Bald Eagle question

[icehousebob]

For the last several days, a pair of immature eagles have been in my neighborhood. They ride the thermals for hours above the ponds and lakes.They've been seen carrying off reeds from the tops of muskrat houses. They land in the trees behind my house and scare the boogers out of all the ducks. I thought they only mated once they had matured and developed the white heads. Any info on the age that they mate? It would be rather nice to have a nest in our area.

[Steve Foss]

Bob, I haven't been able to find any ino online about juvenile eagles and nest-building activities. But it's not outside the realm of possibility that they are doing some mimicing behavior. Are they actually constructing a nest somewhere that you can see, or is that an assumption based on them carrying off the cattails?

[icehousebob]

Steve, I haven't seen them actually building a nest. They've been seen several times landing on the muskrat mound and carrying off the reeds and also some sticks, but we're not sure where to. It's in an area between two lakes here in Tonka. There are lots of tall Cottonwoods along the lake shores that would be candidates for nests. I watched them for over half an hour behind my place and after they left, my wife asked why I didn't get the camera out. That shows you what kind of photographer I'd make.

[Birdsong]

You have a heart for birds, and observing their behaviors. That makes for the best kind of photographer there is.