Solved Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam

[Anak]

Changing of the Guard....

One arriving:



One departing:



Images courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

 

[Anak]

One Eaglet has arrived....

Caught this at 11:45am edt (15:45UTC)



You can see the eaglet when they exchanged places.



Images courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

There is what looks like three fish laying in the nest; two by the eagle's feet and one North of the eaglet, though that one could be a squirrel.

 

[Layback Bear]

I like the way the parent eagle is looking at the little one. Just waiting for the little guy to get out of the shell all by itself. Then being ready to take care of the rest. The parent knows the little guy will be hungry and also that their must be food ready for the parents so they don't have to leave the nest often for a while.

I really don't know how much a new born eagle eats but mom and dad seem to be prepared.

 

[Anak]

How much does a newborn eat?

I've looked around and found nothing definitive. One site says it depends:

Q. How much food does an eaglet require daily?
A. That would depend upon the eaglet's age, weight, growth stage, level of activity, and other physiological factors; requirement thus varies or changes from day to day.

Source: Hornby Eagle Group Projects Society

This one says:

Eaglet Growth - 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.
At eight weeks, the appetites of the young birds are at their greatest. While parents hunt almost continuous to feed them, back at the nest the eaglets are beginning to stretch their wings in response to gusts of wind and may even be lifted off their feet for short periods.

Source about half way down: Bald Eagle Nesting & Young - American Bald Eagle Information

If an eaglet gains one pound in four to five days, I would think in my humble opinion the eaglet would have to eat at least that much to gain that much in that time frame (3.2ozs per day - 0.09kg). You also have to consider the waste products produced by the eaglets digestive process, that one pound could be a pound and a quarter/half in four to five days.

It's hard to tell, but this may be the Mom feeding the eaglet or helping the other one emerge from its shell:


Image courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

She's been doing this every few minutes. Taken at 3:25pm edt (19:25 UTC)


I have noticed since the eaglet was born between yesterday evening and this morning it has become increasingly difficult for the Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com | and PA Game Commission sites to finish loading and you may see a "Server Time Out" or even an access denied if the page loads, I attribute this to the increased demand from the public.

If this happens just reload the page, in some of my attempts I've had to try up to four times, but I eventually got in.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I really appreciate you going to the trouble of monitoring the eagle cam for us and posting pictures of significant moments. I, for one, simply don't have the patience for that. Thanks again!

 

[Anak]

You're welcome LF, it's my pleasure,

I don't spend a lot of time watching I use an observation that I learned. Animals tend to be most active a half hour before Sunrise to a half hour after Sunset, lets say twilight and dusk, and those are the times that I concentrate on. I've notice it can be dark here, but the cam will still show activity up to 45minutes before Sunrise or after Sunset.

I will admit that now that the eaglets are here, I may be spending a little more time watching.

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm thinking that a baby eagle grows that fast it must eat a lot.

 

[Anak]

Feedin' Time!

Caught this action from 8:45am edt to 9:10am edt (12:45 - 13:10UTC) Second eaglet has hatched, both parents, and feeding. Even though the camera has a fish-eye lens, I would think that is dad that's brooding/feeding and mom is the smaller one on the rim of the nest, she left to hunt.

In the third, fourth, and fifth pics it's the older one being feed, but the new arrival gets a bit in the last frame.







Images courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

It is getting worse to get, and stay on the cam site, all of the local TV stations are sponsoring their own feeds.

 

[Layback Bear]

Sure didn't take long for the fish they had save to be gone.

 

[Anak]

No it didn't, but there are some, see the yellow highlights, they're easier to see when live. I suspect it's a balance between the feeding of the eaglets and the parents regaining their strength. You can also see some housecleaning with the broken shell outside of the immediate nesting area.


Image courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

You may also be able to pick out white spots on the parents back, the area is due for freezing rain and sleet this morning changing to rain later in the area highlighted. It's just starting to move in where I'm at.


Image courtesy of Weatherunderground

 

[Layback Bear]

Mom and Dad have to stay feed because they are the grocery getters for the little ones. Never hurts to do a little house cleaning either.

 

[Anak]

Your turn.

3:05pm edt (19:05 UTC)



Images courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

 

[whs]

Looks like they are really keeping this nest clean. Mother bird must be from Schwaben where they have Kehrwoche.

 

[Anak]

I realize it is Nature's way, but I found it difficult to watch the family this morning.

The first pic shows just after a shift change, 8:03am edt (12:03UTC):



This second one shows the parent feeding the eaglets:


Images courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

While the parent moved from the left to the right side of the nest, the eaglets, especially the one labeled with the arrow were engaged in battling each other for feeding rights. The arrowed one, I believe, is the first one to hatch lets call him #1, the other #2. The more aggressive #1 has always been closest to the cam.

#1 would peck #2 so hard that #2 would lay face down and remain motionless for a few seconds, but would revive to try and get fed, there was one time #2 didn't move for about a minute while #1 was being fed. Eventually #2 did get some food, but from what I'm watching #2 will either die from starvation or fratricide unless Nature balances the relationship somehow because the parent will not interfere.


Yes I realize it is Nature's way, but for me, seeing this up close and personal is different than watching other animals make a kill on Nat Geo or Discovery channel. Unfortunately television programming has hardened my heart, and I must try to change that.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep if they both get bigger one will probably push the other out of the nest.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

One danger of observing animals in nature is we want to judge them by human standards, forgetting that they are NOT human. It is not unusual for one baby bird to bully the other baby to the point of causing it to starve or even to push it out of the nest. While humans feel this horrifying behavior (and it is to humans), it is a behavior many animals rely on to ensure only the strongest animals survive to be able to pass on their genes, thus helping to ensure survival of the species.

This is not to say the way humans feel about infants is wrong; it's just different, sorta like comparing apples to kumquats. One of my hang-ups is the way male ducks will gang bang on a hen. Since male ducks will push the females head down while copulating, if more than one male copulates with the female in quick succession while they are in the water, the poor female will drown. For that reason, I detest ducks even though I know better to apply human standards to them. Nature can be cruel but it's necessary to ensure species survive.

 

[ThrashZone]

Must be why rodents thrive "Love the one your with" approach

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm thinking one chick will be leader always. It's not that one chick won't get something to eat, it who eats first. Mom and Dad Eagle will bring enough food for both chicks is my belief.
Now if for what ever reason their is a shortage of food supply, Mom and Dad Eagles will let the pecking order rule and the strongest chick will live.

Way back in history poor families put some of there children to the streets because they couldn't feed them all. The street children got mean and tough or died.

Eagles and other animals seem to have harsh ways with their young at times because they always try to keep as many alive as possible but when need be they will let one die and the other to grow to be strong.
Instead of both growing up weak and not be able to take care of themselves then die. Their always must be a strong one to carry on the gene pool.

Then again I don't know of any animal except humans that abort their young before they are born.

Even a alligator with the brain the size of a grape protects their unborn and born young.

Keep the pictures coming, PLEASE

 

[Anak]

Hunting and Fishing was Good Today...

Taken around 11:20am edt (15:20UTC)




Images courtesy of: Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam | HDOnTap.com |

Light snow today mostly on grassy areas, highs to freezing (32°F - 0°C ) Winds 10 to 15mph (16 to 24kph), Gusts to 20mph (32kph). Lows tonight 20°F (-6.6°C).

 

[Layback Bear]

I seldom have fishing days that good.
Ring the dinner bell. Both chicks are going to get filled up today.

I can only see one chick. Where is the other one hiding?