Iowa Bald Eagles ready to hatch their eggs. LIVE!

[hpmsrm]

Good one, Skeeter.  Ya know....sometimes that camera distorts our perspective.  That nest is about 6 feet in diameter and that eagle is probably around 5 feet long.  The eggs are reported to be just a little smaller than a tennis ball.  It's difficult for me to visualize those size relationships from the images we are seeing.  That nest weighs in at around half a ton according to the preserve director.  This male eagle is about 13 years old and his current mate is around 9 they believe.  She is his second mate.  #1 apparently died several years ago.....during winter I believe but I'm not sure about that.  As long as both live they will remain monogamous. (normally)

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

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hpmsrm wrote:

Hooray!  Mom laid her 3rd egg last evening.....2/24/12 at about 8:05 PM.  First time we got to see all three eggs was almost 12:30 AM this morning.  There is video of both occasions.

When I checked the temperature in Decorah, IA at around 3:00 AM it was 12 degrees with a wind chill of 1 degree.  But I guess eggs are like babies.....they choose their own time to come.

This morning pop is taking his turn at keeping them warm and the camera guy zoomed in for some close-ups.  Really sharp image:

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I have yet to check the videos of the laying but my adult son in law asked how did the "experts" know that she laid the third one @ exactly 9:06 PM ET?  Was there screeching?  A pop?  or ??? Lol.

[oufanindallas]

Well it was bound to happen and it did last night, the  youngest of the three chicks passed away.  The other two chicks are healthy and growing rapidly, the little one just wasn't getting enough to eat. 

On a good note, there is activity at the 2nd nest at Sooner Lake now so it looks like we'll have eggs soon and about 5 weeks later little ones to watch there.  35 days from egg laying to hatch and 10-13 weeks after that to first flight

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

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oufanindallas wrote:

Well it was bound to happen and it did last night, the  youngest of the three chicks passed away.  The other two chicks are healthy and growing rapidly, the little one just wasn't getting enough to eat. 

On a good note, there is activity at the 2nd nest at Sooner Lake now so it looks like we'll have eggs soon and about 5 weeks later little ones to watch there.  35 days from egg laying to hatch and 10-13 weeks after that to first flight

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This was one of the Oklahoma sites, right?

[oufanindallas]

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dhascall wrote:

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oufanindallas wrote:

Well it was bound to happen and it did last night, the  youngest of the three chicks passed away.  The other two chicks are healthy and growing rapidly, the little one just wasn't getting enough to eat. 

On a good note, there is activity at the 2nd nest at Sooner Lake now so it looks like we'll have eggs soon and about 5 weeks later little ones to watch there.  35 days from egg laying to hatch and 10-13 weeks after that to first flight

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This was one of the Oklahoma sites, right?

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Yes,  the link keeps getting buried so I'll provide it again.

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

Thanks OUFan. 

Back to the Decorah Eagles, for a sec.  I found a site that has lots of info on the Eagles and a  page of still video captures, made every two minutes.  The times (i.e 7 AM, 10 PM and so on) aren't accurate but it is neat to see how they change sitting and such, even within an hour.  Click here.

[oufanindallas]

The Sooner Lake nest has a chick.  Looks like the eagles are using the same nest as last year with major upgradesto the nest.  The team just got the camera working so they have been there for a while now since it's 35 days from laying to hatching.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

I knew the nests could be big, but was reading more details that they can be up to 1 ton!  Mom and Dad could possibly add up to 200 lbs. of materials a year!  5 ft. deep, 6 ft. across and no power tools!  Amazing creatures.

[Kerry78]

I wish I seen this post earlier

[oufanindallas]

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spd2demun wrote:

I knew the nests could be big, but was reading more details that they can be up to 1 ton!  Mom and Dad could possibly add up to 200 lbs. of materials a year!  5 ft. deep, 6 ft. across and no power tools!  Amazing creatures.

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It's pretty amazing how they build those nests isn't it.  Just think the one in Iowa is 80 feet off the ground.  That tree has to be pretty stong to be able to withstand a 2000 nest that high up.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

Very nice video, I even got to see a Pledge commercial.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

Subscribe to this thread, it goes on all year.   And being a bird person, I'm sure it's of interest!

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Kerry78 wrote:
I wish I seen this post earlier

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[dhascall ACE - Professor]

It's time!  According to my U-Stream app, the Decorah Eagles should be hatching this weekend - with the first to hatch March 23-25th.  The Richmond Virginia eagles hatched last weekend.

The Philadelphia Eagles are still just a big, fat egg, however.

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

If I read this right, one hatched today!

[oufanindallas]

One of the eggs at Decorah has hatched.

[skeeterintexas]

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dhascall wrote:
If I read this right, one hatched today!

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It's called a "pip" until it completely emerges from the shell which can take up to 48 hours.

We got a pip Mon. at around 2pm and D12 (as it will be called) is slowly making his appearance.

Edit:  Looks like he finally hatched at 1:16p on Tues.  He was a fast one!

[skeeterintexas]

From pip to hatch

[hpmsrm]

Yeah....we were hearing "clicking" sounds last evening and I noticed late this afternoon, when pop got up to turn around, that one egg has a fair size hole in it.  I imagine it is the first one laid.   I notice that both mom and dad have been quite restless.  So they know what's going on.

[hpmsrm]

As of this morning...two little eaglets have hatched and one egg still remains in the waiting line.  This rather soft focus image was captured from a video recorded this afternoon as mom is attempting to feed her tiny newborns with very small bites from a nearby carcass brought earlier by poppa eagle.

Here's the link to the Decorah, Iowa Bald Eagle Cam site if you have misplaced it:

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

Thanks for the photos...I hope this bunch makes it and the weather doesn't turn cold.

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

Awesome!  Thanks for the Video and Photos.  I have been watching webcams since the mid 90's.  From Times Square, to the Arc de Triomphe, to Old Faithful they have made the world a bit smaller.

[oufanindallas]

I'm now following 3 sets of eagles, two eaglets at Vian and one at Sooner Lake on the Sutton site and now the two eaglets at Decorah.  The ones at Vian should be fledging soon whereas the one at Sooner Lake is only a couple of weeks old and the two at Decorah are a couple of days old.  Fun to watch the progress.

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

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oufanindallas wrote:

I'm now following 3 sets of eagles, two eaglets at Vian and one at Sooner Lake on the Sutton site and now the two eaglets at Decorah.  The ones at Vian should be fledging soon whereas the one at Sooner Lake is only a couple of weeks old and the two at Decorah are a couple of days old.  Fun to watch the progress.

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There are others, too, on UStream.  Catalina Island in California, Richmond VA and one in NC.  I also look at the Feline Rescue Center in Ohio.  Those cats KNOW when it's feeding time!

[skeeterintexas]

Confirmed pip on the 3rd egg just a few minutes ago!

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

We're cyber-parents again...pass out the chocolate ciggys!

[hpmsrm]

I guess some folks just watch the little ones all the time.  But I just check once in a while.  Mornings are the best time.

Mom let the three eaglets out  for a little fresh air and sun today.  All three are in this image but only two heads are visible.  They still get around with great difficulty:

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

The Catalina island Eagles have hatched too.

[hpmsrm]

Both mom and pop feeding fish breakfast to their family of three eaglets.  I had not witnessed this before.  When I've been watching it's always just been either mom OR dad doing the feeding but not both.  Interesting.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

Thanks for the photos!  I haven't had time to watch lately, but don't recall seeing both parents feeding last year.  Amazing parents!