Eagle’s Nest and Rainbow

Thanks for the Memories

After the end of July, the two juvies from this year’s clutch were spending less and less time around the nesting area during the day, especially as the heat wore on. We were fairly certain they would still return to the nest at night, but during the day they were usually out and about. So by the time August rolled around, any sighting of either Mama or the juveniles felt like good luck and good timing.

Around August 9th or so, both juveniles were up in the nesting tree, and I positioned myself to the south, waiting to see if the adult might return. By this point, however, the adult was doing just about everything possible to discourage the juveniles from lingering at the nest. Then the juvies spotted Mama, took off in unison toward the south, flew right over my head, and disappeared above the trees. It was the last time I would see them together, and I had a feeling it might be the last time I’d see either of them.

Then on August 13th, late in the afternoon, I stopped by the nest once more to see if by chance any of the eagles were around. It was warm and sunny, so if they were present, the light would cooperate. Sure enough, one of the juveniles was perched in the tree. As I took a few portraits, a passing shower moved in and then quickly moved out.

Between about 6:30 and 7:00 pm, the sun dropped just low enough in the sky that as the rain cleared and the light returned, a beautiful rainbow appeared directly behind the nest. The first frames still showed falling raindrops, but soon after, the rain stopped and I was able to capture several clean frames of the rainbow framing the nesting tree.

It felt like a fitting close to the nesting season. This was the last time I saw either juvenile at the nest. Others may have spotted them later, but for me, this was the final show — and I was grateful.

Worth Noting

The average bald eagle nest weighs around one ton. However, the heaviest nests can exceed two tons, and the largest on record is believed to have weighed nearly three tons — earning a Guinness World Record as the largest bird nest ever documented. (Source: Birdfact)

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