http://dceaglecam.eagles.org/

oh my gosh - there are 2 cameras so if the eaglets move away switch to other camera.

looking to name them also. The parents are Mr President and First Lady.

I got to watch the mother (The First Lady or TFL) feed them tonight about 5:50 pm - 6:15

The site has 2 cams, you can switch back and forth to get best view. They were alone for about 7 minutes, the nest was swaying,one eaglet was kind of moving toward the edge of the nest.

I am really into this...

The eaglets have really grown!   I wonder how TFL is going to get  her grocery shopping done to keep up the food needs.  The swaying nest reminds me to hope for no windy storms; that would not be good.

Has anyone seen Mr. President around lately?  Least he can do is bring home some tasty "take out!"

 J.

I can't get over how fast they grow; every day they seem to have grown by leaps and bounds.   I don't know if I am seeing things, but it seems as though one is more active and stronger than the other.   I watch for a couple of minutes each day so I can see their development.  I sure hope they both make it to adulthood.   I have yet seen the male come to the nest, but I am not on the site enough.

Today when I checked in, a minute later, the mother flew off and the eaglets were alone.  The larger one stood up and expanded his/her wings and flapped a bit and that was that.   Soon, it settled down and picked up a very small twig and was trying to place it on the side of the nest; too cute and learning fast.

I am glad alz+ put this on a thread, otherwise I never would have seen it.  Pretty awesome.

J.

It really is amazing to see how rapidly their bodies are morphing.  Early this morning, when I watched for a couple of minutes, their bodies were still gray and the tail feathers were beginning to grow.   I saw that the eaglets are also beginning to be more aware of their surroundings and are looking outside the nest now at things around them.  

Then tonight I checked in to see their bedtime and there they are with black pin feathers growing all over their bodies that they did not have early this morning . . . . starting to get their feathers.   They metabolize so swiftly it seems like different eaglets each day.   Love watching them, but can only do it for a couple of minutes in the a.m. and sometimes in the evening before my bedtime.   I SO want these two to make it to adulthood; hope Mother Nature will be a loving mother.

J.

J.

Jo C - the BIG FEET! have you seen their feet now? and parents bring extra sticks to build up nest wall so they don't fall out.

also read the parents do not sleep except for 2 minute intervals.

I am so glad we can watch them grow, and to understand how much work goes into bringing an eaglet to being able to survive on their own. Risky business.

Alz+; for sure - the HUGE size of those feet.   Like puppies, they will eventually grow into them.  

I have not caught the father eagle, Mr. President, at the nest yet, I guess I am not on long enough; evidently he is still delivering fish to the nest according to the chat column.   I did not know that eagles mate for life; nice.

Sometimes the eaglets snuggle against one another at night or when napping; other times one will peck at the other.  I smile whenever one of the babies spreads his/her wings out; they already have quite a span for their body size.

I wonder where The First Lady goes when she flies off the nest.   She doesn't bring food back most of those times.  Perhaps she just needs to spread her wings.   It always makes me feel a bit unsettled until she gets back again; guess I am concerned about predators.

It is lovely to see this bit of nature close up and I am so pleased that the area is so protected from humans and no one, not even the arboretum staff go anywhere near the nest area.   Thank goodness for that.

Thanks again for giving us the heads up and the link for this; otherwise I would not have had the pleasure.

J.

llee, I too was becoming worried about the mother flying away from the nest.   This seemed to be happening more and more for longer periods of time both day and night.  

However, late last night I happened to log on for a few minutes before bedtime.   On Camera B, the staff pulled the picture out wide and it was awesome to see that the mother eagle is actually still there; she goes and sits on a solid tree branch right above the nest which is out of view of the cameras.  The staff member also noted in the chat column that both the mother and father eagle do this.  What a relief to  know the babies are being protected!

The picture was a bit dark as it was nightime, but one could see the little eaglets fast asleep and Mom above them on the tree branch and the twinkling lights of the city in the background.   Wow.

