The day after I last posted, I noticed new behaviors with the Bald Eagle chicks — they began stretching and flapping their wings…

…and they began feeding themselves — just a little at first, but it’s a milestone.

As with all new skills, wing-flapping takes a lot of practice, and the willingness to fail. They need to practice until they get it right. Once they try to fly, they have to get the basics right the first time.

One of the Eagle chicks spent a fair amount of time staring into the camera this day. I suspect that the lens caught the light and that caught the attention of the chick.

More wing-stretching. Only one chick stretches at a time, often in sessions of fifteen minutes or more at a time. They have also moved closer to the edge of the nest.

A new twist to the wing stretching — hopping as they flap.