HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter to our two favorite eggs - E1 and E2!

Hey, you, get off of my cloud!

Both eaglets decide to sleep in the nest tonight, and the two exhausted babies lie side by side in a deep long sleep, after another exhausting day of flight practice.

But they're not too exhausted to have a little play time just before sunset. It's fun to watch their antics. Hope may be having a hissy fit because it looks like she 's not going to have that king-sized bed all to herself tonight. After Hope huffs off, Honor does a Salute to the Sun in the evening light that is very beautiful,  especially when it shines on eaglet wings. They are works of art.

SW florida Eagles 3-26-13 Hope says "I'm out of here" - Honor shows off 
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw9iFLZmLXs

Bye Bye Birdies!

From the eaglecam site:
BREAKING NEWS- Both eagles have fledged the nest! E1 at 7:51am and E2
at 8:24am. Both now in nearby trees resting.
#eaglecam
http://www.ustream.tv/SouthwestFloridaEagleCam

Hope fledges first at 7:51am to this tree down by the pond



Honor fledges at 8:24am to this tree



 

Honor's flight path

These plus more fledge pictures can be found  at:
http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/CraftyC111/library/March%2025-Fledge%20day?page=112%3A59#/user/CraftyC111/library/March%2025-Fledge%20day?page=1&_suid=1364235959734029716008870990684

Afternoon update:Many thanks to the ground reporters who continue to provide these great updates on the whereabouts of Hope and Honor: At about 2:30PM, Hope took a nice flight around the pasture (first one after his/her initial flight) and went back to the treeline to the west of the pasture and still remains. Honor, who has returned to the nest a few times continues small flights around the pasture, and now sits in a tree near by Hope.
https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestFloridaEagleCam

Find the fledgling

Fledging

Many thanks to urdognu for these two beautiful fledge videos:


E1/Hope Fledges 7.51 AM
http://youtu.be/ApPU7gTNJBg

I was surprised that Hope fledged first, as Honor has been much more active in branching for the last several days. There is some interesting opinion being voiced on the Facebook page:
The more I watch this footage, it seems as if E1 may have misjudged her hop to the porch branch and I believe that this may have been an accidental fledge.


Hope fledges

After watching Hope take off, Honor takes the plunge too.

E2/Honor Fledges 8.23 AM 3-25-13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GSW0riKhis&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAg32j1W8lo&feature=youtu.be


http://youtu.be/hAg32j1W8lo



Honor takes off

Hope has several crash landings throughout the day.

Here Hope ends up on the ground

it's not that easy to get off the ground!



A watchful father looks over Hope on the ground



Lunch

'Ozzie Brings E2 A Bagged Lunch!' 11:52 am _3.25.13_
In this hysterical video, Ozzie flies in with food that has a blue plastic bag attached, E2 is quickly down to claim the delivery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOMTDRBdjRY

Not to worry, Honor gets plenty of lunch later on, as the day proves to be a BIG day for yet another reason:

Honor learns that there's more than one way to skin a fish.

coming in for a landing
 

A Day of Rest in the Nest

This video of the eagle family before dawn is serene and beautiful, with no hint of the previous night's terrors.

SW Florida Eagles_The Family Before Sunrise 3-23-13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE1jizAoA98&feature=youtu.be

Hope and Honor seem to be a little shell-shocked from last night's storm, because they hang out in the nest a little more than usual today. That's not to say that the eaglets did not do some branching.


Desiree Deliz

out on a limb

But some R&R seems to be in order. Play time in the nest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9RbTJBCSpg&feature=youtu.be

Night owl that I am, I watched Hope doing battle with the storm, but could only worry about Honor who was out on a limb somewhere. When I finally turned in, Hope was trying to get some sleep, but I had no idea where Honor was. So it was good to see both of them in the nest this morning.

waiting for breakfast

Honor wants a bite but Hope is not sharing



Honor does some branching on twig

Hope



Honor

cute little legs in feathered pants

sunbathing and relaxing
is the order of the day
 

Sundown

both are back in the nest



all that playing works up an appetite
but where's Mom?

having a hunger tantrum!

Mom sets down on the nest briefly but does not make a food drop. It looks like the kids will be going to bed hungry. I'm wondering if this is a deliberate strategy to move the eaglets towards taking their next step (as it were): fledging. When food becomes scarce, what's a hungry eaglet to do? 


Hope sleeps alone in the nest once again, while Honor spends his third night on a branch. 

Sleeping Beauty


Sleep tight and don't let the nest bugs bite :) And may this be a  more peaceful night!

Hope Battles a Storm

Earlier in the evening, there's some playfulness going on in the nest as Honor tries to get Hope's attention.

Then Honor leaves the nest and goes to branch for the night.

Hope is left home alone

might as well go to sleep



 Hope asleep
 just before the light show.

Midnight Surprise
At around midnight the fun and games begin. A fierce storm moves in with all the fireworks: thunder, lightening and rain.

FIRST Leap From Branch To Branch



Honor hovering

SW Florida Eagles_E2's FIRST Leap From Branch To Branch 3-22-13 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMhUJt4XBgk&feature=youtu.be&t=1m13s

Hope wingercising

Another Day on the Learning Tree

This morning Honor reaches the high branch:

SW Florida Eagles - Ground Vid 'E2 Branches To The Attic' 11.20 AM, 3-19-2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maene6wcpFE&feature=youtu.be



When I tune in to the nest in the evening I find Hope home alone, and I wonder where Honor is. He is not in sight of the cam.

Hope alone. But where's Honor?
Not on the usual branch on the right

I do notice a shadow on the left



guess I'll just settle down and wait



hurry, Sundown!
 

After what seems like the longest time, Honor finally shows up!
SW Florida Eagles_03.19.13_Did Ya Miss Me?_7:39 PM EDT 
 


The Sundown Kid
is finally back in the nest!

 

The two eaglets are so sweet together tonight:

the kids play with sticks

tug of war
or goodnight kiss?



two book ends

knocked out
after a busy day

Learning to Fly

Both on branch while parent hovers over them

Steps to Flying:

1. wingercising

2. branching

3. fledging

Right now we observe the eaglets wingercising in the nest and branching on nearby branches. This could go on for days or even weeks before they finally fledge (fly).

Here Hope continues to get good elevation, but cannot do a controlled hover just yet- both eaglets will need to successfully master controlled hovers before considering fledging.

Greg Hill

Hope hovers

 

In the Pines

Hope and Honor



Hope and Honor



Honor



Look Hope, 1 foot!

Hope

Desiree Deliz