Live Webcam - Bald Eagles

[Varga]

Just thought I'd share this link of a live webcam showing a bald eagle nest in Decorah, Iowa.

They have three eggs just about to hatch (I saw one little beak earlier) so it's pretty exciting to follow as the babies make their way out of the eggs. :)

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

[slick]

Thank you so much for sharing this!!! Now I have something else to watch/do during working hours. ;)

[Taz_Zoee]

My mom was just telling me about this!
I am watching the Peregrine Falcons in San Jose, CA. Which I do during work too Slick. ;) Shhhh! LOL :p

[Bonny]

The neat thing is there is a fish hatchery across the road from where their nest is so there is plenty of fish to feed the young. Their nest is in a huge cotton wood tree along a creek in some peoples back yard. When the babies are old enough to leave the nest they land on the peoples TV antenna & bend it.

[Taz_Zoee]

I was just watching the third egg hatch and then the adult bird covered them again. Darn it!! But it was cool what I did get to see. :D

[lizbud]

Thanks for sharing the link.:) I'm glad the big storms that moved through Iowa didn't harm the nest of chicks.

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh my goodness!! I peek in on this cam throughout the day. I just looked in and the mama (at least I think it's mom) just totally stepped on one of the babies!!! I hope its okay.

[JMCsGirl]

That one closest to the front of the nest doesn't look like he is doing well :(

ETA Oh now he is up and more active!

[Taz_Zoee]

Just looked in again and all three babies were wobbling around. So they are all okay. Whew!! :D

[Karen]

Yes, I saw one of the chicks wobble over and land on its sibling, which turned as if to say "What are you doing?"

This is so cool!

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh that scared me!! I thought one was not moving. Two are at the back of the nest eating and one was up front NOT moving. Watched long enough to see it wake up and now it's going to eat too. Whew! I thought we only had two left. Thank goodness I was wrong!

[lizbud]

Wow, the chicks have grown so much just in the last few days.:)
Their fur is darker now & they look almost too big for the momma to keep
them under her. This is fascinating to watch.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

I am loving this web cam! :D
It is very very windy today in Decorah, Iowa. The whole nest/tree is swaying. Kinda scary. :eek:

[sasvermont]

The camera is still up. The Social Stream has been shut down. The "chat" is still open. The Social Stream had no moderator and it was a jungle. Many trolls and spammers. Imagine PetTalk without a moderator.

The camera is so vital. You don't really need the chatting to appreciate the eagles. Lots of lonely, sad ppl were hanging out in the Social Stream. Chat is harder to get in, and the moderators are tough, tough, tough. You have to mind the rules or they will delete your post and/or boot you. YEA!

What a window into wildlife.

[Bonny]

The nest is up in a huge cotton wood tree. Yes, the winds are 45 mph gusts today & temps are dipping down in the lower 30's tonight. It has to be miserable for the adult that ends up sitting on the chicks.

[sasvermont]

From what I gathered today, while being in the Chat room, eagles prefer cold weather to warm weather. They have been there done that with this type of weather. It is spring there, so the temperatures are just right for them. Not even freezing. The cottonwood is a strong tree and sways nicely in the wind. This birds are made to take care of themselves in what we might consider to be harsh weather. Most of the eagle population is in Alaska for heavens sake. Watch out for ..... oh never mind.

I, too, thought horrible things about the weather, but the eagle folks related to the reserve are laughing at all us wimpy folks. The eagles are fine. The parents have a 100% eaglet survival going. And if one doesn't make it for some reason, well, that's mother nature for you.

I encourage everyone to go to the site to check out the eagles. It's a chance of a life time to see them feed the eaglets and themselves etc.
:love::love::love:

[Karen]

We have bald eagles in Massachusetts, most nest near Quabbin Reservoir in the middle of the state, where it'll be chilly tonight, too!

[lizbud]

What a life. The chicks woke up from a nap and now it's feeding time again.:D

[Taz_Zoee]

Its snowing in Iowa and the camera lens is covered with snow.

