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Lake Casitas Eagles in Ojai, California - Bald Eagle Nest Ground Observations

This bald eagle nest is the first in nearly 100 years to hatch chicks on Ventura County's mainland. The last recorded nesting of Bald Eagles on Ventura County's mainland was in 1922. For the past three to four years, this pair has been spotted at Lake Casitas in Ojai, California. The pair attempted to breed last year, but they were probably too young. It is believed the chicks hatched around April 6, 2013.

The young pair took over the largest, tallest nest in what was a great blue heron rookery in a group of eucalyptus trees at the lake. They picked one of the nests and built it up. It appeared that they were incubating for a couple of weeks during the 2011 season until there was a tussle with another bird in or near the nest. After that, the pair was not seen incubating. During the 2012 nesting season, the pair was not seen incubating at all. It is being monitored by a local resident and the Ojai Raptor Center.

A small number of Bald Eagles are known to habitat throughout Southern California which includes Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and San Bernardino Counties.
Lake Casitas is a large Recreaton area featuring 400 campsites, picnic areas, fishing and boating, biking and hiking and special events.


EGG LAYING HISTORY

Original Female CF1 and Original Male CM1
2013: 2 eggs laid 3/3/13... Hatch 4/6/13... 2 fledged (C1 & C2) ~ 6/28/13

2014: at least 1 egg laid 2/22/14...Hatch: 3/28/14... 1 fledged (C3) ~ 7/4/14

2015: 2 eggs laid 2/25/15..Hatch around 3/30 or 31st... (C4 & C5)
both chicks were killed soon after hatching by the new resident female (who ousted the original female)....

New Female CF2/K97 and Original Male CM1.
2016: 2 eggs laid late February...Hatch: 4/3/16... 2 fledged (C6 & C7) ~ 6/25/16 (Accidental C6 - returned back to nest on 6/27, another accidental flight 7/2 for C6, Fledge for C7 7/5... 7/20 - Both fledglings reported last seen together perched in a tree at the point near damn https://youtu.be/Rw5hySdDHM4.... 7/25 - last visual of fledgling reported at the nest tree area... after male delivered fish and the juvie didn't take it https://youtu.be/apKOeM8DcYw. 7/26/16 - Last reported visual of juvenile at the lake.

2017: Hatch: 4/1/17
4/11/17 - first visual of C8... 6/20/17 - Branched at 80 days...


Link to Lake Casitas FaceBook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/LakeCasitasEaglesOjai

Videos:
http://bit.ly/1C3WMvW

Photos Courtesy of Linda Frazier

Photos courtesy of Linda Frazier.

The first two photos were taken Christmas time 2010.
Notice the male still has a dirty tail and some dark on his white head.

Perched


Flying together around the lake.


Feb. 22, 2011

Lake Casitas where the red dot is.
Notice Santa Cruz Island in the Pacific Ocean, where many Tagged and Banded eagles reside due to the reintroduction of bald eagles to the Northern Channel Islands. The efforts have been led by Dr. Peter Sharpe, a biologist for the Institute for Wildlife Studies which also includes the Southern Channel Islands as well.
More information coming.

EGG LAYING HISTORY

2013: 2 eggs laid 3/3/13... Hatch 4/6/13... 2 fledged (C1 & C2) ~ 6/28/13

2014: at least 1 egg laid 2/22/14...Hatch: 3/28/14... 1 fledged (C3) ~ 7/4/14

2015: 2 eggs laid 2/25/15..Hatch around 3/30 or 31st... (C4 & C5)
both chicks were killed soon after hatching by the new resident female (who ousted & replaced the original female)....

2016: 2 eggs laid late February...Hatch: 4/3/16... 2 fledged (C6 & C7) ~ 6/25/16 (Accidental C6 - returned back to nest on 6/27, another accidental flight 7/2 for C6, Fledge for C7 7/5... 7/20 - Both fledglings reported last seen together perched in a tree at the point near damn 7/25 - last visual of fledgling reported at the nest tree area... after male delivered fish and the juvie didn't take it 7/26/16 - Last reported visual of juvenile at the lake.

2017: Hatch: 4/1/17


ORIGINAL FEMALE
forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=526500 or http://bit.ly/2oZO59V

Photos of the original female in December 2010 when first spotted at the Lake in Dec. 2010 and after being displaced in late March 2013.
forum/viewtopic.php?topic=935357#935357

http://www.ojaivalleynews.com/archives/ ... 124057.pdf


NEW FEMALE April, 2015
The new female with the orange wing bling was banded/tagged as a chick.
Here is some information about her.
K-97 aka Joy (F)
"From: West End Nest on Catalina Island, California
Banded on: June 5/09
Fledged on: July 2/09 .... *
Catalina Update: Feb 8/12. On Saturday, February 4th, 2012, K97 was spotted flying over the lower reservoir from Castaic Lake near Santa Clarita in Southern California.
Catalina Update: May 23/12. Spotted by Steffani at the east end of Catalina Island.
April 2, 2015. K-97 spotted at Lake Casitas, Ojai, CA. Appears to be involved in a territorial dispute. The resident female of the nest has been injured and has flown out of the area. K-97 is getting closer and closer to the male on the nest."
(Parents K-01 and Wray) .

Class of 2009
http://z7.invisionfree.com/CHIL_EagleCA ... 1989&st=30

VIDEOS:
Link to Lake Casitas Eagles Videos: http://bit.ly/1C3WMvW

Photos courtesy of Linda Frazier.

Dad brings a fish in his left talon.
Sticks around for lunch and is off again.
The eaglets were 5 weeks on May 11, 2013




Awww. This photo was taken sometime around April 21 by Linda Frazier.

Photos courtesy of Linda Frazier


Five weeks to go before fledge time according to Linda.

What a face!!!

Photos courtesy of Linda Frazier.

Linda writes:

Casitas eaglets continue to thrive. Parents are bringing food in faster than the kids can eat it.. Dad had to chase off some imaginary intruders (vultures)... and then landed to clean up his feathers... all is good...will start fledge watch towards the final week in June.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

My first visit observing the Lake Casitas Eagles nest.
Although I have been to Lake Casitas many times in the past 25 years, I have never seen a bald eagle at the lake. This certainly shows how the Bald Eagle is making a true comeback. This lake is full of good eats for the bald eagle.

My husband and I arrived around 9:30 am and left around 3:00 pm.
One parent was perched in the nest tree.
There were two fish deliveries in the morning, within an hour of each other.
One parent stayed to feed for the first delivery. (video below of the feeding).
One parent was perched near the nest, as the other parent arrived on the nest with the second delivery about an hour later. (video posted below).
The eaglets nor the parents were very active after noon due to the heat. (we probably missed all the very early morning action).
I was able to capture a short video of one wingersizing a bit. (video posted below).

I also tried to get a quick perspective of the nest in relation to the lake. (video posted below).

I am hoping after my first visit to the nest and playing with the best place to shoot video's, (considering light, location, distance etc.) the quality will be a little better for my next visit.
Of course it will help tremendously once my new better quality (full HD) video recorder arrives in the mail.



Parent Feeding 8 Week Old Chicks_June 1, 13
http://youtu.be/6Oqn8-sxe2g

Parent Delivers While Other Parent Is Perched Nearby_June 1, 13
http://youtu.be/BsljXXimqAI

Two Chicks and a Lake_June 1, 13
http://youtu.be/57CksRK_fH8

Winger Practice_June 1, 13
http://youtu.be/QFBu9v3sc4M

The Whole Family In View_June 1, 13
http://youtu.be/oBPdpz9BeB0