Eagle Work 2018

[Steve Connally]

Back at the eagle thing again. Did 3 nests yesterday. 1 on the Petersburg National Battlefield and 2 in the James River Wildlife Refuge. Had a good time. Couple good climbs. Ended up with a Blue Catfish barb embedded in my leg from kneeling in the nest. Had fish head parts attached to it. Had to cut the bone with wire cutters and then yank the remaining part out of my leg with pliers. Got some antibiotics today. Was a tough one to explain to my Dr but he understood the need for the pills. Only have one more day this year back on PAX River MD. Actually got bit twice by the birds. Rough year so far. Lol

 

[Steve Connally]

Few more

 

[moss]

Nasty catfish spines! Congrats, great work.
-AJ

 

[CjM]

Way cool. I’m surprised the birds were ok letting you get so close!

Also, are you wearing the ascent pros? Thinking about getting a pair.

 

[moss]

Way cool. I’m surprised the birds were ok letting you get so close!

The bald eagle pups can't fly, have no where to go and look at anything coming to the nest as a possible food source. They enjoy the company ;-)
-AJ

 

[CjM]

The bald eagle pups can't fly, have no where to go and look at anything coming to the nest as a possible food source. They enjoy the company ;-)
-AJ

Interesting. I’ve stumbled upon immature turkey vultures twice while rock climbing, and they were unpsyched. Vomiting, flapping wings, making the worst banshee noises you’ve ever heard.

 

[moss]

This probably the same species of catfish that speared you, skull found under an old-growth loblolly along a tidal river in Maryland/Delmarva along with an eagle feather.

Finally had a chance to look at your photos on a regular size screen, love the shot of the adult eagle soaring above. When people ask how to tell a bald eagle from say a large red-tailed hawk I tell them an eagle has wings like ironing boards. Your photo shows that unmistakable look well.
-AJ

 

[moss]

Interesting. I’ve stumbled upon immature turkey vultures twice while rock climbing, and they were unpsyched. Vomiting, flapping wings, making the worst banshee noises you’ve ever heard.

Vomiting, great defense system. Vulture nest areas have a pretty bad smell ;-)
-AJ

 

[rico]

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Amazing pics and work Steve. Beautiful creatures, and the dude in the pics ain't so bad either!

 

[moss]

I built a starter eagle nest a few years ago in Maryland, this immature eagle was hanging around the "nest" with a full adult eagle. They were playing mating games, locking talons and freefalling etc. but the one (in the photo) was a year too young to breed successfully. My Maryland friend moved from that area so I haven't heard if they nested there or not the next year. I'd love to have the opportunity to work with an active nest, one of these days.

-AJ

 

[Steve Connally]

Way cool. I’m surprised the birds were ok letting you get so close!

Also, are you wearing the ascent pros? Thinking about getting a pair.

I am. Honestly I wouldn't buy them again. Too heavy, too expensive, and don't last.

 

[Steve Connally]

Way cool. I’m surprised the birds were ok letting you get so close!

Also, are you wearing the ascent pros? Thinking about getting a pair.

Yeah they have to be tagged at a certain age range. Of not they'll jump on you before you can bag them. Thats never a good thing.

 

[Steve Connally]

This probably the same species of catfish that speared you, skull found under an old-growth loblolly along a tidal river in Maryland/Delmarva along with an eagle feather.

Finally had a chance to look at your photos on a regular size screen, love the shot of the adult eagle soaring above. When people ask how to tell a bald eagle from say a large red-tailed hawk I tell them an eagle has wings like ironing boards. Your photo shows that unmistakable look well.
-AJ

Super cool pic!

 

[96coal449]

Nice Steve.
Just had a family move in across the road from me. Saw one flying around last fall, and now there's 3 of them soaring around the local beaver pond. 2 adults and one sibling. Ton's of wild life there. Was told that otter were spotted by the beaver trappers also. I like living here even though I'm starting to want to leave NY again.

 

[macswan]

Way cool. I’m surprised the birds were ok letting you get so close!

Also, are you wearing the ascent pros? Thinking about getting a pair.

get the evo 2 from arbpro. best boots ever

 

[Steve Connally]

get the evo 2 from arbpro. best boots ever

I'll take a look at them. I have some new scarpas I really like. Remember I am hardly even a tree guy anymore. All I do is walk around the deck of the truck, smoke, drink coffee, push buttons and occasionally look straight ahead to rest my neck from looking up. These climbs are the first times I've actually climbed anything in over a month. I'm thinking once I get my financial buffer in the checking account I may schedule one or 2 climbing days a month just to stay in the trees. I miss it.

 

[macswan]

yeah, get that buffer! and then have some fun. the evo 2 has a clip n step loop. I love not having a foot loop.

 

[PBrandt]

So Steve, were you banding the eagles? Do you do that up in the nest or do you bag them and send them down to a wildlife biologist? Thanks for posting such cool pictures.

 

[Steve Connally]

So Steve, were you banding the eagles? Do you do that up in the nest or do you bag them and send them down to a wildlife biologist? Thanks for posting such cool pictures.

I send them down to the biologists