Road's End South Rock

We have found three nests at Road's End. In 2016, only two were occupied. South Rock and Middle Rock both nested out of sight, as usual, on the west side but both failed. They both then renested. North Rock birds never nested.

South Rock on left, Middle Rock on right

We observed incubation exchanges on south Rock, southwest side, on 5/17, 5/24, 6/1 and 6/7. On 6/15 they were on the northwest side of the rock instead of the southwest. We did not know if they had hatched chicks and moved them or if they were starting over. This was when a pair of Bald Eagles began hanging out nearby. On 6/21, the pair of BAEA perched on top of the South nest rock. The BLOY dove at them to no avail. One eagle flew off and captured a bird, could not tell if it was a gull or pigeon guillemot or something else.

On 6/29 and 7/5, we observed incubation exchanges. Eagles still in area, usually on a bare tree on the mainland.

From 7/12 onward, the eagles were no longer around.  BLOY still apparently just incubating on 7/12 and 7/19. On 7/26 we saw BLOY bringing food to nest area.

We suspected unseen chick(s) behind ledge that adult is looking toward

On 8/2 both adults were on a foraging rock to the south preening and resting but one did return to nest site periodically. This was high tide so not feeding.

On 8/10, both adults were together off site at one rock or another but never that I saw on the nest rock. Periodically they disappeared and then reappeared on another rock, so they could have returned to some place on the back side of the nest rock out of my view. They did not return to the nest area so if the chicks are still alive, they have moved location. On 8/16, one adult rested at high tide for the 1 hour we watched on the rock north of South Rock. Suspect other adult with chicks somewhere.

Chicks hatch in 26-32 days. This second nest was begun on or about 6/15. 30 days later would be July 15, so if chicks had hatched then, they would be about 28 days old by 8/10, 34 days by 8/16. Fledging is about 38-40 days from hatch.

8/25 both adults on west-most foraging rock, mostly resting. One adult periodically disappeared and then later reappeared. One was seen once flying back to foraging rock from west side of nest rock, but it did not appear to have taken food. There is foraging area on the west side so don't know if chick(s) are there and able to forage. If still alive, they have not fledged.

South nest rock below scope handle, west most foraging rock above it

one BLOY foraged on rock at left before flying to rock on right where both BLOY rested most of the two hours

8/30 high tide no BLOY seen.

9/1 low tide. 2 adult BLOY flew in from South out of fog and foraged on small rocks in cove. No fledglings.

In looking back at my photos from last year, I realized that the BLOY nested in the same place as the 2nd nest this year, as seen in photos taken May 10, 2015.

In 2017, the pair nested out of sight again and an adult brought food to the area only once. Then they apparently renested so must have lost the chick. They never brought food to the second nest attempt so those eggs must not have hatched. There was an eagle that sat on a rock nearby for a long period and the BLOY did not go to their nest that entire time, so possibly the eggs were left uncovered too long.

In 2019, the pair stayed in the area after their nests failed, foraging on their favorite rock south of South Rock at least until the end of September

Road's End South Rock Nest History

2005 no nest
2006 no nest
2007 2 chicks fledged
2008 lost eggs
2009 lost chicks
2010 lost eggs
2011 eggs apparently lost
2012 at least one chick hatched, fledging unknown
2013 2 chicks reached fledging age
2014 1 chick fledged
2015 2 chicks, fledging unknown
2016 at least one chick hatched, did not fledge
2017 2 nest attempts, failed
2018 nest failed
2019 first nest failed, also second