Conditions at the site have deteriorated with the warmer temperatures and overnight rain.  It was impossible to drive my car onto the field and accessing the field on foot from the driveway entrance was sloppy to say the least.  For the second feeding I used the ditch path with the slanting signboard which was better but still required crossing an ankle deep section of mud.  People coming tomorrow will find that the approaches through the other ditch crossings are easier now that the ice is gone.

So unsurprisingly there was no one there for the first feeding at which 5 eagles could be seen in the trees.  There was immediate indifference to the food put out so I headed off on my barn visits.  I returned about 35 minutes later by which time all the food was gone and there was a single adult eagle sitting in the field.  A parked car was just leaving and I did not have to opportunity to speak with the driver so I cannot comment on the quality or quantity of the action.

For the 11:30 I counted 15 eagles at and around the site.  Initially there was no action but within 10 minutes the odd flyby was followed by eagles taking to the ground.  Numbers built to about 20 - 25 by the end of the show, which was better as a ground display than an aerial display.  I did not see Redneck today.

We had two viewers: a gentleman from Timberlee and his sister-in-law from Windsor, Ontario both of whom enjoyed what they saw.

I will stick with two feedings at 9:30 and 11:30 for the weekend.

In many ways it was a day similar to yesterday but without as many as 60 eagles.

The early session had a prompt aerial response which was excellent and the ground action which followed was also very good.  Initially there was a single spectator but another joined us before the action ended.

The only sighting of Redneck was between feedings at at the far northeast corner of the field.

The second feeding, like yesterday, got off to a slow start.  There were a dozen eagles left in the trees but very little happened for the first half hour.  It then began with a series of flybys and taking of chicken on the wing.  Soon after the eagles began to gather on the ground while the aerial acrobatics continued. 

Hi up in the sky there were several soaring eagles and these brought in additional numbers.  By the end of the show we had 30 - 35 eagles.

Attendance at the second showing was up to a dozen or so with one visitor from Edmonton, Alberta. 

Tomorrow we are expecting rain, so it is not a good forecast for eagle watching.  The viewing area is already fairly churned up so come prepared.  I will feed at 9:30 and 11:30.

Two very different sessions made up an interesting day.  The early session had brilliant sunshine and little wind which made it feel warm.  The snow and freezing rain overnight coated the ground with a white crust which was attractive.

Initially I counted over a dozen eagles in the trees and an aerial response began quickly.  This brought in more eagles from the surrounding area and by the end of the show we had 60 eagles at the site, the largest count for some time.  At one point there were 29 eagles counted on the ground.

By the time of the second feeding it was all change.  The 60 eagles at the first session were down to 6, the air temperature had risen and with the sun the snowy crust rapidly deteriorated into mud underfoot.  There was absolutely no action on me leaving the field. 

I waited about half an hour then went off to complete my circuit of the  barns.  When I returned about half an hour later things were just beginning to stir.  Initially most of the action was in the air, including some very high soaring over the site.  This brought in a flow of incomers and by the end of the session numbers had built to 25 -30 eagles.  The session was a long time starting but also lasted a long time.  The aerial display was very good throughout and there was good ground action, though not on the scale of the earlier feeding.

There was no appearance of Redneck today.  Maybe tomorrow!  Feedings will be at 9:30 and 11:30.
 

The colder weather brought an increase in eagles and a decrease in humans with only two spectators at each of the two feedings today.

The early feeding started again with the usual half dozen stalwart eagles in waiting.  Again there was a brief aerial display which started within five minutes followed quickly by ground action.  Numbers built quickly and in the end I counted 35 - 40 eagles.  

Redneck put in another brief appearance.  Today I had my binoculars with me and from one angle it definitely looked like Redneck wore a tracking collar, but this was not confirmed by other angles.  My lenses don't have the magnifying power to determine the issue once and for all so in the interim I am bowing to yesterday's finding of an injury.

It was 11:30 before i finished the second feeding which drew an immediate aerial response.  The sitting numbers had doubled to about a dozen.  Action was slow to develop with one or two eagles on the ground and several more circling above, but the numbers grew steadily.  By the end I counted 40 - 45 and the second show was better both aerially and on the ground.

More cold is forecast for tonight and tomorrow so I will continue with 9:30 and 11:30 feedings.

Well it turned out to be a poor weekend for eagle watching as today followed a similar pattern to yesterday in terms of eagle numbers and the level of activity.

