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.

Napping in the shadow of the tree's trunk. Or, E16 is mostly napping, E15 keeps nodding on and off. E16 picked a better spot for keeping their eyes shaded, it seems.

Using E16's shadow, then. That works, too.

E15 (left) gently nipping at E16's beak. Maybe there was food on it, maybe they're just being friendly and playful. In any case it's a behavior eagles seem to do with individuals they are close to and trust enough to put their face near their beak. It looks like E16 has also learned to recognize the behavior from E15, as the position of the head is very different from if they were going in for a bonk, so E16 lets E15 near instead of reacting with submissive behavior.

E16 toys around with a fish spine, while E15 watches and then does some wing exercises.

Their legs have started to gain enough strength that they're able to stand up on their feet like big eagles for short periods now, especially E15 as seen above. That leg strength is needed for being able to properly feed oneself, as raptors hold their food down with their feet while tearing out pieces of it. Both eaglets have been practicing their Raptor Prey Restraint, and E16 has actually had some success at self-feeding already! Good job!

Lest we forget E16 has wings, too!

And some more beakies.

It's a full moon tonight, so the nest is quite well-lit even with the infrared light on the camera being broken this season. The Es are sleeping next to each other on the right side of the nest.

Harriet and M watching over them on the branch above. Check out that one-foot perching. Not a sign of injury, just resting the leg like they sometimes do.