Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to CHIL EagleCAM. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Catalina Update; Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Topic Started: Dec 2 2009, 06:39 PM (924 Views)
eaglegal
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
Hi,

Last Friday we continued to work on the Two Harbors camera system. We removed the previous pole and placed it closer to the nest so we can have an even better view of the eagles and get a feel for where the nest sits in relation to the water.
We built a tripod like support for the camera pole, which should prevent it from moving so much during the windy times.
Posted Image

We are still waiting for some new parts to arrive to be finished placing the two cams on this nest but we’ll getting there.
Notice all the new nesting material brought up by the eagles. It feels good to know they really plan to nest here again next year!
Posted Image

We have spotted the Middle Ranch pair still hanging out on the burnt area behind Haypress Reservoir, but we have also noticed that K93 occasionally visit Thompson Reservoir; one night he even roosted there while A32 roosted at the Haypress area. This is the MR pair yesterday.
Posted Image

I have been surveying the Salta Verde, Silver canyon and Palisades areas looking for possible new pairs. Last week I mentioned I spotted one, possibly two adults, along the coast by Silver canyon but wasn’t able to read their tags. This week, I spotted two adults flying from the Salta Verde area towards the Pinnacle Rock area. One of them seemed to be a young sub-adult based on the brightness of its orange tags suggesting it is probably K56, the PR female. The other eagle was too far to distinguish any detail but I assume it was K65. both birds flew to the PR area, one disappeared over the hills, the other ones perched for over 3 hours on the same spot.
Posted Image

Zooming out
Posted Image

A little farther
Posted Image

Much farther
Posted Image

Cont…
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
eaglegal
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
I took off from the Long Tree Trail observation spot and headed out to the PR area. I wanted to confirm that these were in fact the PR birds and also check if our PR observation blind was still standing, given that we’ve had a serious of very windy days.

On my hike out there I came a cross my fist California Kingsnake. I have seen them before in other parts of the state but never on Catalina. It was a very pleasant sight!
Posted Image

I arrived to the observation spot and the blind was surprisingly intact. This is what the PR nest looks now.
Posted Image

A look at the nest with the naked eye
Posted Image

A beautiful view of Church Rock and a surprisingly low tide.
Posted Image

I was able to spot the same eagle from the other side but again, I was too far to ID it.
Posted Image

After I watched it for several minutes it unexpectedly took off flying really fast towards the east end and entered the Seal Rocks area.
Posted Image

I will continue to explore the south side of the island but for now I think the PR eagles are the ones who have been “tricking” us into thinking they are different bird; who knows.

I’ll say good bye with one of my favorite trees on the island; a tree I see every time I’m on the PR trail…
Posted Image

Until next week,

Steffani
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
silveregal
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
Thanks Steff, loved the update. :)^
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Topa Topa Hikers
Advanced Member
Thank You Steffani. I love the color of the ocean water around the Channel Islands.
Doesn't look like you have as much ocean pollution out there as we have around the mainland.
Thanks for all the photos.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
momkat523
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
The view of the PR nest is awesome but snakes are not :P I'm happy that you believe they are pleasant!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SoCal Lady
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
:}^ STEFFANI-- You have given us another one of your very interesting UPDATES! :><: :><:

TH-- K81 & K82 really been extra busy this Fall working on their nest--it is as if they decided not to go on too much vacation time and work a little each week on the homestead.

The new camera work is quite impressive! The EAGLES are the Directors, Producers and you and B-)) give us the Special Effects and Cinematography Expertise. :)^
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
davetheagle
Advanced Member
great report with outstang photos. after all that work i do hope the 2 harbors pair nest there next year.

keep up the great work.



Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
cdn-cdn
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
Steffani, thanks very much for a great update and super photos. The Middle Ranch pair certainly is keeping everyone guessing! Well done on your detective work about the PR pair. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of all the hard work on the new cam set-ups.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
summer818
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
Thank you Steffani! Fabulous news and great eagle sightings! :><: I can't wait to see the new TH camera position. Thanks for all you and Dr. Sharpe do for all the beautiful eagles. :)^
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
bette
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
Steffani -
The photos of the Two Harbors nest really shows the structure.
Hard to see it when it is happening, but the definition is there.
Great picture of one of your favorite trees with the moon.
Thanks for the great update. :)^
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · IWS Updates · Next Topic »
Add Reply