UPDATE (2:48 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16) – The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam returned Monday after a short hiatus over the weekend where the nest camera was malfunctioning.
The Southwest Florida Eagle camera officials said in a Facebook post that the family was perfectly healthy and happy while the camera was down.
There is currently no word on what caused the camera to malfunction, but News Channel 8 is happy to report we have the beloved family back up live on our Facebook page.
UPDATE (1:50 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13) – Little eaglet E9 has been exploring the nest. One viewer who has been watching the eaglet closely reported seeing the little tyke became tired and use a fish in the nest as a pillow. How cute is that?
If you’ve been worried that E9 will fall out of the nest, the experts at the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam say that rarely happens.
“At this age most of their weight is in their lower body and they just don’t have the muscle or strength to pull themselves to the top edge of the nest.
Eaglets are curious about their surroundings, but hardly will explore too close to the edge of the nest. It is rare they will fall over at this age. Two competing instincts – curiosity and fear keep them from getting too close to the edge,” said a moderator on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam website.
UPDATE (1:50 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12)- Little eaglet E9 is growing fast and is becoming a bit more independent and adventurous. Yesterday, E9 ventured completely out of the nest bowl!
UPDATE (11 a.m. Wednesday): E9 will likely starting feeding himself/herself at 5 to 6 weeks of age, according to the experts at Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. The second egg in the nest has not hatched, though it is still in the nest. It is doubtful that it will at this late stage.
UPDATE (11:48 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10): Shortly before lunch time, we were able to see eaglet “E9” enjoying lunch.
UPDATE (5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9): Temperatures are beginning to warm up a bit and we noticed that mom Harriet and dad M15 have been bringing plenty of food to the nest. Two fish have been placed in the nest, one is larger and almost whole. No doubt, eaglet E9 won’t be going hungry anytime soon. The little tyke has a big appetite.
UPDATE (7 a.m. Monday): It’s breezy and cool Monday morning in Florida. The little eaglet “E9” is keeping warm under mom Harriet. The baby eagle is growing, and breakfast time will likely be soon.
UPDATE (6:30 am Sunday) Little eaglet “E9” spent the night sleeping under its mom Harriet after a cold front moved into the area. The little tyke has not yet grown a full coat of feathers. Yesterday, the eagle family dined on possum. E9 will likely starting feeding himself/herself at 5 to 6 weeks of age, according to the experts at Southwest Florida Eagle Cam.
UPDATE (6 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7) Little eaglet “E9” is doing very well. The experts at Southwest Florida Eagle Cam estimate the baby eagle to be about 5 or 6 inches tall. The eaglet is getting fluffier and you can see the difference in its feathers. The feathers on the eaglet’s head are white and the rest of the feathers are grey. Mom Harriet and dad M15 still have not given up on the unhatched egg in the nest. They were seen turning it.
UPDATE (10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4) Harriet and M15’s little eaglet is now four days old! The little tyke eats an average of 1/2 lb. of fish a day! The second egg has not hatched. It is doubtful that it will at this late stage.
UPDATE (12:00 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3) Today marks day 42 for the unhatched egg in the nest and no pip has been seen in the egg. The average hatch window for the egg is between 34-40 days, so it is doubtful the egg will hatch.
Depending on the eagle couple, nonviable eggs may be pushed to the side of the nest or even removed from the nest. Some eagle couples may even eat the egg for calcium and energy they need, according to a moderator on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam website.
Parents Harriet and M15 have not yet stopped incubating the egg.
Eaglet 9 is still doing well, feeding often
UPDATE (11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 2) Eaglet 9 is doing well this morning and can be seen eating food given to it by its parents Harriet and M15. This morning, the eaglet snacked on some fish.
Eaglets are typically fed every 40-60 minutes. As they get older more time will pass between feedings, as they will consume more and store the food in their crop for later consumption, according to the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam website. A moderator on the website said this morning that it is unlikely that the 2nd egg in the nest will hatch.
UPDATE (6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 2) No signs of hatching yet in the second egg. Harriet and M15’s first eaglet of the season was born around 7:25 a.m. on New Years Eve morning. The eaglet made its entrance to the world on live TV during a WFLA newscast! (Watch the video below). As for the second egg in the nest. we have not seen any signs of hatching. The egg has been in the nest for 41 days now. You can watch a livestream of the nest by scrolling down this page.
UPDATE (7:40 a.m. Saturday Dec. 31) The first baby eaglet hatched completely on Saturday morning, we first saw it around 7:25 a.m. Harriet was on the nest. Then, we got a glimpse of fluffy feathers moving around in the nest when Harriet stood up around 7:40 a.m. We have not yet seen any sign of hatching from the second egg in the nest. You can watch video of the hatching below.
UPDATE – Around 4:15 p.m. on Friday, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam showed a hole inside one of the eggs that the eaglet had pecked through.
Movement of the eaglet was seen through the hole as the bird continues to hatch.
Eaglets usually hatch within 24-hours of “pipping,” or the first break in the egg, which was noticed Thursday afternoon as Harriet moved to reposition herself on top of the eggs.
UPDATE- Around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Harriet stood up to reposition herself and one of the eggs looked like it may have begun to hatch.
The staff at the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam confirmed that one of the eggs has begun to hatch.
They call the first break in an egg a “pip.”
Here’s something you may not know, hatching eaglets have a special tooth on their beak to help them hatch, according to the National Eagle Center.org.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFLA) –—- People across the country are eagerly watching a livestream feed from Florida with the hope of catching a glimpse of two baby American Bald Eagles hatch from their eggs.
American Bald Eagle Harriet and her mate M15 have been taking turns incubating two eggs in their 6-foot-wide nest located 60-feet up a slash pine tree in the Fort Myers area.
Dick Pritchett Real Estate in Fort Myers provides nature lovers with a live look at the nest with its Southwest Florida Eagle Cam which is streamed live on the internet. The real estate company has been providing a live look at the Harriet’s nest for four years now.
The two eggs in Harriet and M15’s nest were laid on Nov. 22 and Nov. 25.
According to the staff at the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, the average incubation period is 35 days, which means the eggs could hatch any day now.
Two to three days before the eggs hatch, Harriet and M15 will be able to hear and feel activity inside the eggs and will watch the eggs closely. When the hatchlings have begun to breathe, they will make soft calls that Harriet and M15 will be able to hear.
You can learn more about Harriet and M15 and see how to identify them by visiting the Dick Pritchett Real Estate website.
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