Date: 4/16/26 11:00 am From: 'sue' via Arlington Birds <arlingtonbirds...> Subject: Re: [Arlington Birds] Arlington Eagles; KZ in Love : The White Bullet (Brief)
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On Thursday, April 16, 2026, 11:54 AM, 'PAUL ROBERTS' via Arlington Birds <arlingtonbirds...> wrote:
A brief update to my post of last night. * KZ revealed a passionate relationship with Stripe 1 this morning. He and Stripe were perched in THE tree and were very vocal. She led the way and flew to the southwest spruce. He followed and both were very vocal there. * Stripe 1 returned to near the dam, and went fishing. Stripe 2 was spotted lurking in the cover of a pine tree and harassed Stripe 1. Stripe 1 landed on the Osprey tree. Stripe 2 was on her tail and landed screaming above Stripe 1. KZ saw this from the 10 o'clock branch of the nest and exploded towards the Osprey tree. Feet first, the white bullet knocked Stripe 2 off the tree. The action was so quick, intense, and close that no one was able to capture it photographically. KZ was amazing. *Stripe 1 later took off flying towards Horn Pond. KZ followed a few seconds behind her. Stripe 2 joined the eagles from on high. KZ firmly escorted Stripe 2 away from the Stripe 1. * When Stripe 1 returned, she led the way and anded in the top of THE tree, where juvenile 78/C had been perched most of the morning. KZ was right behind Stripe 1 and knocked 78/C off her perch and started trumpeting, joined by Stripe 1. * Later KZ returned to the 10 o'clock branch, and Stripe 1 returned to the nest. She went out on the branch and KZ jumped her bones but fell off almost immediately. About a half hour later they copulated successfully. There is hope the nest is once again important and the possibility of laying eggs looks the best it has in six weeks. The odds, however, are not good, but it looks like Stripe 1 and KZ have really bonded. Overall, this was far more vocalization and emotion than we've seen from KZ since FAE passed. Everything seemed important once again. Defending his mate. The Tree. The Nest. It is a new day. It is the old KZ. Comparison of notes indicated that Stripe 1 and KZ were seen perched together on Monday the 13th. Salt had been seen perched alone in THE tree that morning and has not been seen since. She apparently left of her own accord. Observers are cautioned that at any distance Stripe 1 and Stripe 2 might look like adults, especially on a sunny day when the bright light blows out the fine striping and when flying. Stripe 1's eye stripe is lighter and narrower than Stripe 2's. Stripe 2 also has more "salt on her undersides, and a much darker tail overall. She also appears to have streaking forming where she had a bib, and her belly is turning darker. (It is possible she is a year younger than Stripe 1.) Both birds will lose their stripes and their "salt" over the next year or two. NOTE: Stripe 2 is banded with an orange Massachusetts band that we cannot yet read. Stripe 1 is unbanded. Salt may still be in the greater area; observers thought they were looking at Salt with KZ on Monday but it was definitely Stripe 1, so it is easy to be confused when you see immature but white headed (and usually tailed) Bald Eagles. There is joy in Mudville today, especially for KZ. It might be too late to nest successfully this year, but it looks like he is revived and REALLY wants to bond with Stripe 1. It's necessary for ultimate breeding success. May it be so. Best, Paul Paul M. Roberts
Medford, MA
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