Berry College Eagles - 2 eggs in 2019

[LizKat]

Unfortunately the Berry College parents now have an empty nest for 2019. The older of the two eaglets, first-hatched B12, died overnight Feb 25-26. College posted an update and noted that as with the earlier death of the B13 eaglet, federal and state wildlife experts will be consulted as to possible causes of death

One or the other of the parent eagles is remaining in the nest at present. One had seemed quite distressed earlier, occasionally calling out (there is audio on cam 1). When I glanced in later the other was doing regular housekeeping and tending of the nest cavity as if uncertain there was no more purpose to such activity. I think the other was nearby in the nest tree and making soft calls... There are some fish there that one or the other parent had brought before nightfall yesterday to ensure adequate food for B12 overnight. There's an advisory overlay on the cam 1 stream that images of the dead eaglet may also be visible, for those wishing to avoid viewing.

How sad. I was really looking forward to seeing the Berry Eagle parents continue their long streak of successfully getting usually two but at least one eaglet fledged out and independent every season for the past six years. Well I hope whatever ailed the little ones is not a reflection of ill health on part of the parents, but more about just horrible weather and a pretty late hatch of both eggs in 2019, compared to normal range of incubation.

If I hear more about what experts think caused the eaglets' demise, I'll post here.

Here is the college's statement from this morning.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Unfortunately the Berry College parents now have an empty nest for 2019. The older of the two eaglets, first-hatched B12, died overnight Feb 25-26. College posted an update and noted that as with the earlier death of the B13 eaglet, federal and state wildlife experts will be consulted as to possible causes of death

One or the other of the parent eagles is remaining in the nest at present. One had seemed quite distressed earlier, occasionally calling out (there is audio on cam 1). When I glanced in later the other was doing regular housekeeping and tending of the nest cavity as if uncertain there was no more purpose to such activity. I think the other was nearby in the nest tree and making soft calls... There are some fish there that one or the other parent had brought before nightfall yesterday to ensure adequate food for B12 overnight. There's an advisory overlay on the cam 1 stream that images of the dead eaglet may also be visible, for those wishing to avoid viewing.

How sad. I was really looking forward to seeing the Berry Eagle parents continue their long streak of successfully getting usually two but at least one eaglet fledged out and independent every season for the past six years. Well I hope whatever ailed the little ones is not a reflection of ill health on part of the parents, but more about just horrible weather and a pretty late hatch of both eggs in 2019, compared to normal range of incubation.

If I hear more about what experts think caused the eaglets' demise, I'll post here.

Here is the college's statement from this morning.

View attachment 823653​

That is very sad news; I wonder whether the late hatch - which you had alluded to in earlier posts - may have been a contributing factor in this dismal news.

 

[LizKat]

The college has a videotape up now, accessible by a link above the video area of the main eagle cam page. It's an interview by the college's eagle group spokesman of an expert in ornithology and parasitology. The expert took questions that had been submitted in advance from the public about why both of the Berry College eaglets died this season.

The video's worth a watch. The bottom line is of course no one is sure about cause of death. They had discussed going to retrieve the remains of B12 for necropsy but decided weather, ambient ground conditions and potential danger to the parent eagles or the climber all made that a no-go.

As to B13's death, it was noted that the second-hatched eaglet was very weak to begin with, so not a particular surprise that it expired.

As to B12's decline from apparent initial health, the ornithologist said she and the college's eagle group had been in communication with fed and state agencies inquiring if they wanted to authorize a rescue attempt, since the critter had been seen to be in some distress (vocalizing in abnormal ways) the evening before it died. There was not a lot of time left and there were a lot of environmental issues, including concerns about heavy equipment on soft ground over limestone with a bucket truck perhaps inciting a sinkhole and ruining the nest tree.

Also there were concerns about the eagle parents getting defensive enough to harm a climber or themselves, since apparently in the past they have been successful and vicious defenders of even their empty nest. There was also danger that the eagle pair would feel threatened enough by the intrusion to just abandon the nest in future.

Anyway no rescue and carting off of eaglet B12 to a rehab facility was attempted.

In viewing video recordings of nest cam 1 after death of B12, the ornithologist noted that the Papa eagle eventually buried the remains of B12 way down in the nest cavity and the parents then spruced it up with fresh grasses. They think but are not sure that the B13 eagle's remains were removed to the side of the nest earlier, and may have been consumed along with some fish that had been brought in and were getting past prime. The remains of a little eaglet would not be recognizable by the parents as such after a day or so in the weather.

