Everybirb looking their best

Some more screenshots from the SWFL eagle nest. No closeups of feedings in the post, but warning that there's remains of old prey around the nest that may end up in frame.

Cute morning cuddles from a few days ago for starters. E18 on the left.

Also while we're on the subject of gross things in a carnivore nest, I think that's a pellet in the bottom right corner. Coughing up those is a regular part of their life, too.

Harriet cleaning up the nest of dropped food bits after a feeding this morning. She has some fluff tassels poking out of her plumage, too, as I think she's moulting right now. E17 is in the middle.

M15 flies in with a stick, the chicks turn to look as he lands.

After placing the stick in the nest rails he continues redecorating, and spreads grass around the nest.

...then puts some of it on the eaglets. :D

E18 in a fashionable grass shawl.

Harriet spreading her wings to fly up to the higher branches, while M continues to work. He fed the eaglets some more soon after.

Some closeups of E18('s big crop), with E17 napping in the background. The eaglets are at their probably most awkward-looking growth stage and quite the sight in all their gangly, woolly glory. Their beak and feet reach full size first, while the rest takes a bit longer to catch up. Their plumage is a mix of patchy natal down, a full coat of thermal down under it, and pennaceous feathers starting to emerge from under all of that.

From watching different kinds of raptors grow up, large eagles are probably hit the hardest with this awkward stage, but it's cute in its own way, not the least of which is the contrast of something that looks that majestic as an adult looking this ridiculous in the process of getting there. Falcons by comparison seem to stay more conventionally adorable throughout and just go from tiny fluffballs to sleek-feathered, full-sized birds seemingly overnight.

But enough making fun of them. Here's E17, too.

The eaglets got their feet tangled together trying to both fit in Harriet's shadow (E18 on the left).