Greetings from Holtwood

Sad news

Again, for the second year, the news is not good. It appears the Holtwood nest has again failed.

There was what appeared to be feeding activity on April 2. Since then, as seen in the last report, the eagle has been on the nest. Later we have been observing an empty nest. This picture is one of the latest, taken by M.E. Rice, showing the empty nest on April 29.

I led a birding walk for the Lancaster County Bird Club on May 3, when we saw an adult eagle fly into the nest, grasp a talon full of sticks, and then fly upriver, to who knows where. An exact repetition of the behavior seen after last year’s frozen egg removal. Others have reported to me since then that the nest appears to be empty. Viewing from Face Rock overlook on Wednesday (5/7), I witnessed an empty nest.

I feel it’s likely the chick, or chicks, which appeared to have been being fed the beginning of April, died. Sadly, this nest is officially unoccupied and must be considered failed.