The eagles are not showing parental behavior around the nest now although they may pop in there now and then during the remainder of the season. The ornithologist said that all the hormonal impulses to shelter and feed nestlings disappear in a few days when not reinforced. It would be normal for the eagles to return and settle in next October for start of nest refreshing and defense, well in advance of the next mating season, which in Georgia is late December, early January.

The ornithologist noted that the very long incubation period could have weakened the eaglets, that the cold rainy spring this year in Georgia may have contributed, particularly if one of the eaglets contracted a respiratory disease. Other possibilities included weather-related adverse nesting conditions, bacterial or mold spore growth, etc.

So just a run of bad luck, apparently. One other possibility: the female eagle does have a foot injury acquired when she was battling a nest predator a few years ago. The ornithologist said it's possible the female (or the male, for that matter) may have injured the chick either in landing in the nest or in trying to settle into a different place in the nest in order to feed the eaglet. The implication there was that the female may now have difficulty managing where she puts her feet sometimes in the nest as she shifts her weight. Otherwise it's possible for either parent just to mess up and injure a nestling by stepping on it while trying to care for it.

Well.. next season one hopes the pair will return and have better luck. Their prior years and successful fledging out of ten eaglets in 12 years is pretty amazing.

The Berry College parent eagles have their nest looking ready for 2020 already....

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[ucfgrad93]

Oh man, that is such bad news.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The college has a videotape up now, accessible by a link above the video area of the main eagle cam page. It's an interview by the college's eagle group spokesman of an expert in ornithology and parasitology. The expert took questions that had been submitted in advance from the public about why both of the Berry College eaglets died this season.

The video's worth a watch. The bottom line is of course no one is sure about cause of death. They had discussed going to retrieve the remains of B12 for necropsy but decided weather, ambient ground conditions and potential danger to the parent eagles or the climber all made that a no-go.

As to B13's death, it was noted that the second-hatched eaglet was very weak to begin with, so not a particular surprise that it expired.

As to B12's decline from apparent initial health, the ornithologist said she and the college's eagle group had been in communication with fed and state agencies inquiring if they wanted to authorize a rescue attempt, since the critter had been seen to be in some distress (vocalizing in abnormal ways) the evening before it died. There was not a lot of time left and there were a lot of environmental issues, including concerns about heavy equipment on soft ground over limestone with a bucket truck perhaps inciting a sinkhole and ruining the nest tree.

Also there were concerns about the eagle parents getting defensive enough to harm a climber or themselves, since apparently in the past they have been successful and vicious defenders of even their empty nest. There was also danger that the eagle pair would feel threatened enough by the intrusion to just abandon the nest in future.

Anyway no rescue and carting off of eaglet B12 to a rehab facility was attempted.

In viewing video recordings of nest cam 1 after death of B12, the ornithologist noted that the Papa eagle eventually buried the remains of B12 way down in the nest cavity and the parents then spruced it up with fresh grasses. They think but are not sure that the B13 eagle's remains were removed to the side of the nest earlier, and may have been consumed along with some fish that had been brought in and were getting past prime. The remains of a little eaglet would not be recognizable by the parents as such after a day or so in the weather.

The eagles are not showing parental behavior around the nest now although they may pop in there now and then during the remainder of the season. The ornithologist said that all the hormonal impulses to shelter and feed nestlings disappear in a few days when not reinforced. It would be normal for the eagles to return and settle in next October for start of nest refreshing and defense, well in advance of the next mating season, which in Georgia is late December, early January.

The ornithologist noted that the very long incubation period could have weakened the eaglets, that the cold rainy spring this year in Georgia may have contributed, particularly if one of the eaglets contracted a respiratory disease. Other possibilities included weather-related adverse nesting conditions, bacterial or mold spore growth, etc.

So just a run of bad luck, apparently. One other possibility: the female eagle does have a foot injury acquired when she was battling a nest predator a few years ago. The ornithologist said it's possible the female (or the male, for that matter) may have injured the chick either in landing in the nest or in trying to settle into a different place in the nest in order to feed the eaglet. The implication there was that the female may now have difficulty managing where she puts her feet sometimes in the nest as she shifts her weight. Otherwise it's possible for either parent just to mess up and injure a nestling by stepping on it while trying to care for it.

Well.. next season one hopes the pair will return and have better luck. Their prior years and successful fledging out of ten eaglets in 12 years is pretty amazing.

The Berry College parent eagles have their nest looking ready for 2020 already....

View attachment 823801​

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Thanks for this extraordinarily detailed update.

Sad but informative.