Watch Bald Eagle eggs hatch

[needscoffee]

I was away for awhile - what is the feathery-looking stuff to the lower left of the nest between the eagle and the rabbit?

[Bumbershoot]

@needscoffee

I was away for awhile - what is the feathery-looking stuff to the lower left of the nest between the eagle and the rabbit?

I was wondering that myself. I saw Papa Eagle show up a little while ago, maybe he brought it. I think it’s fur. A co-worker said maybe they caught a cat.

Edit: Pretty sure that’s still Mama on the nest.

[DoperChic]

Pretty sure I just saw a crack in one of the eggs. Mama got up to adjust.

[notfrommensa]

@gravitycrash

I know Eagles are large birds but it’s hard to get a feel for the scale until you read the FAQ and it says the nest is 5’-6’ across and about the same in depth and weighs 1.5 tons.

Also I’m spending more time watching this than doing work.

Update: The male just rearranged the eggs and is facing into the wind now.

weighs 1.5 tons?? A birds nest?

[Bumbershoot]

@notfrommensa

weighs 1.5 tons?? A birds nest?

That’s no ordinary raptor.*

According to this site,
bald eagle nests can get up to 9 ft. in diameter and weigh up to 2 tons!

Lots of interesting facts on that site:

The young birds grow rapidly, they add one pound to their body weight every four or five days. At about two weeks, it is possible for them to hold their head up for feeding.

By three weeks they are 1 foot high and their feet and beaks are very nearly adult size.

Between four and five weeks, the birds are able to stand, at which time they can began tearing up their own food. At six weeks, the eaglets are very nearly as large as their parents.

*How many Monty Python references can we fit into a thread about bald eagles?

[Bumbershoot]

I SAW A BEAK! I SAW A BEAK!

They just showed a close-up of the eggs and there was definitely a tiny beak poking through a hole in one of the eggs!

[LilyoftheField]

I’ve been watching the IWS bald eagle site (Catalina Islands in CA) for quite a while now - they have two nests on cam (well three, but one nest is not being used this year), one of which already has a chick and the other has three eggs due to hatch any day now…

http://www.iws.org/bald_eagles/nestchat.html

so cool…

[Bumbershoot]

@LilyoftheField

I’ve been watching the IWS bald eagle site (Catalina Islands in CA) for quite a while now - they have two nests on cam (well three, but one nest is not being used this year), one of which already has a chick and the other has three eggs due to hatch any day now…

http://www.iws.org/bald_eagles/nestchat.html

so cool…

That is awesome- thanks for the link, Lily!

[j666]

Did anyone else hear the dogs last night?

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Is anyone else a little surprised at how intact the rabbit remains are? I would have thought it would be pretty much completely eaten by now, or is it being saved for the babies?

[Bumbershoot]

Looks like Mama Eagle is back. I missed the switch this time.

@j66

Did anyone else hear the dogs last night?

I didn’t hear dogs. Did the eagle react at all? Yesterday I heard a plane fly over and Mama looked up & scanned the sky.

@SeaDragonTattoo

Is anyone else a little surprised at how intact the rabbit remains are? I would have thought it would be pretty much completely eaten by now, or is it being saved for the babies?

I was thinking the same thing. It must be pretty ripe by now! My dad thinks they are saving it.

[LilyoftheField]

It’s not unusual for eagles to ‘stock up’ on the nest just before hatching time. You will often see nests with half a dozen or more dead fish just marinating in the sun just prior to hatch or when there are newborns! Eagles are primarily fish eagles, but also prey on small mammals - and they are not above scavenging road kill and stealing from other birds of prey. They don’t have an aversion to rotting carcasses - maybe makes it easier to tear off small bits of meat to feed the eaglets when they arrive. When I watch eagle nests I always consider prey lying about the nest to be a sign of imminent hatch!

[Bumbershoot]

@LilyoftheField

It’s not unusual for eagles to ‘stock up’ on the nest just before hatching time. You will often see nests with half a dozen or more dead fish just marinating in the sun just prior to hatch or when there are newborns! Eagles are primarily fish eagles, but also prey on small mammals - and they are not above scavenging road kill and stealing from other birds of prey. They don’t have an aversion to rotting carcasses - maybe makes it easier to tear off small bits of meat to feed the eaglets when they arrive. When I watch eagle nests I always consider prey lying about the nest to be a sign of imminent hatch!

Thanks for sharing that info- I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying this whole thing!

[LilyoftheField]

@Bumbershoot

Thanks for sharing that info- I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying this whole thing!

I know, right?!! I have to advise you though, once you start watching, and god forbid googling! you will find so many raptor nest cams online- I’m partial to eagles myself but there are cams for hawks, owls, osprey, whatever! It’s very easy to get addicted!

[j666]

@Bumbershoot

I didn’t hear dogs. Did the eagle react at all? Yesterday I heard a plane fly over and Mama looked up & scanned the sky.

Looked around a bit. It was between 9:30 and midnight eastern

[Bumbershoot]

The eaglet has landed!

Sometime between 2:30 AM and 6:30 AM CDT the first eaglet emerged from its shell. The parents just switched places and I got my first look. Absolutely amazing.

I’m leaving soon on an overnight camping trip so I won’t be able to watch much until Sunday evening. I hope #2 waits until I’m back! I really want to see one of them break free of their shell.

[PlainJain]

Just saw the baby. It can only hold it’s head up for a second or two at a time.

[Eats_Crayons]

I caught a glimpse too as the parent was resettling a bit. They zoomed in and you could see a fuzzy little butt as momma/poppa nudged it back further underneath the wings.

[Eats_Crayons]

Related: there’s a humming bird cam that’s neat too. Unlike fuzzy eagle babies, the baby hummingbirds are uglyyyyyyyyy and momma is out of focus often because the camera cant keep up, but watching the feeding was cool.

[N9IWP]

I just saw the baby getting fed

Brian