Four sunsets

The last one is from a couple of weeks ago.

JP backpack keychain

As in it's a keychain shaped like a backpack. It's got little arm straps and a working zipper so you can put small things in it. I've had it floating around for ages and the clasp no longer works, but I just realized something...

I bet it fits him!

A little snug, but it does! They even have matching colours.

Now we can match, too. :D

Don't watch the mouth, watch the hands

About time I applied these wise words by Peter B. Parker to JP/W raptor behavior, because what do I not use as an excuse to wonder and ponder about that.

While not quite as much hand-talkers as humans can be, the raptors in these movies do sometimes use their sharp bunny-hands in a way that can be used to read something about their intentions. When I looked at another behavior of theirs, snapping one's jaws at someone, I concluded from its use that the Raptor Squad do see Owen as part of their pack and even part of their family, and even though things got tense between them several times, the raptors didn't actually want to hurt him. Another detail in the paddock confrontation also points at that the raptors' aggression towards Owen in that scene is posturing rather than a genuine attempt at hurting him, because they're angry at him for stealing their prey and need to express that, and may consider Owen's actions to be overstepping his place in the pack, but he's also their dad, and a squishy human who would get seriously injured more easily than a fellow raptor would and they know that.

I think how they hold their forelimbs during their unrestrained interactions with him also fits this.

Mutual winghug

 E15 (front/lower on the screen) and E16 lying next to each other, then...

 ...both simultaneously stretch out their wing...

...and end up both having a wing over each other. They stayed like this for a while, looking around and at times both tracking something in the distance, then pulled their wings back at the same time.

Not an actual hug, of course - they're really just stretching. But it's also a sign they're relaxed and comfy, and it looks cute, so, enjoy. (link to nestcam)

 

Ready for our closeup

Lots of nice zooming at the SWFL eaglets from yesterday.

Younger sibling E16 on the left, older sibling E15 on the right. Just having a morning cuddle.

 E16 allopreens E15.

May Masus

Napping and a balcony visit.

Painting Skye

Photos from the process of painting the figure I made of my little raptor. The finished figure can be seen here at my site, here at deviantart, and here at tumblr.

It's a big step, getting painted, but mom's here for reassurances. And colour reference.

You preen my wing, I'll preen yours

Some eaglet cuddles from this morning at the SWFL bald eagle nest. Though most don't have a time stamp, they're all from 6-7 AM nest time. Older sibling E15 is the eaglet higher on the screen in all of these, but they're still pretty easy to tell apart by their feather development.

Taking turns stretching a wing over each other. There was also a bit of allopreening:

Just eaglets being buddies

Bald eagle siblings E15 and E16 just keep growing at the SWFL eagle nest. Here's a few cute shots of them from yesterday.

(Warning for visibly partially-eaten prey again in the nest, though.)

E15 (top of the screen) is a bit over 5 weeks old now, and E16 will be turning 5 weeks today. Their dark juvenile plumage is still sparse and patchy, but it's getting there. The size difference has also narrowed more. Not the size difference to the squirrel plushie, though! Even "little" E16 looks pretty huge compared to it.

Leaflets

Little leafs.