Sidney British Columbia!
Around the beginning of June 2017, a fellow photographer, friend of mine showed me a photo of this Eagles nest with a strangely small baby eagle. He asked me if it was common for some of the nestlings to be older than the others, and to my knowledge, I said yes it was. However, this baby substantially smaller than any I had ever seen in comparison with its siblings... Turned out, this was no Eagle but a Red Tail Hawk.
There were aparantly 2 R.T.Hawks's at first, which I believe to have been stolen out of their nest by the plundering Eagle parent. (This food gathering behaviour is quite common, though frightful to us humans.. it is nature and survival)
These birds would have been brought to the nest as food for the young Eaglets ... One disappeared and it's presumed was eaten, while this 2nd Hawk somehow lived and became an adoptee.
As I observed this evening, when the parents arrived with fresh food, this baby Hawk popped his head up and screamed for dinner... Which was promptly delivered.. Lovingly, and tenderly, I might add.
Time will tell if there are other stories out there similar to this one, but for me it draws some parallels to my own life and existence in the Natural world. Hope you enjoy the photos... Terry
Around the beginning of June 2017, a fellow photographer, friend of mine showed me a photo of this Eagles nest with a strangely small baby eagle. He asked me if it was common for some of the nestlings to be older than the others, and to my knowledge, I said yes it was. However, this baby substantially smaller than any I had ever seen in comparison with its siblings... Turned out, this was no Eagle but a Red Tail Hawk.
There were aparantly 2 R.T.Hawks's at first, which I believe to have been stolen out of their nest by the plundering Eagle parent. (This food gathering behaviour is quite common, though frightful to us humans.. it is nature and survival)
These birds would have been brought to the nest as food for the young Eaglets ... One disappeared and it's presumed was eaten, while this 2nd Hawk somehow lived and became an adoptee.
As I observed this evening, when the parents arrived with fresh food, this baby Hawk popped his head up and screamed for dinner... Which was promptly delivered.. Lovingly, and tenderly, I might add.
Time will tell if there are other stories out there similar to this one, but for me it draws some parallels to my own life and existence in the Natural world. Hope you enjoy the photos... Terry
Dances with Eagles
Little Eagle (above) showing the much larger but less developed eagle sibling how to fly. They watched him intensely for two full weeks flying in and out of the nest before they began to fledge. Incredibly he was a terrific teacher and they followed and copied everything he did.