In late February and early March, bald eagle pairs either built a new nest or added to a nest from previous years. The nests were built in large, tall trees near water, with white pines being favorites. They were made with large sticks and now average about four feet wide and three feet deep, with the heaviest weighing almost 3 tons!
During this week, many female eagles are now laying two white eggs. Both parents will take turns incubating these eggs and protecting them from predators. In about forty days, the eggs will hatch, and the tiny eaglets that emerge will be fed bits of meat by both their parents.
Did you know? It's not easy being an eagle chick! The first chicks to hatch aggressively fight for the most food, and have been known to attack their younger siblings. If the eaglets survive to three months of age, they will take their very first flight.
Learn more: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Click here to check out a live eaglecam in Maine.
Geese are monogamous (have one mate) and will sometimes pair for life. Male and female geese have very different roles in raising their family. The geese (females) choose the nesting site, build the nest, and incubate the eggs, while the gander (male) defends the territory.
The goose will build her nest along shorelines using twigs, grasses, and moss. Next, she will lay 4-6 white eggs and line the nest with her own down feathers to keep them warm. The eggs will be incubated for about a month before they hatch, and then both parents will protect the goslings. Young geese are able to swim and feed themselves a mere 24 hours after hatching! In about 2 months, they are ready to fly. The family will migrate together in the fall and co-exist for almost a year.
Did you know? Canada geese eat aquatic vegetation, grasses, roots, and sprouts, but will also eat corn and grain from farm areas. An adult goose eats about a 1/2 pound of food a day!
The big brown bat is the most widespread bat in the United States. It is a winter hibernator whose body stays just above freezing in attics, mines, and caves. Their heartbeat drops from 400 beats per minute when they are awake, to 25 beats while hibernating!
These bats are amazing insect eaters that love beetles. They mate in late summer and early fall, but delayed fertilization means that the female doesn’t actually become pregnant until April. She will then give birth to twins in June. Females live in maternal colonies that can number in the hundreds.
Did you know? Young big brown bats learn to fly at 18-35 days old, and may live up to 19 years!
Learn more: Animal Diversity Web
As water temperatures approach 50 degrees, the first frogs of spring announce their presence. Listen closely near the frog pond and you may hear several species: chorus frogs, spring peepers, and wood frogs. These species spent the winter buried under leaf litter on land. Their bodies underwent special chemical changes that allowed them to actually freeze solid during the winter. Now that they have thawed, they are making their way to ponds and lakes to breed.
Become a frog call expert by clicking on the species below to access more information from the Seagrant Website:
Chorus Frog "cree-ee-ee eek"
Spring Peeper "peep!"
Wood Frog "quack, quack, quack"
Learn more:
Some amazing footage of a wood frog thawing: Nova
A calendar of when Wisconsin frog species call: Frog and Toad Survey
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