MELTON HILL LAKE EAGLES (SOLWAY) last visit to them

Today is the last visit to the nest on Melton Hill Lake and Solway.  It is a unique site as three baby bald eagles made it through the growth process all the way to leaving.  They now are ready to leave the nest and learn the skills from their parents that will allow them to succeed on their own.  They will follow their parents daily on hunting trips where they will learn to catch fish and become familiar with food sources as well as flight techniques in wind and foul weather.  The parents have been busy all spring hunting to feed 5 adult size bald eagles (themselves and their three full grown youngsters.)   

They were jumping up and down on the edge of the nest and flapping their wings in anticipation of their first flight.  The mother is a hundred yards away in the top of a tree shrieking out loudly.  The youngsters reply with their own unending chirping.  Soon the temptation will be too great to resist and they will be off, one by one following each other, leaping off the limbs as they test their wings, and they will struggle to maintain their balance when they alight for the first time on a round tree limb.  There's much to learn.  I pray God blesses them all.

 Mom is continually calling to them trying to entice them to take that first leap into space.  Nature's wiring will handle the flight gear once airborne.

 Below:  he is looking straight at you

 Again below:  the immature is looking straight out between the uprights.

 Look at him.  He's magnificent!  His life is just beginning

 They are jumping up and down testing the lift of their wings.  They accidentally found out that by flapping their wings - that their bodies can lift off the limb. 

 Below:  Mom