I know watching these birds is a special thing and I also know that it is mother nature. I learned that last year with the Peregrine Falcons I watch here in California. Last year one eyasses died a couple days after hatching. And then another must have had a disease or something and he died at about 5 weeks old. So very sad. It's nice to hear the Eagles have 100% fledge rate. :) The Falcons aren't so lucky. But I'm hoping this year all four will fledge. This hasn't happened since 2007.

[Bonny]

The Decorah eagles do receive some help. There are people the area that provide road kill. To keep having 3 babies a year & being able to feed them all is rare. Maybe two would survive but usually not three. It all has to do with the amount of food they can provide their young.

It was really rough here yesterday with a good 8 inches of really heavy wet snow.

[lizbud]

Much better viewing today. Yesterday I got to see both parents on the
nest, but the snow quickly covered up the camera lens.

[lizbud]

The babies are all by themselves in the nest.:eek:


No, Mama came back with dinner.:)

The chicks are getting real feathers now, instead of grey fuzz.

[Taz_Zoee]

I was just commenting to a co-worker that I've never seen them alone in the nest. The Peregrine Falcons I watch are left alone in the scrape (but a parent is always very close by) once they are too big to keep warm. Of course, it is much warmer just in general here in California too.
It's very interesting to me to see the differences and similarities with these two species of birds.

[lizbud]

bump


Anyone notice how big the chicks feet are now? They remind me of kids
walking around wearing their dad's shoes.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

LOL! I did notice how big their feet are. The other day they were asleep and they actually had their legs all stretched out. And one of them kept stretching their leg out and then opening and closing the claw. It reminded us (my co-worker and I) of a cat "making biscuits". It was too funny! :)

[lizbud]

gentle bump :)

[lizbud]

Looks like only two babies now. Anybody know what happened to
the third eaglet?

[Freckles]

I just counted three.

[Karen]

Yup, me, too!

[Freckles]

I normally have just one window open, but needing to keep track of eagles also, I now open two windows, one just for Decorah Eagles, the other for everything else. This way I don't need to watch a commercial for every eagle viewing, much faster, too.

Joan

[Taz_Zoee]

Looks like only two babies now. Anybody know what happened to the third eaglet?

They seem to be moving around a lot more. So maybe one of them had just moved out of camera shot for a while.

[lizbud]

Yes, I finally saw the thrid baby.:eek: They said the nest is 6ft across
and they have two different setting for the camera viewing. I guess one
was just out of view for awhile. I got nervous because I couldn't get logged
on fast enough to see if something had happened when I was logged off.

They sure are getting bigger by the day. I watched momma serve up
lunch this afternoon.:D

[Freckles]

Anyone else keeping track of these big babies? :)

[lizbud]

Oh yes, I still do. Notice the wing span on these guys.:eek: I usually
check in on them 1 or 2 times per day. I just noticed the tree is finally
sprouting leaves, I thought it may have been a dead tree.

They are a few days pass a month old now, wonder when they learn
to fly?

[Taz_Zoee]

I still check in at least once a day (usually more often). I did have them up and running all day, along with my Peregrine Falcons, but we've been told not to "hog" the internet. :rolleyes:

I also wonder when their heads will turn white. This is such a fun experience....watching them and learning about Bald Eagles. :D

[Bonny]

Anyone else keeping track of these big babies? :)

Yup! I live about 7 miles from the area. We have been watching them throughout the years.

This area has a lot of eagles year round. It is ideal with the Upper Iowa running through the area with creeks stocked with trout along with lots of road kill with state highways 52 & 9. There are still plenty of big trees like that cotton wood the eagles are nesting in.

The Mississippi River is only an hours drive from here where there are plenty of eagles.

I have noticed it takes a good three years before their heads & tails turn white.

[Taz_Zoee]

I have noticed it takes a good three years before their heads & tails turn white.

Oh wow! Thanks for the info. :)

[Nomilynn]

I can only make out 2 right now, and the one in the front seems like he's not feeling well - he's almost panting and a moment ago he sneezed!! I hope he's ok...

[Bonny]

It was 90 degrees F., here yesterday very warm for this time of year. The babies always pant when it gets hot out. The juices in whatever the parent eagles find & bring to the nest to feed them keep them hydrated. The babies will even spread their wings to try to stay cool. It is suppose to cool off some today with showers in the forecast. This morning two of the babies are sleeping & I see one of them is awake taking in the morning sun.

