Live Stream Video of 3 Eaglets hatching soon!

[Madame Boomer]

I've been watching the most amazing thing today - a live stream of the hatching of three eagles in their nest atop a tree in a fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa - the first eaglet is due to hatch at any time!

Decorah Eagles, Ustream.TV: First hatch is imminent. The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery...

Eggs and hatches, 2011
Videos of the First Egg Being Laid 2/23/11 at 5:33 p.m.,

part 1 when she lays the egg, and

part 2 when we get our first look.

Video of the Second Egg Being Laid 2/26/11 at 6:42 p.m.

Video of the Third Egg Being Laid 3/2/11 at 6:47 p.m.

FAQs

How high is the nest?
About 80 feet.

How big is the nest?
5-6 feet across, about the same deep; it weighs about 1½ tons.

How old is the nest?
The eagles built it in 2007. A previous nest close by fell when a windstorm broke one of the branches.

Are these eagles banded?
No.

Which is the male and which is the female?
It is hard to tell the difference unless they are both on the nest. The female is larger than the male. This female has a ridge above her eyes that goes further back than on the male, and her eyes are surrounded by a greyish shadow; the male has a line around his eyes that makes them look “beadier.” Some think that the male’s head is “sleeker” than the female’s.

What is the history of this pair?
They have been together since the winter of 2007-2008. Her markings at that time indicated that she was about 4 years old. They successfully hatched and fledged 2 eaglets in 2008, then 3 in 2009, and 3 more in 2010.

When were the eggs laid in 2010, and when did they hatch?
First egg was February 25, second on February 28, third on March 5. First hatch was April 3, second on April 6, third on April 9. All three eaglets fledged and are now on the wing but are not being tracked.

What is the area around the nest like?
The nest is in a cottonwood tree on private property near the Decorah Fish Hatchery (operated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources), on the banks of the babbling waters of Trout Run in extreme northeast Iowa. The nest can be seen from the hatchery, but visitors to the hatchery should keep their distance from the nest tree, both to respect the private property where the tree is located and to avoid disturbing the eagles.

Here is a ground-level video of the surroundings, taken in March 2010.

This video shows the eagles’ point of view.

Where can I see pictures and videos of these eagles?
RRP provides an archive of daily views of the nest over the immediate 24-hour period, taken every 2 minutes. Click on Eagle Dailies.
RRP’s Youtube site has many videos.

Who operates and maintains this cam?
The Raptor Resource Project (RRP) maintains the cams, of which there are two, and the feed is streamed online 24/7. Both are positioned on one of the nest’s supporting limbs about 4-5 feet above the nest. The main cam is automated and is trained on the nest. The other cam has pan-tilt-zoom capabilities (PTZ). At dark the main cam switches to infrared (invisible to the eagles) night-time view. Here is a slide show of the cam installation in fall 2010.

Who does the panning, tilting, and zooming, and when does that happen?
Bob Anderson, Executive Director of RRP, switches to the PTZ cam when time and weather permit, and especially when there appears to be interesting activity in the nest. He will be especially attentive when hatching begins.


log on for some interesting viewing!
Sandy

[RVThere]

Very cool.

We have a red tail hawk nest in our back woods and my son and I had the spotting scopes out today watching mom-hawk incubate her eggs.

[sadiebug]

I live in Decorah. The person filming the eagles lives in the house where the nest is located. Right in his yard.

[NLOVNIT]

Thanks for posting those, Sandy. I learned about Decorah after being on the Norfolk Botanical Gardens site that Joe-K told us about a couple years ago.

They really are maginificent birds, aren't they? Just mezmerizing to watch.

Lori-

[Madame Boomer]

I am addicted to this live stream! 1st thing when I wake up and last thing before I go to bed at night - 1000 times in between! It's fascinating!

This morning I saw the daddy had brought another type of bird up to the nest for the mother. About 7:30 my time, the mother starting pulling meat off the bird, tearing it with her beak (holding it with those hugs claws) and giving the eaglets tiny bits for their breakfast! It was amazing how this huge powerful bird soooooooooooo gently tends her young. Mesmerizing!

And oh how cute those two little eaglets are! They are so wobbly, heads bigger than their bodies and they just chirp up a storm when mommy or daddy uncover them! They just sat their, all white and fuzzy, with their mouths open waiting for food! OMGoodness...how awesome to watch!

Sandy

[sadiebug]

The third egg still has not hatched. Could be dud. The last time they had 3 eaglets the 3rd one was very small and I read that if there is 3 the 3rd one doesn't usually fly. I thought they were eating a woodchuck but it now looks like a opposum by it's tail.

[sadiebug]

The 3rd egg finally hatched. Looks like there is plenty of eats in the nest.

[Jimmyzw22]

We have a house in Idaho on the snake river and have Bald eagles certain times of the year. We have a Osprey nest right across the river from us and watch the young through the spotting scope every year. I have actually seen the Osprey catch a fish out of the river and a Bald Eagle fly upside down inverted under the Osprey and take the fish out of its mouth. It is good to be king.

[Casey NY]

I have been watching the Decorah site for two days...amazing! I watched dad bring a fish, then a squirrel..(looks like a squirrel) I couldn't watch Mom feed the squirrel, too gross. She is so delicate when she feeds the eaglets though. Sandy, this truly is mesmerizing!

[sadiebug]

There were three fish with a carp still breathing.