia as they do their regular NBG flyovers!)
Response – May be a bit too early to say for sure, but it is not unusual to see 5 or 6 eagles at Stumpy Lake at one time. In the past week I have identified 8 eagles in the area of HoneyBee Golf Course which is on a narrow section of the North Landing River. Azalea and Camellia seem to have favorite places they return to. Perhaps other eagles are doing the same thing.
The new photos warms my heart! Dad Norfolk is HAPPY AGAIN! Let’s hope for a fruitful and safe “bobblehead” season!! Thank You Mr. Lukei!
…(3rd frame Dad says)…”Darling, I have something to tell you”…
…(4th frame the female replies)…”What do you mean I snore!”
Reese,
I just got done looking at pictures of the winter light display that one of people of Eagle Nation made for all of us who are too far away to go and see ourselves.
I think our new lady must be thinking that her new mate has the most beautiful home ever. Can eagles see in color? This is a very romantic place to be, any time of the year, especially now.
Thank you for all you do……
Response – Yes, eagles and birds can see in color, and ultra-violet, which we cannot do.
Mr. Lukei…you rock ! You truly are the father of Eagle Nation ! I am sure I speak for all of us…a sincere thank you for all our updates and pictures.
What beautiful photos!
I’m a follower of the Decorah eagle nest, but my heart broke along with all of yours last spring with the news of Mom Norfolk being killed and I’ve followed the story of Dad and the juvies ever since.
I share your excitement with the news of Dad’s new mate as we watch their courtship – the photos are wonderful! I wish the ‘new couple’ many healthy years together and hope they’re successful in fledging many new eaglets from the famous Norfolk nest!
Best of luck to Dad Norfolk, his new mate, and all of my fellow eagle fans here at NGB; happy eagle watching to you all!
With your permission, I would like to make picture #3 my wallpaper……… It is very touching. So pleased to see Dad carrying on with life.
Response – Let me find out what the rules are and I will let all know.
aaaaahhhhhh
wow i just love these photos. It’s so cute when they wake up and look at each other (i guess they’re old enough to spend the night together) and you can almost see them going, oops i didn’t brush my beak yet and turning away. Aw makes me feel so nice inside to see him with a new lady, even tho i miss Mom Norfolk. Thanks for keeping us updated Reese and all the wonderful work you do. Saw some herons and cormorants and interesting birds in Battersea Park in London today and thought of all you. Wished you were there to tell me what bird was what.
Seeing these two together is the best healing for the heavy heart from earlier this year. I check back daily for photos and just SMILE! Thank you Reese…it’s going to be a great season!
Thanks Reese for all you do, including these wonderful captures. I never realized they would “sleep” so close to one another – just like a new married couple. You got some very tender moments in these pictures.