Sadly, sometime over Memorial Day Weekend, the younger of the eaglets disappeared.
There were heavy winds, so perhaps it stretched its wings and was lifted away.
A wildlife photographer I know witnessed an osprey dive bombing the nest on Memorial Day itself.
And then there’s the possibility the oldest eaglet attacked the younger.
I’d like to think it’s one of the first two myself.
I searched for a week, hoping the younger was just hunkered down out of the wind and rain. But today, it was time to face the facts. He was gone.
Still, I couldn’t help searching for him again today. And as I did, Mom came in with a fish.
Kind of looks like Junior wants to chew on Mom’s foot instead of the fish, doesn’t it?
She didn’t feed him. And she didn’t hang around for very long . . . which surprised me. The adults are leaving him alone now for longer and longer periods of time.
I got some gorgeous flight shots though!
And check this out! Our big bad eagle was chased away from the nest by a little sparrow . . .
Leaving poor Junior all alone on the nest again.
But don’t feel too bad for him . . . he spent the next twenty minutes digging into the fish he was served. I have a feeling this one will be very self sufficient very soon!