Xcel Energy and Blogs

What’s on the Menu at Fort St. Vrain?

From bottom to top: six right opercular bones, six fish skulls and skull fragments, 11 left opercular bones and one otolith, seven fish jawbones, three western painted turtle shells, vertebrae, four unknown skulls, seven prairie dog skulls, one muskrat skull, one desert cottontail skull

What’s on the menu at the Fort St. Vrain Bald Eagle nest? Back in 2017, we collected prey remains from the nest. We didn’t have permits to take feathers – of which I found only two, both belonging to prey – but there were plenty of skulls and a few turtle shells. We found 35 fish remains (skulls, skull fragments, opercular bones, jawbones, and an otolith), seven prairie dog skulls and one foot, one desert cottontail skull, one common muskrat

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First Egg at Xcel Energy’s Fort St. Vrain Bald Eagle Nest!

February 23, 2026: A first egg for Ma FSV at 8:03 PM MT.

Ma FSV laid egg #1 last night at 8:03 PM MT: her first egg with Pa3. She began laying eggs in 2007 and turns 24 years old this year. Happy 24th birthday, Ma! New mates often push the egg-laying schedule back by a week or two. But this year, Ma laid just one day later than last year. Perhaps Pa3’s excellent attention, including food gifts, nestoration, and frequent copulation, helped them establish their groove more quickly. Last year, Ma laid

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FOUR eggs for Ma and Pa FSV!

March 4, 2025: Four eggs for Ma FSV

We saw a once-in-a-nest event at Xcel Energy Fort St. Vrain last night! Ma FSV has been a three-egg layer for most of her laying career, and we had no reason to think this year would be any different until she laid egg #4 at 6:32 MT last night. Congratulations, Ma and Pa – we’re so egg-cited for you! Watch live here: https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/xcel-energy-cams/. How common are four-egg nests? Will all the eggs hatch? How likely are any hatchlings to survive?

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Eagles, eagles, eagles: Nestflix from Decorah, Decorah North, and Fort St. Vrain

January 24, 2020: DM2's awesome wingspan

Love is in the air at Fort St. Vrain, Mr. North and DNF shovel snow, DM2 makes a brief visit to the nest, and Mom and DM2 perch on the maple. It was great to see them: happy Fri-yay, everyone! Decorah Eagles 1/24/20: Mom and DM2 perch on the maple – https://youtu.be/EiNhAeEVKnw. We know it’s winter. We know that eagles aren’t always active in the cold. We know that Mom can open her tender right eye and see well enough

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Nest round-up: Kestrels and falcons, oh my!

April 24, 2019: Two nestling falcons at Great Spirit Bluff

Our banding season starts Monday, but we have hatch going on at several of our nests. Here’s a rundown on who’s hatched, who has yet to hatch, and other nest events! Falcons spend a lot less time in the nest than eagles, so be sure to check them out now! American Kestrels Four kestrels hatched on May 22 and one hatched on May 23. Watch the kestrels while you can – they fledge between 28 and 31 days of age!

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