Sisters in the nest….

With state and federal permits I have with another researcher been banding golden eagle chicks (in the nest) for the past 5 years(he has been banding them for 25+). We are monitoring population numbers and specific trends by individual eagle territory. This female chick is about 11 weeks old and if you look closer has a younger sister laying low behind her. In the nest were feathers from a killed raven, chuckkar, duck, a couple of snakes, and a deer fawn leg. Both these chicks were healthy and seemed to have a good chance at living to fledge from this nest this year. Regionally golden eagles territories are not doing as well as they have in the past and this study and others provide some key information to help local land managers.

I wish I could post the sounds and smells and overall the life-energy these young birds showed me this day as I climbed into their nest. They overlook a west desert basin and range valley with a view of a lake. I wish them the best and hope you enjoy a quick snapshot of the older sister…

Canon 1DM4, ISO 500, 160mm, f5.6, 1/800 – manual focus and no post processing.