Sauces Canyon Territory
This nest is located on The Nature Conservancy’s property on Santa Cruz Island, California.
2024 Season:
Adult male A-40, aka Jak, was produced by captive eagles at the San Francisco Zoo in 2005 and released on Santa Cruz Island
Adult female A-48, aka Audacity, was produced by captive eagles at the San Francisco Zoo in 2006 and released on Santa Cruz Island
2/2: First egg laid around 15:10.
2/16: Camera back online and still one egg. Expected hatch 3/10-3/22.
3/16: Egg broke in the morning.
4/11: Laid first egg of second clutch around 1820. This is the first time a Channel Islands’ eagle is known to have laid a second clutch after incubating a first clutch for more than 2-3 weeks.
4/12: Egg broke by 1025.
4/15: Laid and broke a second egg.
4/18: Laid and broke a third egg.
4/21: Laid and broke a fourth egg.
4/26: Laid and broke a fifth egg.
2023 Season:
Adult male A-40, aka Jak, was produced by captive eagles at the San Francisco Zoo in 2005 and released on Santa Cruz Island
Adult female A-48, aka Audacity, was produced by captive eagles at the San Francisco Zoo in 2006 and released on Santa Cruz Island
2/3: First egg laid around 13:27.
2/6: First egg broke in early morning. Second egg laid around 14:32, but broke within 2 hours.
2/9: Laid third egg around 13:40. Broke later in the afternoon.
2/12: Laid fourth egg around 12:49. Broke within minutes.
2/15: Laid fifth egg around 18:19.
2/17: Fifth egg broke before 01:00.
2/23: Laid sixth egg around 17:57. Broke immediately.
2/27: Laid seventh egg around 17:23.
3/2: Laid eighth egg around 13:08. One egg broke by 23:00.
Expected hatch date is 4/3-4/6, depending on which of the last two eggs broke.
2022 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
2/17: Incubating one egg when the camera came back online. Failed to hatch.
2021 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
2/1: Laid first egg
2/10: Camera came back online after a week offline and 3 eggs present
2/12: Two eggs broke.
3/15: Chick hatched in morning
5/4: Banded female chick with 13/D orange band. Named Dina.
6/4: Dina took first flight to camera pole.
2020 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
Eggs laid 2/21 (broke 2/21), 2/29 (broke 2/29), 3/4 (broke 3/5), and 3/7 (broke 3/11).
2019 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
Eggs laid 2/5 and 2/8, but both broke 2/11.
2/11: Third egg laid.
3/19: Chick hatched
4/29: Banded female chick with 41/A orange band. Named Kaiannika.
6/9: Kaiannika took first flight. New female at Empire nest on Catalina in 2023 (displaced K-55 after she laid eggs).
2018 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
Eggs laid 2/2, 2/5, and 2/8.
Chicks hatched 3/13, 3/14, and 3/16.
5/1: Banded Female 08/A (named HP), Female 19/A (named Saucy), and Male 51/A (named Corsair).
5/30: Corsair took first flight. Last seen at old Pelican Harbor nest on 5/16/20.
5/31: Saucy took first flight. Las seen at Fraser Point nest on 1/29/20.
6/9: HP took first flight. Last reported at Point Mugu Naval Air Station, Ventura Co. on 3/15/22.
2017 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
Eggs laid 1/31, 2/3, 2/6, 2/9, 2/12, 3/3, 3/9, and 3/12. All eggs broke.
2016 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity)
Eggs laid 2/1 (broke 2/4), 2/4, and 2/7.
3/12: First chick hatched.
3/14: Second chick hatched.
4/30: Banded Male A-62 (named Isleno) and Male A-63 (named Whisk).
5/30: Isleno took first flight. Last reported at Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, CA on 2/11/18.
5/30: Whisk took first flight. Photographed in Santa Ynez, CA on 1/26/23.
2015 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity).
2/7: Egg laid. Don’t know if more eggs were laid later.
3/15: Nesting attempt failed.
2014 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-48 (Audacity).
2/15: First egg laid. Broke 2/22.
3/16: First egg of second clutch laid. Broke same day when it was stepped on.
2013 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-27 (Meemaw).
Eggs laid 2/24 and 2/27.
3/4: Meemaw stopped coming to nest after a fight with another eagle.
3/7: Ravens took eggs when Jak left the nest.
3/15: Female A-48 (Audacity) began spending time in the territory, replacing Meemaw.
2012 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-27 (Meemaw).
Eggs laid 3/2 and 3/6.
4/8: First chick hatched.
4/10: Second chick hatched.
6/8: Banded Male A-81 (named Buster) and Female A-82 (named Phoebe).
6/21: Buster took first flight. Last reported at Christy Beach, Santa Cruz Island, on 7/26/13.
7/2: Phoebe took first flight. No reported sightings after she left the nest area.
2011 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-40 (Jak) and Female A-27 (Meemaw).
3/3: First egg laid.
3/15: Second egg first seen.
4/9: Chick hatched.
6/2: Banded Male A-73 (named Dreamer).
6/28: Dreamer took first flight. Last reported near Stanislaus, CA on 12/27/12.
2010 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-28 and Female A-27 (Meemaw).
3/11: Egg laid.
4/18: Chick hatched.
6/15: Banded Female A-71. Last reported on Santa Cruz Island on 4/17/11.
2009 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-28 and Female A-02.
2/25: Confirmed incubating
3/30: Nest found inactive.
2008 Season:
Breeding birds were Male A-28 and Female A-02.
3/10: Confirmed incubating.
3/31: Nest found inactive.