Thursday, May 17, 2007

St. John's in the Rain and WI report


Tristan, Isolde, and Eyass One



4:15PM Thunder, lightening, the sky opens, the rain falls rapidly and hard. The wind is whipping branches off of trees.


4:23PM Isolde is on the nest, sheltering the eyasses from the weather. They seem to be asleep.


4:50PM She preens her damp feathers.
4:56PM Movement?


4:57PM Isolde watches a very large fly.
A sudden explosion of white fluff.
5:06PM Both eyasses appear.

5:11PM Toddling and wing flaps
5:13PM All three look east. Where's Dad?



5:19PM Isolde looks down behind eyasses.
5:20PM Isolde leans down for the snack stash.
5:38PM Tristan???
5:41PM The "I know you're hungry" look.
5:41PM
Where's dinner?
6:50PM The natives are getting very restless.
Beautiful Isolde. The deep circles under her eyes are much better.
5:52PM With the kiddies getting restless, Isolde is either looking for Tristan or giving him the eye about dinner.
Tail Biter sees something and triangulates.
6:12:14PM Suddenly Tristan flashes in front of the camera and lands on the nest. Watching Dad flap seems to make Tail Biter flap her wings as well. Isolde hunkers down behind Andrew getting out of the way.
6:12:20PM

6:12:50PM Everyone looks at Tail Biter who looks back. (Sorry, rain on the lenses.)
6:13PM Tail Biter peeks through the twigs while Tristan and Isolde deal with Two.
6:13:01PM Tristan goes perpendicular and begins feeding.
Under Dad's tail.
6:14PM She can't resist and does it again...trying a bite of Dad's tail.
6:15PM Tristan disappears deep into nest with Eyass Two.
6:18PM
6:17PM And for those who haven't realized just exactly how roomy this nest is, there are four hawks up there at this moment and none show, except the slim sliver of Isolde's head, which if she lowered it a bit, one wouldn't be able to see her either. Rain and wind continue unabated. But considering the weather it's quite dry and snug up there.

Donegal Browne

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