Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Eagles Have Landed

There are several places in USA and Canada that have cameras looking in on eagle nests streaming live to the world wide web. The eagles on the east coast have already laid eggs. The constant winter snow storms have been brutal for the eagles, but the season is early and those that lost eggs in the storm can lay new ones.

One of my favorites nest to watch is at Norfolk Botanical Garden. This pair raised 3 eagles last year.They have 3 eggs and have stayed on the nest through each storm. The  first egg was laid January 31, the second was laid February 3 and the third egg was laid February 6. They should hatch around March 9-10.

Below shows dad tending the three eggs.


Mom on the nest.


Dad is staying strong during a snow storm.


There is a cam in West Virgina about 75 miles from Washington DC, on the campus of  the U.S. Fish and  Wildlife Services' National Conservation Training Center. This nest has had a very hard time because of all the snow. She was laying eggs in last weeks snow storm and lost them due to the weather. The nest became completely covered in snow except for the small space where the female diligently stay on the nest.  Now there is less snow. Both eagles have brought new sticks and grass to the nest trying to build it up again. I know she has laid at least one new egg. This camera has sound.


It's hard not to place human emotions on these birds while watching. I have to remind myself that this is their world and I am the visitor. They have been dealing with adversities far longer than I have. The bond between the female and male eagle is wonderful to watch. Right now the mom spends more time on the nest, but dad does take his turns. It is fun to see one rearrange sticks on the nest and then the other puts them back. I hope you enjoy watching the eagles as much as I do. I have a few more nest cams on my list, but will save those for another day as the eagles are not in the nest yet.

1 comment:

LINDA BYLSMA said...

The bald eagles spend February through April at our farm, feasting off the ducks in the slough. I can remember the first time I saw a bald eagle. It was 28 years ago, and I was so thrilled. Now they are a part of my daily life and I never grow tired of the thrill I feel seeing them.