This “short“ summary will give you a quick update on KZ and the Mystic Lakes Bald Eagles. A much more detailed report that examines a number of issues regarding breeding Bald Eagles and their behavior in much more detail should follow at a later date. FAE died of rodenticide poisoning in mid-March before she could lay eggs. KZ selected an apparent three-year-old turning four, named SALT as his new mate before FAE passed. Salt had a faint eye stripe with a much larger grayish auricular patch. That pairing didn’t work out. In fact, only recently have I been able to confirm that there were two different “Salts” who were apparently the same age and looked very similar. Salt 1 was the bird seen on March 11th. Salt 2, distinguished by a noticeable “5 o’clock shadow” followed later. I established a new category of eagles for my research, “White-headed, Adult-looking Eagles” (WHAE’s), birds likely three turning four, or a year or two older, who had sufficiently white heads and tails that at a distance an observer might reasonably think they were adults. The week that FAE died there was a significant increase in the number of WHAE’s visiting the lakes. KZ had at least 8 and I think likely more than a dozen candidates for a new mate. KZ selected Salt 1. That did not work out and almost seamlessly Salt II was the new mate. That did not work out either. That led to “Stripe,” also three turning four. This pairing was visibly and audibly different from the short-lived ones. it was intensely emotional and vocal, but apparently KZ’s gonads had already begun their annual seasonal “retreat.” Breeding this year became a non-issue. The new pair officially remained “together” but the “zing” had gone out of their relationship. They seemed more like occasional companions than a bonded pair. The nest holds little significance for them. They no longer post up in THE TREE, so everyone knows that they are the owners of the lakes. They allow Ospreys to fish unchallenged on either side close to the dam, and don’t even attempt to pirate fish from successful Ospreys. The ‘fish hawks” have been fishing with impunity all over both lakes, rarely passing up an opportunity to buzz a sitting eagle. In the wild, especially in the northern half of their range, after an eagle pair nests successfully there is considerable question if they migrate and winter together. Many researchers believe that at least some breeding adults do, but other eagles seem to show a “see you same time next year” attitude. Locally KZ and his mate(s), have remained on territory because more than sufficient prey is available all year. To prepare for migration and the need to socialize and share prey resources outside the breeding season, the gonads (and hormone production) of both genders have evolved to atrophy quickly when they should be rearing young and they remain dormant for roughly six months. KZ and Stripe now might be seen on the lakes or anywhere else within a radius of 5-10 miles at any time. They have nothing else to do now except feed, stand and watch the world in a largely detached way, marking time for next year’s breeding season. They usually are not perched together. They’ve done very little “work” together on the nest. They don’t frequent many of the usual spots (including THE Tree). They rarely if ever share food. Will they remain together and attempt their first breeding together next spring? We might have a clue come October and November, when serious work on the old or possibly a new nest should begin in earnest, or at least by January and February, when their gonads are swelling again and increasingly functional, with frequent successful copulation possible. Right now I’d say the odds are probably slightly better than 50/50 that the pair will remain together and attempt to breed on the lakes next spring. Sightings and photo opportunities are irregular. When seasonal dispersion and migration begin late summer, who knows if this relationship will be sustained, or if KZ will even remain “lord” of the lakes? Six years ago KZ fought for and lost the lakes (and nominally MK) to Z74. When he recovered and returned to the lakes, the aggression hormones had already ceased production and KZ returned to the lakes where he flew peacefully with Z74 and MK, and immediately reclaimed his territory and mate without a battle. This is the first year since 2019 in which KZ has not attempted nesting. This is almost certainly Stripe’s first attempt at pair formation. Will memories of what it was like for several wonderful weeks carry them through a long winter and many challenges? Even then, newly formed pairs are often unsuccessful in their first breeding season. Right now I can’t help but feel that KZ acts like a lost soul, and the very emotional, incredibly vocal Stripe is trying to do “the right thing” with little help from her “mate.” I can understand If KZ really misses FAE, as I think she was very intelligent and helped make KZ a much better mate and parent. I miss FAE. Originally, I had hoped to present “The Deeper Story” now. However, in analyzing roughly 40,000 often mediocre photographs and 1500 field reports from March 1, eagle behavior is even more complicated and challenging than I had anticipated. I’m learning in a “deep dive” that I hope to share with you later. Best, Paul Paul M. Roberts Medford, MA <phawk254...>
