CUIBUL ACVILEI DE MUNTE NR. 2 - THE NEST OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE 2 (AQUILA CHRYSAETOS) 2023

2023-08-10 - Day 94; Week 13. Post-fledging: Day 23.

0 deliveries.

05:49:49-06:34:39, 06:55:57-07:15:06 - Alunu/a vocalizing close to the eyrie.
05:59:36 - Loud, shrill vocalizations that I don't recognize. Sounds. . . odd. Alunu/a's voice overlapped at one point.
I wondered if it might have even been human. Alunu/a did not make distance, however. Dunno.
07:50:05 - The barking alarm of an upset roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).

Hello everyone! 
In case anyone else is missing seeing Alunu/a as much as I am, I thought I would post this last picture of him/her from 18th July 2023......



I caught this just a second or two before Alunu/a took his/her first flight. I wonder how different Alunu/a looks now, 24 days later..... Becoming a beautiful young golden eagle

Hope everyone is doing well. Take care

For a second, I thought I'd somehow missed him/her. Thank you for the reminder, Tigress. Ideas aside, I wonder too!
Likewise on the well wishes. :>

2023-08-11 - Day 95; Week 13. Post-fledging: Day 24.

0 deliveries.

06:18:58 - A branch overhanging our view waves up, and down with the weight of a leaping Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

06:22:09 - From branch to branch with amazing skill, and down the trunk of a far tree.



06:22:09 - Then to the left. There were two of them.



10:48:35 - Alunu/a calling fairly close by.
12:29:02 - Alunu/a calling slightly farther out.
13:59:22 - Alunu/a calling distantly.

2023-08-12 - Day 96; Week 13. Post-fledging: Day 25.

0 deliveries.

06:07:27 - Alunu/a calling distantly.
09:41:39 - Alunu/a, and a parent vocalizing together.
09:47:27 - Alunu/a vocalizing solo, louder.
11:04:11 - Alunu/a calling mid-range from microphone. Not close, not distant.

2023-08-13 - Day 97; Week 13. Post-fledging: Day 26.

0 deliveries.

09:59:02 - Alunu/a vocalizing very distantly.
14:34:22-22:02:53 - Audio lost.

At long last, we get a visit from Alunu/a! Monday 14th August 2023. Day 98 - post fledge day 27.




And what a beautiful eagle s/he is becoming

Lucina brings prey to the nest at 15:54:28, possibly Caliman's shadow is seen passing overhead, then at 15:55:33 Alunu/a flies in to the nest and immediately Mantel's the prey...

I managed to catch Alunu/a coming in.... hope the highlight has worked lol (just in case the picture isn't too clear!)..

Thank you for your contribution to the archives, Tigress. Happy day! I think it was likely Caliman's shadow that passed over, too.

2023-08-14 - Day 98; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 27.

1 self-feeding. 1 delivery - Lucina. Red fox kit (Vulpes vulpes). The 16th! I'll have to update the list.

15:53:51 - Alunu/a calling in the distance.
15:54:08 - Lucina joins in.

15:54:23 - After 25 days, 6 hours, 38 minutes away, Lucina returns from the right with a red fox pup in her talons.
15:54:32 - The large shadow presumably belonging to Caliman passes over the eyrie, right to left.

15:54:33 - After 26 days, 21 hours, 32 minutes, Alunu/a returns to the nest.



Prey effectively claimed.





15:55:34 - Lucina leaves towards the lower left corner, and Alunu/a stops mantling, and vocalizing. Well, for a moment. The audio is out of sync.

Alunu/a's crop is already full.



Well, hello.





Beautiful bird.



Alunu/a's most distinguishing characteristic is this pattern of white feathers on his/her nape, and crown.





16:14:08-16:24:01 - Alunu/a plucks fur from the fox kit.



Then has a rest.









17:00:32 - Lucina returns from the right. 1 hour, 5 minutes away. Alunu/a pulls a Zenit, and latches on to Mom's right foot.



This affords us an excellent view of fanned out rectrices. And, hey, all twelve accounted for now!





17:01:01 - Lucina leaves towards the lower right corner.









17:14:17 - Snaking down food to make room for more. :>



1st self-feeding. 17:15:48-17:46:58 - Alunu/a picks at the fox kit. Approx. 31 minutes.

A flash of the kit's dark socks.





18:24:37 - Alunu/a leaves, swiftly and suddenly to the right. Best of luck out there, kiddo! 2 hour, 30 minute visit. <3



18:27:16 - Lucina returns from the back slope, alighting at the right edge of the nest. 1 hour, 26 minutes away.
18:28:34 - She keeps an anxious eye out for her wild child as she picks at the fox skull, and eventually feeds herself a bit. We can hear Alunu/a in the distance.

