M15 and F23’s Nest

M15 and F23 are a famous pair of Bald Eagles in Fort Meyers that have their own webcams and website. They’ve started doing their annual nestorations in preparation for this year’s eaglets. We got there right at sunrise and for almost two hours they made several stick and moss runs. It was a great morning as not only were they active, but the wind was blowing in from behind us and the sun was there too. It made for some great take offs and landings!

F23 up above the nest as the sun is coming up

M15 looking up for approval from F23 on his stick placement

M15 tried landing on this branch. It couldn’t hold him and he moved on to try another

M15 returns with a stick as F23 moves down to the nest to help with its placement

M15 searching a nearby tree for the “perfect” stick as the morning sun shown through on his face

M15 with a branch

M flies in with the branch as F waits for him

F23 takes a turn at stick gathering

F23 calling out to M

M flying in with F watching

M on a tree near the nest

With his eye on a branch up above, M prepares to launch up

Powerful wings propel M upwards

A Dove heads out fast as M flys up to grab a branch

M prepares to pull off a large branch

M’s powerful tug only took off a small branch that he didn’t hang onto. It fell off to the left

With the branch falling and M coming down fast, another Dove heads out as quick as it can

M makes a landing on a more sturdy branch

M coming in to land on another nearby branch

M surveys his surroundings for a good stick or some moss for the nest

M found a huge stick with a big piece of moss

M climbs higher with his giant stick

M climbing higher towards the nest

M arrives at the nest with his stick and moss

M looks like he’s running in the air as he lands

M15 and F23 sitting above the nest

F23 jumps down to the nest as M15 watches

F23 returns to a perch above the nest

A juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker pops up with an acorn

M sitting above the nest

With his eye on a targeted branch, M prepares to take flight

And off M goes!

M flying past the cameras

M landed in a tree almost right above where we were standing

M getting a good look at something down below

Loads of feather detail in this portrait of M

M looking right down at me

M still curiously checking something out

M picks a very small landing area on the side of a tree

M didn’t stay long on the small branch

M in flight

M returns with F waiting in the nest

M and F taking a break

F23 moves up to a branch as M15 waits down in the nest

Now M moves up out of the nest

M taking care of business before he heads off for the day

M lifting off to start his days adventures away from the nest

It is always so much fun to come down to Fort Meyers and spend time with M15 and F23. The end of December is usually when this year’s eaglets will be born, so we should be back after that to see them as well as M and F making food runs.