At the morning feeding I counted 6 eagles as I drove on to the field.  It started slowly with very little activity for the first 5 minutes at which point the aerial display began.  Numbers eventually grew to about 20, but it was a slow climb.  When eagles did take to the ground there was a relatively tame show.

One of our visitors showed up at 8:15 thinking the first feeding was 8:30.  He didn't see many eagles but did spot Redneck the coyote sniffing around the main feeding area.  He/she returned later in the first feeding, again entering from the northeast corner.  This time there was a double back once about half way down the field but then there was a traverse across the field until Redneck disappeared behind the central slope line int he field.

Between feedings, one of our regular photographers managed to get closer to Redneck and using her telephoto lens determined that the red around the neck is an injury and not a tracking collar.  The surmise is that the injury was incurred while escaping from a snare.  This bears watching but at present there is no obvious sign that the animal is in distress.

Meanwhile back at eagle watch it was the eagles that did most of the watching.  It was a prolonged period of little activity, although there were periods of excellent flying.  After about 45 minutes this turned into a demonstration of taking food in flight.  After about an hour there was a count of about 30.  The action on the ground was not without interest but there was very little aggression.

I have come to the conclusion that they are overfed and as a result I will reduce the amount of chicken I throw out from 6 buckets to 5 per day.  For now I'll stick with 2 feedings at 9:30 and 11:30, though if the activity level does not improve I will consider dropping back to a single feeding.

Oops!  I posted the first feeding time as 8:30 instead of 9:30 in yesterday's blog.  If anyone showed up at 8:30 and lost heart you have my profound apologies.

We had a come down today as neither feeding lived up to the examples set in the last three days.  I could only spot about 6 eagles in the trees when I arrived for the 9:30 session and thus held back a bucket putting out only three.  After 5 - 10 minutes we got a bit of aerial action and then the eagles took to the ground.  Action was tame compared to recent days and by the end we had 20 - 25 eagles on and around the site.

When I returned for the 11:30 I didn't even see 6 eagles in the trees.  I put out three buckets again plus a handful of the really small stuff.  It took about forty minutes to generate any ground action.  In the interim there was some majestic high flying and some lessons in how to soar on the wind.  Wind we had a plenty and it made taking food on the wing difficult as was landing in the trees with a chicken held in one set of talons.  In the end I counted about 18 eagles, so overall a poor showing.  Longest distance visitor was from Fredericton and will be with us for a couple of days.  Better luck tomorrow!

On a lighter note I've decided to name our coyote "Redneck".  Redneck didn't put in an appearance today, so a washout on all scores.

9:30 and 11:30 will be the feeding times tomorrow.

Post Script: It was very mucky on site today, so boots rather than shoes are recommended.  Most of the ice has gone but there are still some patches.  It's supposed to be colder overnight and tomorrow which may firm up the ground, but better to come prepared.  

Well, this was certainly no unlucky Friday the thirteenth!  We had two highly successful sessions again today with everything "as advertised" in yesterday's blog.

The 9:30 session actually got off to a shaky start as there was no action at all when I left the field, unlike the preceding days.  However, after about five minutes the aerial display began and built quite quickly to eagles taking to the ground and beginning a strong ground display.  I "took five" to visit with a neighbour who was walking her dog (the dog adores me and I can't resist a visit), but while I was enjoying my visit our friendly coyote was spotted on the field.  This time it was on the eastern side of the field along the woods.

We had visitors from Cape Breton, Metro and Mahone Bay, so I am delighted that the the show, with 35 eagles and a coyote lived up to billing.

Even as I drove onto the field for the second feeding it was apparent that the eagle numbers had grown from the first session.  The metro pair, who returned for this feeding, counted over 50 but I am more conservative at 45.  The aerial display started before I left the field as a mature eagle flew twice around me, but I wasn't able to coax it down.  

The balance of the eagles took to the air quickly once I left the field and we had a very good display.  This continued on the ground with an extended feeding period marked by several squabbles.  About half way through this the coyote appeared at the northeastern corner of the field and made its way down the eastern side until it disappeared into the woods about half way down.

Its gait was light and easy and if it has been a victim of a snare it showed no signs of distress.  We will need a longer lens siting and photograph to confirm its status.

Another good day and the plan now is for two feedings (8:30 and 11:30) for the weekend.  Only three weekends left for the season so get out one more time if you can!