The little ones are also getting potty trained; yesterday morning the little bit larger one got up on his great big feet, and clumsily walked a step or two, turned backward and emitted a large stream of birdie poo over and out of the nest.  About a minute later, the smaller eaglet did the same thing on the opposite side of the nest.  How did they learn not to foul the nest I do not know, but they seem to be very good little eaglets.

They sleep so much, but I would imagine that is because they are metabolizing so fast to be able to grow so much from day to day.

I love their great big feet and when they peer over the side of the nest at their surroundings and sometimes when one of them will look up trying to focus intently on their mother's face.  Sure do hope both the eaglets make it to adulthood and onward.

I was also surprised to find out from the chat column that eagles can live 30 - 40 years in the wild.    Long time and since they mate for life, long "marriages."

I knew nothing about eagles before this, so the little I have learned has been quite an education.  Who knew I would be fond of fuzzy little eaglets, but they do work their way into one's affections.

J.

4/22/2016 9:25pm

Ha! I get knotty stomach when they are alone in nest! so glad to see others want a parent to come back too.

I also feel woozy when they flop over to the side of the nest. The camera did a close up of one baby's feathers tonight, really coming in thick and beautiful.

Hope mom or dad comes home soon.

They were alone for 3 more hours. I fell asleep with computer on hoping to catch a late night feeding.

when I checked this morning the eaglets are alone, hope I missed the feeding and see the mom or dad soon.

Llee - they wouldn't kid us?

Finally at 7:19 pm central    BOTH parents were there. Now one in nest with youngsters but I don't see food.

Note title of topic - CALMING AID - ha ha ha! I don't like them looking over the edge.

ok, breathe and apply clove oil to mouth aches and back to online radio.

Those kids are getting big!

They are huge and their wing span is SO very large.  When they spread their wings, it just about fills the nest from side to side   It rained day before yesterday.  Largest eaglet did NOT like it one bit.  She/he began to shake self from side to side like a puppy to get the rain off; then stood up and spread wings out and shook self several more times.  Later; as the bed got wet, she/he stood up; looked down at the bedding and lifted one foot off of it then the other and then stood up as high as could be to keep the body out of it.  The other eaglet just stayed lying down.

Yesterday; Mom came into the nest, it must have been cold.  The largest one who did not like to be wet, tried to get underneath Mom but is now too big; so she/he stuck her/his head and neck under Mom's chest/stomach and the rest of the body was hanging out.  Poor wee thing; still a baby, but so large.

Last night, the two eaglets were snuggled side by side against one another while sleeping and the largest one had her/his wing extended over the sibling.  Cute.  There was a sizable fish next to them with about 2/3 of the fish left.  This morning when I checked in for a few minutes, the fish was gone and they were sleeping again.

I understand the larger eagles are female and the males are smaller.  I am fascinated.  It won't be long before they begin to test their wings by spreading them and rising on air currents.   I find myself watching for a few minutes in the a.m. and sometimes watching for a couple of minutes in the p.m.  Guess I am now hooked and so hope for their success.

NOTE:  The eaglets have now been named; they are Freedom and Liberty.  They are gaining up to a pound a week . . . . it is still amazing how fast they grow.  Wonder when they will know if they are male or female.

 J.

They are almost about the size of a small chicken . . . evidently they first get black feathers and later in adulthood, they get their white feathers.  Their nest is about five feet across and six feet deep according to the park staff.

 Had a big surprise this morning; I had just tuned in to them and the larger one who hates the rain did the neatest thing:   She/he hopped up and down multiple times . . . boink, boink, boink, boink, with wings fully extended!   The eaglet did that several times.  It was a bit windy with a light rainfall; can't figure out whether it was trying to catch updrafts with its wings or whether it was trying to get the water off itself again.

The other eaglet just sat there as quiet as could be.   Interesting little eaglets.   One found a bit of old fish skin to nibble at; the second one did not fight for it, but stood next to its sibling and watched . . . at one point he/she would bend it's head under and upward from down under its sib trying to get a better look . . . perhaps hoping for a bit to fall his/her way????  Mom flew in but left again once she checked things out and fluffed a bit of the nest stuffing. 

  J.

