It Won’t Be Long Now

Getting Restless

By early August, the juvenile bald eagles were spending more and more time away from the nesting area, but for now they still returned to the nest in the evenings, often perching on the branches nearby.

One evening while watching them perch around the nest, it became obvious that they could also get bored and restless—much like young kids. They began picking at the bark, moving up and down the branches for no clear reason, and eventually bickering with each other, with one of the juvies jumping up and pushing its sibling away with its feet. It was pretty funny to observe.

Both juveniles displayed beautiful brown feathering, though one was noticeably larger than the other. Based on size alone, we suspected one was female and the other male, as females average about one-third larger than males within the same population. Additional information can be found here from Journey North:
Comparing Male and Female Eagles.

This image was captured on an early August evening with a dramatic thunderhead building in the background. It’s difficult to see at web resolution, but the talons of the juvenile appear to have dried mud on them—likely from a recent stop in a flooded cornfield just west of the nest. It wouldn’t be long before they were off on their own.

Nature Note

A juvenile Bald Eagle’s eyes are initially dark brown in pigmentation—a color that gradually shifts to a pale, lemony yellow as the bird matures. (Source: Bird Helpful)

Many of these moments eventually find their way into the Fine Art Print Store, where a curated selection of wildlife and nature prints is available.