05/31/2026
5-30-26
Dallas, TX
I decided to make a day trip to Dallas.
I rarely have a weekend off and woke up early anyways.
I wanted to visit an Eagle's nest there which has 3 eaglets this year!
It is rare, normal is 1-2, with 3 being problematic and the success of all 3 surviving is low.
This family has done a wonderful job distributing the food.
There is indeed 1 that is smaller than its siblings but it looks healthy and just might get to eat a little more for a few days.
I was told Friday night the biggest sibling was attempting to fly from one branch to another and did not make it, floating down to the ground.
It spent the night there last night and was hopping, trying to catch flight multiple times throughout the day today.
The good news came after I had already headed back to Houston.
It finally got enough air to get its self up on top of the bathrooms in front of the nest area. So it is at least safer from other ground predators. It had been hanging out in that area most of the day.
Meanwhile the smallest one was standing proudly on the edge of the nest while the middle sibling was on a branch above the nest and across from mom.
Dad came in to deliver a fish in the late morning then stayed in a tree across for the nest watching the eaglet on the ground for a few hours then right as I was leaving he finally took flight again, likely to go get more food for the nest.
The park rangers have since blocked off access to the road that goes by the nest tree and will reopen it for cars, runners / walkers and cyclist when all 3 eaglets are able to fly. So probably 2-3 weeks.
It was fun to see.
I have seen these parents before when I went to photograph some races up there and last year I saw 1 of the fledglings, I didn't know at that time that their nest last year was knocked down during a storm.
I was told (unconfirmed) that 1 of the 2 eaglets from last year didn't make it. Meaning I saw the one that did.
So seeing these 3 at this stage is a great sign.
I'll likely go back in a few weeks when I go to shoot another race there.