San Lameer Newsflash/Nuusflits May / June 2017 | Page 8

CROWN EAGLES / KROONARENDE
likely that its first prey will be a dassie,
since these are more easily caught than its
other common prey, the vervet monkey. We
expect that, provided it is as successful in
feeding itself as the other juveniles have
On 20 May 2017 the juvenile was exactly 8 been in the past five years of intense
monitoring of their behaviour, it will leave
months old. Generally Crowned Eagles
produce one chick only every two years and the area by the end of June.
then that chick is fed until it is 14 months
old. However, where there is an abundance In July we expect that adults to start
of food, as is the case in San Lameer, the refurbishing the nest for the new breeding
season. This takes about six weeks and the
eagles produce a chick every year. To
new eggs are generally laid by the San
maintain that breeding cycle, they
therefore stop feeding the chick when it is Lameer pair early in August for an
incubation period that lasts for between 48
only 8 months old, forcing it to start
and 52 days.
hunting for its own prey. This forced
premature independence presents an
extremely difficult and confusing challenge Ons Kroonarend-familie lok steeds
belangstelling op nasionale vlak, en deur
for an 8-month-old. Right now we are
witnessing that situation. On 16 May 2017 middel van die internet, ook op
the adult female delivered her last meal to internasionale vlak.
the juvenile.
Op 20 Mei 2017 was die jong arend presies
Since then she, and sometimes the male, 8 maande oud. In die algemeen broei
have flown to the nesting tree and allowed Kroonarende elke twee jaar een kuiken uit,
en dan word die kuiken gevoer totdat dit 14
the juvenile to think that they were
delivering food, but in fact they would bring maande oud is. Maar, waar daar 'n oorvloed
nothing. The result is the plaintiff crying kos is, soos by San Lameer, broei die arende
we are hearing as the juvenile experiences elke jaar 'n kuiken uit. Om die teëlsiklus te
handhaaf, stop hulle dan om die kuiken te
the pangs of extreme hunger that will
ultimately trigger the wheels of predatory voed wanneer dit net 8 maande oud is, en
dwing hul die jong arend om te begin jag vir
instinct to start turning its psyche. It is
Our Crowned eagle family continues to
excite interest both nationally and, through
the reach of the internet, internationally as
well.
While birdies please golfers, eagles engage the imaginations with
much greater excitement. Here celebrity golfer and master
photographer Mark McNulty, who lives on the estate, is surrounded
by admirers who are all entranced by a different genre of eagle.
This one is up a tree.
Photos by / Foto’s deur
Jacques Sellschop
sy eie prooi. Hierdie gedwonge voortydige
onafhanklikheid bied 'n uiters moeilike en
verwarrende uitdaging vir 'n 8-maande-oue jong
arend. Op die oomblik beleef ons die situasie. Op
16 Mei 2017 het die vroulike kroonarend haar
laaste ete aan die jong arend afgelewer.
Sedertdien het sy, en soms die mannetjie, na die
nesboom gevlieg en die jong arend toegelaat om
te dink dat hulle kos vir haar aflewer, maar hulle
het niks gebring nie. Die gevolg is dat ons die
klaer hoor huil, aangesien sy die pyn van uiterste
hongersnood ervaar wat uiteindelik haar instink
as roofdier sal aanwakker. Dit is waarskynlik dat
haar eerste prooi 'n dassie sal wees, aangesien
dit makliker gevang kan word as haar ander
gewone prooisoort, die blou apie. Ons verwag dat,
indien sy so suksesvol gaan wees soos die vorige
jong kroonarende, wat ons reeds vir die afgelope
vyf jaar intensief monitor, behoort sy ten einde
van Junie 2017 die gebied te verlaat.
In Julie verwag ons dat die volwasse
kroonarendpaar, die nes vir die nuwe teëlseisoen
sal opknap. Dit neem ongeveer ses weke en die
nuwe eiers word vroeg in Augustus deur die San
Lameer-paar gelê vir 'n inkubasieperiode, wat
tussen 48 en 52 dae sal duur.
The adult female Crowned eagle performing her maternal
duties six weeks ago when she was feeding the juvenile at
least every second day. She is carrying a leg of venison,
probably dissected from a small antelope that she would
have killed by descending on to its back from the lower
branches of a tree and penetrating its lungs with the four
formidable talons on each leg that have a crushing power of
800lbs per square inch. Her preferred prey is generally
dassie and vervet monkey.
Written by / Geskryf deur
Jacques Sellschop
After 4 days of continuous rain, the juvenile is in need
of a make-over. She is looking a bit dishevelled, but
just check how her crop is bulging with food. Mother
filled it this time but I in future she is going to have to
do so herself. Here she appears to be picking bits of
food from her teeth with those formidable talons that
she will use as weapons in the hunt.