COMMUNITY: FORUMS

We will certainly post some of our thoughts tomorrow.  Unfortunately, we will have state testing in the AM.  However, we will take breaks to see what our two feathery friends are up to.  I can't wait!

Ki. D. from Maryland would like to add that when observing the eagles in the nest, her class thinks that Liberty is the eagle that is constantly moving the nest around.  Belle tends to leaving the nesting alone while Liberty moves and shifts the nesting almost the entire time he is on the eggs.

So, if my students are correct in their observations, Liberty is on the nest now???  There is a lot of messing with the nest.  He seems to be unsatisfied with it every time he sits on the eggs.  I'm not sure though.  It was only a little nest picking.  LOL!  Well, maybe more than a little! 

My students have enjoyed watching Liberty and Belle. I, too, use our white board so everyone can see what is going on with the eggs.  They were so excited when they got to see the first egg hatch!!!  Because of scheduling, lunch, etc. we were unable to check on the eggs before leaving. I read on the other comments there is trouble?  Someone mentioned an intruder.?  What kind?  What is wrong?  I know I will have to explain to my students.  This is our first year observing, so any info will help.  I sure hope all is okay.

Hello folks :)

I am one of the Eaglet Momsters, a group of people who support the webcam through the NCTC, and have been watching the cam since 2007 (maybe the year before, I can't remember!).  I am also a wild bird rehabilitator, and work with everything from sparrows and pigeons to hawks, falcons and owls.  Barnyard birds, waterfowl and pet birds too!

Identification notes about Belle and Liberty:

• Belle is the female, and as is the case in raptors, she is larger than the male  
• Belle has an upside-down "v" on her throat (the "collar", where the white and brown feathers meet)
• Liberty is the male, and his collar is normal, where the white feathers have a jagged-edge look

The first chick of the season, referred to by the Momsters as Paddy O'Joy or PJ, hatched in the wee hours of St. Patrick's Day.  There is another egg in the nest, which may or may not be viable.  It was difficult to tell if there was a hole in the egg, or 'pip', indicating that the chick inside was making its way into the world.

Liberty had not been seen for over a day, and there was great concern about what was causing his absence, and what it would mean for the nest's success this year.

There seemed to be an intruding eagle today, a subadult bird that may have been male or female, it was kind of hard to tell.  Bald eagles have brown heads until they are 5-7 years old; the intruder bird had a few brown feathers in a mostly white-feathered head.  It is believed that the male, Liberty, has indeed returned and is guarding the nest from above, as is common.

It is not uncommon for a stranger eagle to invite itself into another eagle's nest; competition for territory and nesting sites has increased significantly, as the eagles grow more numerous but habitat decreases.  It is possible for an eagle to be fatally injured in territory fights, and if it is a part of a mated pair with chicks, it can lead to the loss of the chicks because of the extreme difficulty in a single bird caring for the chicks alone.

The incubation period is approximately 35-39 days, so if the other egg is going to hatch, it is imminent.  Keep watching the cam!

Hope this information helps answer some questions :)

Bird Girl