Holiday time over as work on the new nest begins for the eagles

For the last few months, Makatsa and Thulane have been enjoying a holiday, but with breeding season coming they have had to get back to working on their nest.

The eagles bade farewell to their latest juvenile, Ithemba, in late December last year and have since been relishing the free time they’ve had for the last three/ four months. The pair have had time to themselves that they won’t be having once Makatsa lays her egg in a month or two, which will mark the commencement of the 44-day incubation period.

According to Johann van den Berg, photographer for the Black Eagle Project Roodekrans (BEPR) as well as one of the key monitors of the eagles, the pair have been frantically refurbishing their nest. “Makatsa knows that she is going to spend most of 44 days on the nest incubating the eggs, so she is making sure it is as comfortable as possible,” Johann said.

Johann was also quick to point out that Thulane is aware of the fact that he can’t expect Makatsa to do all the work when the egg is laid. “Obedient hubby will not only bring in the food, but will also give her some time to exercise her wings, and give her time to have a meal while he impatiently spends some time on the nest incubating.”

The monitors have also been paying close attention to the details of the nest, noting that it has grown substantially. “The size of the nest has really grown a lot, but at this stage we are not calling it a double storey yet. Give it time and it will become double storey,” Johann said. “We have also noticed a lot of green sprays being brought to the nest, so it has become a nice, cosy place to lay those eggs.”