Bonelli's eagle webcam

[lisa]

Yippee! It makes a great soundtrack while I'm on the computer. Better angle this time, looking out from the nest. Is it the same nest site? This one should grow in no time. Is that an inviable egg to the left? This chick looks far too small to have finished off its sibling. I've just found this, while looking for Bonelli's egg descriptions, from the Hawk Conservancy Trust;
"Pairs may have from one to five nests from which to choose.
Normally two eggs are laid, dates varying with location. Incubation is by both sexes, but the female has the greater share, about 90% of the daylight hours and all night. The male feeds her on or near the nest, not necessarily every day. She may also feed on her own kills in spells off when the male shares the duties. The incubation period is 42-43 days.
The downy young are at first helpless like other young eagles. The first feathers appear through the down at 25-35 days, and cover the body by 45 days. At this stage the eaglets can normally feed themselves. One eaglet generally kills the other in the early fledging period, but in about 20% of nests both survive. The fledging period is about 65 days.
When the young hatch both parents brood them closely at first, the female taking the greater share. The female remains much near the nest even after she has ceased to brood the young, and at all stages this eagle is likely to spend more time on the nest with the eaglet than some others.
For some time after the young fly from the nest the family may be seen together. Most young move rapidly away from the nest site, and accompany their parents on the wing for up to two months after they leave the nest."

[lisa]

As from 09.45 yesterday, the egg has disappeared. No adult then either which was a little disconcerting. The liitl'un kept up a different call so I couldn't turn it off 'til the adult bird came back. Really gets my maternal sensiibillities going this. Anyway, the egg was speckled and darkish.

[nick]

So only one egg has hatched. Adult is back. I think I've only seen the female so far. The male is lighter? Is that right?

New entry with lots of links including to webcam

http://www.iberianature.com/spainblog/2008/03/22/bonellis-eagle-webcam-2/

[lucy]

Tuned into the new webcam today, and saw the tiny chick looking rather solitary in the big nest.  It was sitting up in a wobbly way and looking at the camera.  Definition is good, isn't it, as flies can be seen - the nests must attract alot of flies, with remnants of carcasses etc.  There was a constant twittering sound - made by the chick, I guess, although couldn't see its bill open.

[Dave]

Hi All
Great today, saw the adult feeding the chick, the only time it doesn`t make any noise. Excellent view, one of the best webcams I have seen.
Regards
Dave

[lisa]

Yesterday the chick stumbled across the nest all by itself to reach the food remains. It's gonna be a big bird!

[lucy]

Saw the chick being fed, peeping between mouthfuls, and when it fell quiet, the adult ate a little too, before settling down carefully on top.  Only a contented silence now.  The adult –probably the mum, according to Lisa’s info - remained vigilant, looking around and preening a little. 

I’ve read that the female is quite a lot bigger, and the male slightly darker on the back.

[lisa]

I've been hearing traffic and a pneumatic drill  so it's not as remote as I thought it was.

[lucy]

Yes, you can clearly hear rush hour traffic, and then it dies down.  Also sounds like there might be a quarry nearby.

Saw the dad this morning - he brought his latest catch (couldn’t make out what it was), ate a little and then flew off, while mum fed the chick. He was clearly smaller –  I found a theory for this: it “makes the male more agile in hunting and delivering food for the nesting female protecting the nest (that’s why lion females, smaller and more agile, hunt better, while the big male defends the territory)”.  This was in a review of a book called "Sex, Size & Gender Roles: Evolutionary Studies of Sexual Size Dimorphism".

[John C]

This videocam has worried me deeply.  In the past neither my wife nor my daughter, Anna, have shown much interest in birdwatching above the polite humouring of the 'old man'.  Since we discovered this site they've become addicted.  Each struggle and cheep of the youngster are greeted with squeals of delight whilst the evidence of the mother's care is praised as a true reflection of the superiority of womankind.  OK I exaggerate a triffle but not much!   I guess the difference is that they can watch these antics in the warm, from a comfy chair with endless cups of tea at hand.  Mind you, my daughter has a theory that the bird at the nest is actually a male - her logic is that the pale area at the back of the head is evidence of 'male pattern baldness' ......... 

On the matter of sexual dimorphism in birds of prey females are often larger than males particularly where the birds are active hunters rather than carrion feeders (like vultures).  The logic is that the larger female eats larger prey and hence does not compete directly with smaller males.  This means that they can share the same territory.   As to why its the female that is larger, I've heard of a couple of explanations:  a larger more dominant bird can more easily persuade a  reluctant male to give up food for the young and that the physical cost of egg production, laying etc is more easily borne by a bigger bird,

John 

[lucy]

Watching this afternoon, I saw the adult bird leave the nest: it was wonderful to see her quickly step off the ledge and plunge far down into the valley.  The little snowy thing was tottering about when it suddenly produced a surprisingly long-distance jet of white liquid: an effective way of keeping the centre of the nest clean. Then mum came back with a fresh pine branch for the nest and fed the young ‘un, before sunbathing, wings slightly spread.  She then moved round to shade the chick from the sun.   

[John C]

We just missed the adult leaving, but saw the bird defecate!  I'm astonished how quickly the chick is growing and how much stronger it's getting,

John

[lucy]

I've just looked in and found that the chick has got itself into a bit of a pickle.  Looks like it tottered over to investigate a morsel of food, slipped and is now on its back practically upside-down, wriggling legs ineffectually in the air and squeaking pitifully. Hope mum comes back soon.

[Clive]

Its not moving at all now... not sure if its gone to sleep of if its a bad sign.....

[Dave]

hi All
Looks very ominous, on back, eyes closed and not moving, no sign of parents. Sadly i think it may have died, hopefully it is early enough for another brood 
I dare not even tell Maria, as we have been viewing it quite a lot over the last few days.
A very sad regards
Dave

[lucy]

I can't believe it.  what happened?  It was full of life only minutes ago.  Do you think it could have broken its neck by falling in that position?

[Clive]

Yes, looks like the chick has died. A parent is back and made offers of food to the chick and is now eating the remains of something that had been left in the nest.

I think that it is early enough for them to make another attempt... maybe both the next two eggs will be fertile and both chicks survive?

Clive

[Clive]

Hi Lucy, upside down like that and if it had a crop full of food then it may have choked

[lucy]

What incredibly bad luck.  I feel devastated. 

Let's hope you're right Clive about another brood.

[nick]

Both Ant and I seem oddly distraught. This is very sad I must say.