Ed's Eagle Nesterss/Highlands Plateau Audubon Society

Hello Everyone,

Cindy and I have been monitoring the building of an eagle nest in the Royal Palm Cemetery in St Petersburg. The nest, which had been in the same tree for the past 20 years or so, blew down over the summer. A few months ago the eagle pair began to rebuild, but they could not get the twigs to stay in place. The young male spent his first year at the nest last year with an older female. This year he returned with a young female. Both are inexperienced at nest building. Anyway, they abandoned the cemetery site and moved to a cell tower which was very disappointing. Recently they returned to the cemetery to try again. This time they seem to be making progress and we are hoping that they will be successful. Most of the eagles around have dropped their eggs for the year by now. It is possible that this pair will not establish a nest in time to drop an egg for this year. Also, they may be too young to breed successfully, but we are hoping.

There was a second eagle nest that we had monitored for the past few years. It also had been in place for several years and it blew down as well. That pair also went to a cell tower and successfully established a nest. Photographing eagles nesting in cell towers is just not our thing.

While at the cemetery on Friday we came across a coyote that lives there. He was just lying in the middle of a lane and did not seem to want to move. We are afraid he is not long for this world as he is getting too familiar with people and something will probably happen to force his demise.

I have attached a few photos. The eagle flying is the male bringing in nesting material. The eagle on the nest is the female. Also there is a photo of the coyote, an osprey landing and a reddish egret with a fish.

Ed and Cindy