{"id":1320223,"date":"2020-05-27T17:57:32","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T23:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/?p=996716"},"modified":"2020-05-28T07:15:08","modified_gmt":"2020-05-28T13:15:08","slug":"glenwood-raptors-nest-live-stream-entertains-through-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/glenwood-raptors-nest-live-stream-entertains-through-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Glenwood Raptors\u2019 nest live-stream entertains through pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image p402_hide\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"696\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/20200527-20200527DSC_8987-1024x696.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/20200527-20200527DSC_8987-1024x696.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/20200527-20200527DSC_8987-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/20200527-20200527DSC_8987-768x522.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/20200527-20200527DSC_8987-1536x1044.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/20200527-20200527DSC_8987-2048x1391.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p><figcaption><strong>Glenwood Springs resident Kirby Wynn sets up the scope to get a closer view of the eagle&#8217;s nest in west Glenwood.<\/strong><br \/><em>Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Outside Kirby Wynn\u2019s home in Glenwood Springs, a bald eagle battles a pair of ravens mid-flight for the prized and still dripping-wet trout clutched in the majestic raptor\u2019s talons.<\/p>\n<p>Shaking off the scavengers, the eagle glides into its nest resting atop the dead branches of a tree overlooking the Roaring Fork Valley, where two hungry eaglets \u2014 not yet sporting the iconic white bald head of their parents \u2014 gleefully bounce in anticipation of the incoming feast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve seen this more than once,\u201d Wynn, 50, casually quipped. \u201cSometimes, the eagle wins. Sometimes, the ravens do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Wynn and his wife were thrilled when a mating pair of bald eagles began building their nest about two football fields away from their back porch.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row gspi-donation gspi-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/PI-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/PI-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cBefore the pandemic, we\u2019d have people over for a barbecue and eagle watching right here in the backyard,\u201d he explained.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Even before COVID-19 swept the nation, Wynn live-streamed videos of his winged neighbors, but in the past few months, he\u2019s seen increased interest with some videos being viewed by more than 1,000 people.<\/p>\n<p>With a 60x spotting scope, typically used for hunting, and a special attachment for his phone\u2019s camera, Wynn shares his access to the eagles via Zoom and Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an enjoyable, relaxing thing to see,\u201d he explained. \u201cI thought it would be a nice thing to offer the community, especially in these trying times.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1-1024x693.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-996720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1-1024x693.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1-300x203.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1-768x520.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1-1536x1040.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1-2048x1386.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p><figcaption><strong>Glenwood Springs resident Kirby Wynn does a Facebook Live video showing viewers an up close view of the eagle\u2019s nest in west Glenwood.<\/strong><br \/><em>Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Going bald<\/h2>\n<p>A Garfield County employee, Wynn followed a job opportunity to Colorado in \u201995 and moved to Glenwood Springs about 7 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m an outdoorsy kind of person,\u201d he said, explaining he regularly hunts and helps raise funding for wildlife conservation. \u201cI\u2019ve been out and about running around the mountains since I was a kid.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Colorado\u2019s abundant public lands and ample wildlife keep him rooted in the Western Slope, and the nearby bald eagle family so close to home is the icing on the cake.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe first noticed the parents building a nest around November 2018,\u201d he said. \u201cThen, come spring (2019), three eaglets hatched.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>By August, the fledglings left to seek their fortunes elsewhere, and the nest was all but empty. Wynn and his wife thought that might be the end of it.<\/p>\n<p>But come November, the parents returned and started rebuilding for a new brood with two eaglets hatching this spring.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think one of the most interesting things I\u2019ve learned over this time is fledglings actually take a few years to grow the white feathers bald eagles are known for,\u201d Wynn said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Bald eagles gradually acquire their white plumage as they mature throughout a period of five years, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The raptors can live about 30 years, weigh about 14 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 8 feet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once an endangered species, bald eagles were originally shielded by the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940, which was amended to include golden eagles in 1962, USFWS states on its website.<\/p>\n<p>But Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Randy Hampton said the species has recovered in recent decades.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBald eagles are in a lot of places throughout Colorado and have become really common,\u201d Hampton said. \u201cIt\u2019s actually a pretty good success story, because that wasn\u2019t the case in the \u201960s and \u201970s.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The bald eagle population is growing so rapidly Hampton was not able to immediately access an accurate count of the birds making their home in Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>If seen in the wild, he encouraged people to observe from a safe distance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ll see them mostly along rivers and along waterways,\u201d Hampton said. \u201cBottom line: Enjoy the view, but also give them space.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-996721\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/05\/Eagles-GPI-052820-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p><figcaption><strong>Glenwood Springs resident Kirby Wynn rigs a hunting scope and iPhone to get a closer view of the eagle\u2019s nest in west Glenwood.<\/strong><br \/><em>Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Leaving the nest?<\/h2>\n<p>Conscious of the bird\u2019s protected status, Wynn does not reveal their location, though he said several people have asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just tell them it\u2019s in the Glenwood area,\u201d he said, \u201cand it\u2019s on private land, which is true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While his house is located at a lower elevation, granting a decent view of the nest through a pair of binoculars, Wynn said a nearby trail leads to a higher vantage point on the opposite side of the nest, allowing him to film from an elevated viewpoint as well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen they\u2019re young and fluffy, they\u2019re really cool to see,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I think what surprised me most was how long they stay in the nest after they learn to fly.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once hatched, he said the young eaglets grow for about 12 weeks before first testing their wings, but even after mastering flight, they hang around the nest for a month or more.<\/p>\n<p>Watching the birds has become so ingrained in Wynn\u2019s day-to-day that he often leaves his phone at home to live-stream the eagles, so he can check in on them at work.<\/p>\n<p>While he\u2019s unsure if they will return again after August, Wynn said he\u2019d welcome the sight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe natural world is part of what I enjoy in life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Wynn\u2019s videos can be viewed on his Facebook page or in the Facebook groups Roaring Fork Road and Weather and Roaring Fork Swap.<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"mailto:ifredregill@postindependent.com\">ifredregill@postindependent.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/glenwood-raptors-nest-live-stream-entertains-through-pandemic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Glenwood Springs resident Kirby Wynn sets up the scope to get a closer view of the eagle&#8217;s nest in west Glenwood.Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent Outside Kirby Wynn\u2019s home in Glenwood Springs, a bald eagle battles a pair of ravens mid-flight for the prized and still dripping-wet trout clutched in the majestic raptor\u2019s talons. Shaking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1320223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-03 21:02:23","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1320223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1320231,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320223\/revisions\/1320231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1320223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1320223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1320223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}