Jo,

I had no idea the nest was that big. I am liking that they look less fragile now and seem to get stronger and bigger by the day. They finally have a break from the rain today. I still see some grey downy feathers that will probably be gone in a week or two.

So glad alz+ got us going onto these eagles.   I check in each day for about fifteen minutes or so, and have been regaled with such amazing behaviors.

 They are certainly flapping those huge wings more and more and are intently interested in what is going on outside the nest and they watch their outside surroundings like; well, like hawks!   (Ha!)

When it gets breezy, I have noticed that one of them will spread their already massive wings and hop up and down and up and down; boing, boing, boing!  Learning about how their bodies work.

NOTE:   BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:  One of the eaglests FLEW!!   He/she went from one side of the nest to the other and was so proud, he/she turned  around and flew back to the other side of the nest!  No hopping, it just actually flew!  Remember, that nest is about five feet wide.  I was stunned and SO excited that it actually happened just at the time I peeked in.   Gads; I'm easy.

I also noticed that they feed themselves and they now often perch on the very edge of the nest and hang on with their talons like their parents do.

So; I am actually both excited and nervous about the first flights out of the nest.   I suppose that will be happening rather soon. 

Last week both parent eagles flew into the nest for a visit and with some food, because of the size of the eaglests who are just about full grown, it was really crowded, so Mr. President did not stay too long.

 Thank you to alz+ who got us going on this, it has been educational, entertaining and delightful to follow these bird from those tiny few inch fluff balls when they hatched to what they are now.  New appreciation for eagles for sure.

  J.

I went back to the site late yesterday afternoon to show it to someone AND the strongest eaglet was flapping and flapping and flying and flying back and forth, back and forth, for the longest time; he/she finally flew out of the nest proper and onto the closest tree limb connecting to the nest; seemed so satisfied but also looked out and down and seemed poised to want to try flight away from its tree, but did not.

 Then the sibling flapped and flapped his/her wings; not as strong.  Tried to fly, but could only go, boing-boing-boing, hopping up and down; but it sure did try.  It will get there.

 Later, both of them were in the nest flapping their loooooooong wings incessantly and knocking each other senseless.  They are certainly getting ready and one will be at that flight point before the other.

I have noticed that when it rains, and it seems to do that often; they will begin to extend and flap their wings trying to get water off.  It must be miserable in a soaking wet nest with all that rain falling on them.

 They grow to be so beautiful; I am so hoping these two make it to adulthood and flight safely and easily.  Who knew I could get so interested and care about two tiny fuzzy little just hatched babies and watch them grow?   Just awesome.

  I wonder if alz+ is still watching them . . . .

 J.

Well dear friends, the eaglets are now fledglings; they have flown out of the nest!  It is both awesome and scary at the same time. 

Freedom, the female, the largest of the two eaglets was first to fly and she really went far . . . wings not yet highly strong, but made it to another distant tree.  Oddly, females are larger than the males.

A bit later, Liberty; her brother, decided it was time for him too.  He flew off a little more weakly and made it to a nearby tree.  Later, he was able to get back to the nest and The First Lady flew in with some fish which he ate very greedily.

The Mom was far more watching the fledgling very intently and she seemed almost a bit unsure; her eyes said it all.  Freedom is still in the far away tree perching on a branch.

At this time, both are out of the nest again with Freedom still a distance and Liberty perched in the same tree as the nest, but high above it.  Poor 'berty; I don't think he was quite as ready.

The Mom was in the nest with the male yesterday; Mr. President the father, was perched on a limb beneath Freedom.  They will both stay near for about a month and bring food for the fledglings until the fledglings fly far away which they will do according to the eagle specialist.  They will provide food on a tree limb too, so that is good to know.

It has been a privilege to watch this growth of the tiny hatchlings and see them grow to this point in just four and a half months.  Thanks to Alz+; otherwise I never would have seen this or learned so much about American Bald Eagles.  I watched them for about fifteen minutes each morning and often saw amazing things.

According to the eagle specialist, the grown eagle parents will repair their nest and will, come next winter or spring, lay eggs and start the process all over again. 

  Thank you Alz+ in sharing this with us; it was a gift.

 J.