Lucina is a little on edge. Stretching her neck long when she thinks she hears any slight rustle.



She secures most of the kit in her left talons.



And off she goes. The skull is left behind.



Thank you, Lucina. I don't suspect Alunu/a would have returned today if prey wasn't involved. S/he seems to be a capable young eagle, meeting all milestones in a timely, and confident manner. S/he has as good of a chance as any to survive the first winter. All rectrices intact - . Looking healthy, and vibrant.

14.08.2023
Hello everybody!
Thanks so much @Raven for all the details. We hurried there to the nest area to observe them. When my brother Emil arrived at the nest, Alunu/a saw him and left the nest. Then Lucina came, she heard some suspicious movements but did not see my brother who was filming her. My son Filip and I stayed far away in the alpine gap and filmed Alunu flying from the nest but at a great distance. I also saw Caliman, I have some beautiful videos with him. Thank you very much for all the published details.

Caliman flies over the nest area and other smaller raptors try to drive him away.




Lucina eats the leftover food left by Alunu/a after he left the nest.



Caliman

16:32 Alunu was back in the nest and eating something. Internet signal today is bad, many passes. The moment of arrival of the eaglet is missed. a little later, Lucina flew in.

Tuesday 15:08:23

11:03:55 Alunu/a flies close past the eyre to the right.
11:04:29 Alunu/a can be heard landing close by behind the camera.
11:05:44 We can hear Alunu/a moving off to the distance, coming close again, then away.

S/he is spoiling us now.... two visits! Lol

Alunu/a's sudden exit, and Lucina's edginess make more sense now. Thank you for the elucidation, and photography, Stelian!

And Roma, Tigress, thank you for your contributions too! I probably didn't need to post much, but habit, and I already made some screenshots, .gifs. Might as well?

2023-08-15 - Day 99; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 28.

0 deliveries.

05:57:53 - Alunu/a, distantly calling.
06:27:06 - S/he is vocalizing close to the eyrie here.
06:34:19 - On the move, his/her voice fades back into the distance.
07:49:01 - Fairly close again.
11:03:43 - Pssa, pssa. . . incoming.

11:03:55.



11:04:26 - The rustle of Alunu/a alighting out of view, behind the lens.
11:05:42 - S/he soon leaves, calling into the distance.
13:11:22 - Audio is lost.
16:32:27 - The stream skips. Alunu/a is in the nest, and the red fox kit's skull is missing from view. 22 hours, 8 minutes away.
16:32:34-16:48:04 - Alunu/a picks at yesterday's scraps.



16:41:35 - The skull, and other remains have been dragged back to the inner nest.





16:49:19 - Off into the unknown.



16:50:35 - Another stream skip reveals Lucina on the nest. 22 hours, 7 minutes away.

Watchful.



She too picks at the skull, and other scraps.



16:53:36 - Skip. Lucina is off the nest.
19:05:58 - The audio returns.
20:39:12, 20:39:31, 20:41:12, 20:42:02/08 - These vocalizations may be from Lucina. Close.

Thank you all for the posts! I missed the moment yesterday, I was away and couldn't see ALUNU/A. Such publications are always welcome. Thank you again.

Instead, my brother Emil was there and photographed Alunu/a beautifully.
16.08.2023 Alunu/a

Stelian, does Emil know what the other three birds were that are flying close to Alunu/a? Crows or other smaller birds of prey?

You're most welcome, Stelian. Gorgeous photography. Send my compliments to the chef. ;>

Tigress, while they are distant, I think I may spy the wedge-shaped tail of a raven on the highest bird. The next in line may be one of the eagles? Two golden eagles, two ravens? Curious to hear, too.

Thank you for that Raven....at least I was close with my guess lol

2023-08-16 - Day 100; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 29.

0 deliveries.

06:10:21 - Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) visitor.





09:21:47 - Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea) too.



12:02:54 - Alunu/a calling amid noisy farm work.

2023-08-17 - Day 101; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 30.

06:32-08:19 - Stream reset, resolution improved. Lost time.
20:02:45 - Alunu/a calling distantly. Ravens too.
20:05:30 - The Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo) has returned to the vicinity. Vocalizing, sometimes near, sometimes far. Mobile.
20:07:21 - Alunu/a's vocalizations present a similar pattern here. Also mobile.
20:48:27 - Oo, humans, and upset ravens. Two? The humans shout. The ravens disperse into the distance.

