February 2, 2013

Feeding Time


While visiting Ft. Myers last weekend, I stopped by to check on Ozzie and Harriet and the little ones. Gosh, they're getting big!  And, based on what I'm seeing via the live webcam, they've grown substanially just in the seven days since I took this photo. Their growth spurts are amazing. The two eaglets now have names: Hope and Honor, based on a poll conducted on Facebook.  Each time I visit the nest, there's something interesting to watch. This time I got more than a sneak peek at Hope (the slightly older and larger baby).  Just before sunset, one of the parents (I believe Ozzie) started feeding Hope.  Ever so gently, he encouraged her to open her beak, then he dropped a bit of unidentifiable food down the hatch.  At one point, he offered a bite way too big for the little one to handle. He seemed to contemplate the situation for a moment, then gently exchanged that chunk for a smaller, more manageable one.  What a captivating sight.  If the sun hadn't gone down, I would have stayed a lot longer enjoying the dinner show.

13 comments:

PerthDailyPhoto said...

You are so lucky to be able to observe first hand SRQ. I love that the community have taken this family 'under their wing' so to speak!

Lorraine said...

What a wonderful shot! I've been disheartened lately with the webcam. It's been very blurry for me, either because of the wind or the shadows, and it's hard to really see the detail on the babies. People keep mentioning on the Facebook page that they are covered with bugs or ants. I think it's the spots of the feathers coming in. Do you happen to know?

cieldequimper said...

Life.

Lowell said...

This photo is unbelievable. You could do a whole book with your photos of this eagle family! Superb!

Kathy said...

The eagles are certainly top notch in their parenting skills.

Kay said...

What a great shot and wonderful story!

It seems Nature doesn't waste much time letting little ones grow. Birds seem to fledge really fast. I'm so glad you've been capturing these shots! Thank you!

FilipBlog said...

Amazing you could take this shot.

Greetings,
Filip

Brian King said...

That's awesome! I'm jealous of your eagles!

Michelle said...

What a wonderful thing to watch.

Jack said...

That would have been fascinating to see in person, SRQ. Nice photo.

LONDONLULU said...

How amazing you're able to see this up close. May they thrive!

LOLfromPasa said...

How lucky are we to have you sharing this for us. Fabulous!!

Unknown said...

Fantastic! Great timing.