The female eagle injured in Matlacha in late December has completed her rehabilitation at CROW and returned to her nest in St James City. She was released about noon today near the Eagle Preserve by CROW rehabilitor Robin Bass. Much to my surprise, she did not immediately fly to her nest. Instead, she took up a perch in a nearby tree and watched the people watching her until she thought everybody left. Then she returned to her nest and her incredibly faithful mate, who has carefully guarded the nest and her eggs for the last month. There she was to discover that at least one of her eggs had hatched a few days ago. She looks to me that she regards the skinny awkward naked eaglet as beautiful---she has been sitting and quietly admiring it all afternoon.

Her mate is I suppose overjoyed to have her back. He had been soaring all over St James City all afternoon chattering and I can't tell whether he is most happy about having her back or just overjoyed about getting some help with egg tender and chick feeding duties. He obviously really likes having free time to go soaring--something he has not been able to do for the last month.

Phil Buchanan