Hello Stelian, did you manage to speak to Emil about the other birds in the photo with Alunu/a?
Raven thought it was maybe two ravens and another golden eagle, Lucina or Caliman?
We're both curious to know, if that would be possible to find out.... thank you!

Hello @Raven and @Tigress! Yes, there are two crows that were harassing Alunu/a and Lucina.

There may be a translation issue?
To be clear, the all black carrion crows (Corvus corone) are only ever vagrants in Romania, rarely ever seen.



From: The taxonomic Status of Carrion and Hooded Crows

Romania is a land of hooded crows (Corvus cornix). These two crows used to be regarded as the same species, so there may be confusion in older literature about their range. The only other all black Corvus spp. are Eurasian jackdaws (Corvus monedula) (eh, not-quite-all-black), and rooks (Corvus frugilegus), which can be ruled out by size alone.

2023-08-18 - Day 102; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 31.

0 deliveries.

13:05:24 - Alunu/a vocalizing distantly.
13:11:48 - A longer bout of calling.
16:59:55 - S/he is calling somewhat near.
17:00:28 - The Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo) is here for another day, calling for several minutes. Grows faint. Maybe tailing Alunu/a?
19:42:16 - Staccato raven (Corvus corax) threat vocalizations, in pursuit, very distant.

2023-08-19 - Day 103; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 32.

0 deliveries.

06:04:34 - Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo) calling nearby.
09:48:05 - Common buzzard (Buteo buteo) calling distantly.
12:49:38 - Alunu/a (Aquila chrysaetos) calling distantly. ;>
12:59:12 - Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) calling very close to the microphone. OUCH!
13:11:45-22:06:10 - Audio lost.

2023-08-20 - Day 104; Week 14. Post-fledging: Day 33.

0 deliveries.

11:46:19 - Lost audio.
13:45:12-22:06:46 - Stream offline.

This is only the second day I have failed to detect Alunu/a since fledging. The other time was on Day 11 of post-fledging. Audio was lost for three hours on that day.

2023-08-21 - Day 105; Week 15. Post-fledging: Day 34.

0 deliveries.

09:05:53 - A mature northern raven (Corvus corax) alights on an upper right branch. We can see the sway, hear the rustle, but can't see the raven just yet. S/he is making contact calls. Projecting the voice loudly to other ravens. Some recognition of courage would be keen! ;> Sometimes ravens will approach dangerous predators fairly closely, and posture with dominant displays (ear tufts up, throat hackles erect, "pants" shaggy) full of braggado. All the better to impress a mate. There is no posturing during this visit, however. No one to notice.

09:07:10 - Ah there we are. S/he drops down to the lower back right branch. The contact calls continue throughout the visit in series of 2 through 4, mostly in 3s. Seven sets to start. I can't hear any replies. It begins, 3-0, 3-0, 4-0, 4-0, 3-0, 2-0, 3-0. Where 0 would be a reply. This black mawed bird may be one of the breeders overlapping this territory with the eagles. Where is that mate of mine? It would also be nice to have another set of eyes within vocal range to alert on the location of stealthy eagles.

09:07:33 - S/he hops to the hidden trunk branch. Some of those sets continue here. I didn't mark what locations marked which call sets in my notes.
09:08:58 - The raven hops back to the lower back right branch. At some point the contact calls become harsh in tone: 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 4-0. Then neutral again for eight more sets.

To Alunu/a's fledging branch.





Let's compare size to a past screenshot of Alunu/a in a similar location. We can draw an imaginary line left of the final two, most obvious forks diverging from the central branch. Alunu/a is leaning forward a bit, but we can see that, hey, ravens are decent sized passerines.



This raven is all too aware that s/he perches in the heart of golden eagle territory. That watchful double-take towards the back slope is telling.



At some point the tone of the contact calls changed again. Maybe s/he could hear or see a raven that I could not, or maybe the tone was more reflective of an inner state of mind. Either way, it sounded friendlier almost. And quicker. Then shifted back to neutral, but kept a quicker pace. Sixteen sets.

09:10:09 - After cocking an eye to the skies, the raven leaves towards the right.



13:05:11 - The very distant voice of Alunu/a amidst raven calls.
16:01:49 - Alunu/a again. Still distant.
16:05:23-16:06:48 - Lucina has joined in here at the beginning, and their voices escalate in excitement, and loudness. Much closer. It sounds like a prey exchange.
17:03:13 - Alunu/a's piercing calls. Still close.
17:33:07 - And distant now.