Welcome to my new blog!
Although I may feature some more winged animals, this blog is dedicated to documenting the eagles at Shiloh National Military park. I decided that, since I enjoyed sharing so many images from the 2009 eagle nesting season, I'd start a blog with that special purpose.
This way I can not only share images but information, exciting moments and interesting experiences as well.

If you visit the eagles, I would like to ask that you please respect the rules.
There are designated areas to park and PLEASE always be respectful.
Viewing these birds is a unique privilege...Please don't get that privilege taken away from everyone!!!

Two Turtles

Since I get asked often about the image of an adult eagle bringing two turtles to the nest, I have decided to post the link so that it can be easily found.
"Two Turtles"

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some interesting facts:

Hiram and Julia (an American bald eagle pair named after General Grant and his wife) made their nest high in a pine tree beside a road in Shiloh National Military Park. They raised a pair of eaglets during the 2008 nesting season and then two more eaglets the following season. The pair have been photographed carrying fish, turtles and small rodents to their young.

*American bald eagles mate for life.
*The female American bald eagle is slightly bigger than the male.
*Females and males can be distinguished by the depth of their beak.
*The American bald eagle was taken off the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants list in June 2007.
However, the bald eagle is still a protected animal.
*Young eaglets do not have the white head and tail feathers of their parents. Their white feathers will grow in somewhere around five years of age.
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Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Hiram and Julia have an egg!

I am so excited to share this official press release from Shiloh National Park!


Hiram and Julia Are Pleased to Announce the Start of the Nesting Season at Shiloh Battlefield

“Shiloh’s most famous wildlife residents have laid their first egg to begin another nesting season,” Superintendent Woody Harrell announced today. “A camera system was installed February 3rd in order to monitor the progress of Shiloh Battlefield’s nesting pair of bald eagles. On the morning of Tuesday, February 8th, it confirmed that Hiram and Julia (Shiloh’s eagle pair, who is named after General Ulysses Grant and his wife) have an egg in the nest,” Harrell said. The eagle pair made Shiloh their home in the fall of 2007, and has since successfully raised four eaglets in their residence at the park. However, not all nesting seasons have been successful for the eagles. On May 8th, 2010, Hiram and Julia’s two young eaglets, only six weeks old, were found dead at the base of their nest tree. The cause of their death was undetermined. Despite this tragedy, the eagle pair was back at their nest doing repairs as early as September, and has now officially begun their fourth consecutive nesting season.

“The bald eagles have one egg in the nest, but it will most likely not be the only one laid, “Harrell added. “In their three previous nesting seasons, Hiram and Julia have always hatched two eaglets, and this year we are anticipating two as well.” Live feed from the eagle camera is not accessible to the public at the present time. It is tentatively scheduled to be available to the viewing public in the Shiloh Battlefield Visitor Center by the end of the week.

image courtesy of Shiloh National Park (eagle cam)

*sb*
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