No rest for a nest

Screenshots from the SouthWest Florida Bald Eagle nestcam. Includes views of prey.

Eaglets E22 (left) and E21, two days ago. The rest of the screenshots are from today, which has been a busy day so far with intruders galore.

M15 getting mobbed as he brings a squirrel prey to the nest. E21 on dad's right, E22 is behind him under his wing.

Neither of the eaglets ended up getting this prey, though. A new adult intruder has been hanging around the territory recently (R23-3 has not been seen in a while), and though M has been tolerating it perching in the nest tree, it can be a bit of a nuisance (but all's fair in the eagle world; everyone is just trying to survive). At the time of this delivery, the intruder was in the tree and dropped down to the nest, then flew away with the kids' breakfast. M let it take the squirrel without a fight. If the intruder is a female, he'd be at a disadvantage in a confrontation anyway, as female eagles are larger. Safer for the eaglets this way.

Both Es got food later in the day, including the younger chick E22 successfully mantling and preventing E21 stealing its meal.

E22 perching at the edge of the nest.

E21 wing workout.

In the afternoon another new eagle lands in the tree. This one is a juvenile, looks like maybe two years old? Stayed at the branches for a while, but didn't go to the nest.

M15 brings a fish, with both an adult intruder and the juvenile following, the adult all the way to the nest.

Intruder on the left, M feeding E22. E21 is lying still after the intruder jumped on it a few times trying to get to the fish. E21 seems okay, but this is the behavior eaglets learn to employ to avoid antagonizing a stronger opponent, which an adult eagle is to E21.

Intruder moves to veranda branch to watch the feeding. M's tail and wing in the frame. He left the nest to go wash up at the pasture pond soon after, and the intruder snatched up a small piece of fish before making a quick exit.

The eaglets, too, get a wash as it starts to rain.