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First flight for a young bald eagle
A week ago, on the 25th of June, I was checking on one of many bald eagle nests along the Delaware River when one of the young caught my attention. This one seemed a little agitated, jumping about from branch to branch, flapping its wings, and gnawing bark off the branches with its bill. Many young eagles in nests in the region are preparing to fledge, or make their first flight; this was one of them and it was acting like it was going to try very soon.
A half hour later, this youngster spread its wings as if to do some more wing flapping, but then sprang off the perch tree and flew in a northward direction, landing in a nearby white pine.
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| TRR photo by Scott Rando | |
| This 12-week-old eagle takes a break from bark chewing to contemplate its next move. One sibling, part of a trio of young in this nest, fledged two days earlier.
(Click for larger version) |
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| TRR photo by Scott Rando | |
| The young looks northward, spreads its wings and…
(Click for larger version) |
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| TRR photo by Scott Rando | |
| Off it goes! If this young eagle appears a little nervous, it is for good cause; most eagle nests are 90 feet or more off the ground, and a small number of fledglings are injured during their first flight as they try skills never attempted before.
(Click for larger version) |
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