"IT'S A BRAVE NEW WORLD"

Bald Eagle (Immature) -  5 Photos

The first eaglet within this family, to fledge from the nest and manage to make it to a nearby branch. 

Having visited the area only a week ago and the youngsters still nest bound, it was a wonderful shock to see this eaglet sitting pretty on a tree branch, and very comfortable in his/her surroundings. 

As he/she was already perching when I arrived, am not certain how long the duration had been but the eaglet was there for an hour while I was watching before he/she casually stretched, turned and took flight. And the flight was spectacular, easily managing wind currents before heading downstream.

It was some time before the eaglet returned to the nest and kept company with siblings, who awaited the arrival of a parent or parents with fish. There was no crying from this youngster, however, unlike his/her brother and/or sister.

And when the fish finally arrived, delivered by the usual method of a straight flight at nest level by a parent, this fledgling did not enter the nest nor partake in the meal. There was a brief moment of whining when the adult popped out but it really was brief. It is my assumption that "we" had already been fed sometime during that flight period, probably landing in a tree near where the parents had been fishing and having a full meal delivered in situ.

And this certainly would be an incentive for eaglets to achieve their flying abilities as quickly as possible, a substantial reward for taking the first step towards independence.

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PHOTO #5