First Observed Flight May 29

Three photographers, myself included, observed free flights by both eaglets on 5.29.19. The first possible flight was observed on May 25 by several of my friends. Photographs were not successfully taken then.
It was an exciting few minutes watching this milestone in their development and was made even more special as it was shared with friends. The eaglets are just 12 weeks old and will be on their own soon.
 The first pic is when the eaglets were first noticed in a nearby tree.

 Eaglet #1 in flight

Eaglet # 1

Eaglet #1

Eaglet #1

Eaglet #1

Eaglet #1

Eaglet #2

Eaglet #2 in flight. This eaglet has a distinctly different tail feather pattern than its sibling.

Eaglet # 2

Eaglet # 2 in flight

A Parent Comes For a Longer Visit May 24

A quick visit to the Honey Bee nest had a surprise! One of the parent eagles (female, I think) spent some quality time on a branch close to the nest. The eaglets interacted with it, and eventually it made its way higher up in the branch, eventually flying away.

More Branching! May 23

The branching eaglets continue to fascinate me and many human visitors. They are moving farther out to one branch in particular as they eagerly await food deliveries. 
This eaglet actually hopped over its siblg to get to a smaller, but higher branch.

 The photo session set itself up for shooting vertical. I managed some of these, even though my right arm was not quite up for it.

Early evening fun! May 20

It was an unseasonably warm day today, with highs in the lower 90's. When I arrived at the nest about 4:45PM, one of the eaglets was already on an adjacent branch. Thankfully, it had a nice breeze up there!

It would spend the better part of the next couple of hours, going back and forth from the branch to the nest, branch to the nest. It has become quite proficient at this, called "branching"

 A couple of branchings were very high up, the eaglet getting a lot of air! Made me nervous!

High Jump!

The second eaglet eventually showed itself, and the two interacted.

Finally, a parent flew in with a partial fish! It was what the eaglets were waiting for and they both disappeared into the nest.
The parent gave us ground watchers a couple of photo ops; here's one with it looking at us!

It was a great experience, one I especially enjoyed sharing with some photog friends and chatting with some neighbors and new friends!

More Branching! May 19.

It was GREAT seeing one of the eaglets go to a branch again. The first time this eaglet decided to try to branch outside the nest, it went to a large branch above the nest. From the photos, it appears that the tail feathers are not yet fully developed. When that branch wasn't what it was comfortable with, it tried another branch, adjacent to the nest, a fav location of the parents and where either it or the sibling had branched before. There was also a nice photo op of them both, one on the branch and one in the nest. The one stayed on the branch for over an hour and was still there when I left for the day.

May 18

The eaglets are just shy of 11 weeks of age.  They are not going out on the branches much, at least not when I am there! I have seen it just a few times but mostly they appear to be hanging out on the backside of the nest. They are doing a lot of wingersizing though, which I so enjoy watching! It never gets old!
I went looking for the adults since I didn't see them around the nest area. I found one on a tree that the late, great HK used to perch on, not far from the golf course.  I was on foot, and I guess it didn't want its portrait done, so it immediately took off.  I believe it was the female.
Shortly after I returned to the nest, an adult, again I think the female, brought in a headless fish!  The eaglets sure were happy about that! And quite vocal!

Supper time!

Flight Sequence May 17

While I was parked at the North Landing River, one of the Honey Bee adult eagles showed up suddenly and escorted an Osprey who was fishing,  off the river. I don't usually publish consecutive flight shots except this was at very close range for my 300mm prime lens.

May 13

I watched one of the eaglets practicing wingersizing, coming completely off the nest at times. It looks like the tail feathers are becoming longer and more developed. The female brought in a fish for the babes, which she ate some of herself, before moving to an adjacent branch, feaking her beak, and guarding the nest

Tails, you're it!!!

Feaking

Mom, looking regal.