Lesser spotted eaglet grows up

Part 2 of screenshots from this year's nesting season at Lesser spotted eagle nest at Zemgale, Latvia. Part 1 is here.

[cw: picture-heavy post, and a few views of prey. mostly it's just the chick being cute, though]

Almost-four-week-old Rota standing steadily. Pennaceous feathers are emerging here and there, but mostly still downy and fluffy.

Three days later - getting less downy and fluffy!

Mom Anna shielding her chick from rain. Rota doesn't fit under her anymore, but at least head stays dry.

More leg stretches.

Yell at parents in another tree.

Wingers.

Anna preens Rota, Rota nips at Anna's toes.

Rota self-feeding!

Five weeks old.

Self-defense against a goshawk! At this size Rota would still have been seen as prey, so it was fortunate the chick wasn't caught off guard. Just before the goshawk showed up, a jay's alarm call could be heard in the background, and it got Rota to look in the right direction in time.

Closeup.

Eating well, I see.

Preening tail feathers.

Almost six weeks old.

More preening. Growing feathers is itchy work.

Another prey delivery by dad Andris. He brings several per day, and does most of the hunting, even if his appearances in the screenshots aren't very numerous. In Lesser spotted eagles only the female feeds the chick beak to beak, while the male drops off the food and lets either the female or the chick take it from there.

(Though that said, Andris is the Lesser spotted eagle dad I did see at least kind of sort of feeding his chick last year, even if it was mostly a clumsy assist of a few bites. But clearly he knows where the food he brings is supposed to go.)

Rota also knows what to do with the prey by now. A big mantling...

And telling dad to leave. This is Rota's prey and no one's going to steal it! Andris is unlikely to want to steal back a prey he just handed over to his chick, but the instinct to guard food is strong, and that's good for survival outside the nest.

A fierce birb.

Seven weeks old.

Eight weeks. Exercising wings that are starting to be pretty complete!

Yep, that's an eagle. Rota has come a long way from the tiny fluffball wobbling in the nest cup.

Four days later - flying!

And quickly flying back to nest whenever there's a prey delivery.

Prey is just as quickly swallowed whole. Maybe there's dessert?

Rota at the nest today. Turning 14 weeks old tomorrow.

Rota has been sleeping outside the nest for a while now, so sightings are just visits. Not sure how long before the eaglet leaves the territory, but it could be any day now. Rota has grown into a strong juvenile eagle, and is starting to be ready for independent life.