The Llano River Eagles on Hwy 29 are going to get a big surprise when they return this year. The tree they were in has rotten and hollowed and has now fallen along with the nest. This is actually the third tree this couple has built a nest in and we will be very interested to see where they build next! Hopefully they will only move a few trees over like last time.
Click here for last year's photo album and slide show!
***UPDATE*** 10/5/14 The pair have returned and have been sited in the area where the old nest was. But still no clues as yet where they will build.
***UPDATE*** 10/20/14 I have been to the nest approximately 15 times and haven't seen the eagles. I have gone early, late, noon, to no avail. Last night I was coming toward Buchanan from Kingsland and decided to pop up there even tho it was probably too dark to see anything. I think it was about 7:30 pm, just when the sun was already down but a little light was still left. As I pulled into the paved part, two birds came flying in, heading west and I could see they weren't vultures but couldn't see any white on them. I pulled up through the dirt lot and saw one land in the tree to the east of the old tree. Through my binoculars, even tho it is almost dark I can see the silhouette and can tell it's an eagle but again, no white. Just as I started to wonder if it was a juvenile or a golden eagle I looked a little to the right and the pair of bald eagles were there, in the tree to the west of the old tree, so I assume the other is a juvenile from last year! I have only seen a juvenile return with them once since they started coming and I know he won't stay but I was excited to see him. Since it turned completely dark while I was sitting there, I guessed they would spend the night there so I returned this morning at first light (about 6:45 am) and I got to see the bald eagles again but didn't see the juvenile. I wanted pictures but they made some funny calls, pooped and left before it was light enough. I can't help but get my hopes up that they will build there again! Oh, and I also heard a long horned owl there this morning. I saw the nest last year and didn't know what lived in it until I asked Texas Parks and Wildlife, I would not have guessed that they would nest around and eagle and vise versa.
Click here for last year's photo album and slide show!
***UPDATE*** 10/5/14 The pair have returned and have been sited in the area where the old nest was. But still no clues as yet where they will build.
***UPDATE*** 10/20/14 I have been to the nest approximately 15 times and haven't seen the eagles. I have gone early, late, noon, to no avail. Last night I was coming toward Buchanan from Kingsland and decided to pop up there even tho it was probably too dark to see anything. I think it was about 7:30 pm, just when the sun was already down but a little light was still left. As I pulled into the paved part, two birds came flying in, heading west and I could see they weren't vultures but couldn't see any white on them. I pulled up through the dirt lot and saw one land in the tree to the east of the old tree. Through my binoculars, even tho it is almost dark I can see the silhouette and can tell it's an eagle but again, no white. Just as I started to wonder if it was a juvenile or a golden eagle I looked a little to the right and the pair of bald eagles were there, in the tree to the west of the old tree, so I assume the other is a juvenile from last year! I have only seen a juvenile return with them once since they started coming and I know he won't stay but I was excited to see him. Since it turned completely dark while I was sitting there, I guessed they would spend the night there so I returned this morning at first light (about 6:45 am) and I got to see the bald eagles again but didn't see the juvenile. I wanted pictures but they made some funny calls, pooped and left before it was light enough. I can't help but get my hopes up that they will build there again! Oh, and I also heard a long horned owl there this morning. I saw the nest last year and didn't know what lived in it until I asked Texas Parks and Wildlife, I would not have guessed that they would nest around and eagle and vise versa.