Good Evening, Fellow SoggyNestDenizens!
The day on the nest was rainy, soggy, dreary and cold. Sounds like a typical Monday. Dawn kind of snuck in the way it does when the sky is filled with water and clouds. Mom was on the nest covering Arky and Dakota looking soaked to the down. Dad switched with Mom early and when she came back at around 7am the eaglets held on to Dad so Mom left again. She came back and claimed her spot on the nest around 8am. No feedings were seen early on in the day due to the rain. At around 1045am the rain let up a bit and Dad returned to the nest. In the process of switching Mom grabbed Skye’s body from the nest bowl and placed it at about the 11:30 position on the rim of the nest. She then stood over it for the next hour and a half while Dad made a Poptent for Arky and Dakota.
At 1215pm Dad arose and the first real good feeding of the day began. They mostly fed nestovers but during the feeding Mom did feed some parts of Skye to its siblings. This is a very normal occurrence on eagle nests as was seen at SWFL this year and at several other nests over the last few years of live cams.
Eagles are predators. They are protein recyclers. Anything edible is food to them. Skye’s body became food to them when she passed away yesterday. We as humans sometimes find this repulsive and gross. However, in the animal kingdom it is the order of the day. Any source of energy whether it is hunted down and eaten or happens to be a parent or offspring that has died is a means of staying alive. Survival is the physical imperative governing all behavior in the animal kingdom. It is the basic instinct for all living things, humans included. When we watch these cams we tend to think of the animals we watch in human terms. Most of the time that is fine until we run into a situation that runs contrary to what we as humans think should happen. Some were shocked, some were sickened, most were saddened but we need to look at it from the eagles point of view. There was a source of protein available and they made use of it. I know there is a good amount of food on the nest but if this was a scarce food year we would be urging Mom and Dad to feed the eaglets with whatever was available. I am sorry some of you feel that what happened to Skye is wrong but that is contrary to what happens in nature all the time.
The Circle Of Life is a closed system. Everything is recycled eventually.
The rain let up in the afternoon and evening so things sorta went back to normal. Feedings continued and full crops were seen. Mom and Dad exchanged a few times and as darkness fell the eaglets were tucked under Mom hopefully to have some Sweet Eagle Dreams.
We saw today that Goose Island is slowly being covered with water. If the forecasts are right it may be completely covered by the end of the week. This is really unfortunate for Mama Goose as I think she is only about halfway through her incubation. Wish she had picked a different spot. One of the chatters today suggested we call the island Atlantis from now on.
On to the vids and pics of the day.
MNBound Eagles ~ Dakota and Arky Eat Well
MNBound Eagles Cam ~ Panning on Canadian Geese – A blog exclusive!
MNBound Eagles ~ Mom Takes A Break ~ Arky & Dakota
MNBound Eagles ~ Disturbing Footage ~ Nothing In Nature Wasted
MNBound Eagles ~ Nature Takes Its Course
MNBound Eagles ~ Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Dry Bones
MNBound Eagles ~ Hey, We’re All Alone Here
MNBound Eagles ~ Circle of Life
A pic or 2 from today.
I think I’ll hide under here!
You first! We don’t know what that is!
Honey, I think we’re gonna need a life raft!!
Here’s hoping the weather takes a long coffee break tomorrow. We’ll see you on the nest!
TalonStrike
TalonStrike's Hideout 
Thank you for your awesome blog, teaches us more about the bald eagles at this sad time. I started watching the year with Kirby and Harmon. Really enjoyed last year and hope thinks go well with this family the rest of this year. Eagles are awesome parents and learning so much about them is just fascinating. Love you blogs Taylonstrike.
I am so glad I found your site. You know so much about eagles – thank you for sharing and explaining all of the ups and downs in the eagle world.
Talon, this is your best blog , as far as a teaching tool. The circle of life. I did not see, over my 5 years of nest watching, anyone deceased eaglet being used as ‘source of life’ by its parents. But, seeing is believing. I am a skeptic (wisely so) in this day and age . Unpleasant as it may be, am glad there is video to prove this life cycle. Thank you !!
Thanks Talon….very well said.
Thank you Talonstrike for your wonderful informative blog. I feel much better after reading your awesome blog, still sad about loss of Skye, 1st year I think for Mom and Dad.
Once again, very well done! Especially with sad news you had to deliver! You are awesome!
Thank you Talonstricke.
You just give us courageously a lesson of truth.
We must never be afraid of the truth.
A French eagles lover.