One of our proudest moments, signaling that we were doing a good job maintaining the health of our ranch ecosystem, was the moment the Bald Eagles arrived to start nest building on our ranch. The Bald Eagles raise their chicks just above our bridge over South Willow Creek.

The first eagles arrived in 2005, stealing the original nest from a pair of Red-tailed Hawks. The displaced hawks graciously moved farther upstream near our barn and nested again.

The first pair of eagles raised a single chick in 2005 and then a chick that perished in 2006. Unfortunately one of the adults died in 2007, although the juvenile and other adult remained nearby.

This year the remaining adult found a new mate. This new pair successfully raised two chicks who fledged in July 2008. Fledging two chicks in one year is a quite unusual feat for eagles.