[Taz_Zoee]

They are HUGE!!! :D
Any idea when they should fledge?

[lizbud]

They are HUGE!!! :D
Any idea when they should fledge?


No Idea, but maybe Bonny knows. She lives in the area. They will be
7 weeks old this Friday. They were sleeping just now, but someone started
up a lawn mower & woke one of them up.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

I just googled when they fledge and it said 10 - 12 weeks of age. So we've got about another 4 or 5 weeks to go. :)

[lizbud]

Anyone else log in to the chat area? I do occasionally but mostly just
view the birds & nest area. Yesterday after log in the mod of the sight gave some info on the eaglets.

Each one is approx 6 to 7 lbs. 2-3 ft high. Wingspan is 4-5 ft wide.

This kinds of gives you a true idea of their real size relative to the way they
appear on the screen. They are growing up fast.:)

[Freckles]

Fun watching their wing strengthening exercises.

[lizbud]

Hard to believe these are the same little birds we watched through
the snow & cold winds of last Winter/Spring. Any day now I expect them
to fly off somewhere.

[Freckles]

I saw the three and one parent on the branches yesterday. Today there are only two. Did you see the one baby leave?

[lizbud]

I saw the three and one parent on the branches yesterday. Today there are only two. Did you see the one baby leave?


Just logged in and apparently chick #3 fledged this morning at appox.
10am. It was flying strongly in the area of the nest.They said it will return
to the area of the nest to eat. The other 2 are eating dinner now.:)

[Freckles]

Adults are back in the nest refurbishing stage. :D

[lizbud]

Great.:) I'll being checking in again on the new family to come.:)

[Freckles]

I've been following this year's eaglets. They've all fledged and D14 has been fitted with a harness so his travels can be tracked by satellite. Sad news is D12's body was found at the bottom of a power pole. Nearby poles have been fitted with protection.

2011 eagle D1, was fitted with a harness and she has been traveling widely. It's going to be interesting to see if the two eagles travel in similar routes.

[Bonny]

It is sad for D12 & the Siblings D13 & D14 notice the absents of their nest mate.

D1 is way up in Canada fishing in the Hudson Bay. We wonder if she will fly back down & stay in the area during the winter like last year. They are amazing birds to watch & the nest cam sure was educational & worth while to watch thanks to Bob Anderson & the family that allowed them to install the cameras in their yard. It has been a big draw with people coming from all over the world to view the eagles.

They opened up a nice new visitors center at the fish hatchery across the road. The eagle project has brought a lot of positives in everyone's lives. :)

[Karen]

I do love that they are tracking these birds, we can learn so much! There are bald eagles not far from here, living around Quabbin Reservoir, and their heads are always SO white agains the dark trees, they really are striking creatures.

[lizbud]

The wildfires in the West almost claimed this baby eaglet. They named him Phoenix & are caring for him till he recovers.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/07/us/utah-eagle-survives/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Freckles]

Recently D14 was electrocuted, probably trying to land on a power pole near Rockford Iowa.

[Bonny]

This is very sad news. :( Bob has said it is a part of nature & things like this can & do happen. The Decorah FFA has been working on special power pole perches in the nest area & Alliant Energy is putting them up. Another problem the eagles wings span is a good 6 to 8 feet & the two power lines that are separated on the poles hang about 3 feet apart from each other so that is a cause for a lot of collisions.

I always thought lead poisoning was the biggest cause of eagles deaths but it is looking more like power poles & if they are carrying a big wet fish it can get wrapped in the wires.

On a good note D1 has returned to the area from Hudson Bay Canada & hopefully she will stay off of the poles & perch in the trees. :)

[Freckles]

In 2013. Mom and Dad built a new nest so pictures were from a distant. That nest, N2 now has several cameras. I like this nest because you can see the eagles fly to the nest and away. Please follow on Ustream or facebook.

[Bonny]

Mom Decorah eagle laid an egg Sunday at 4:55. It is so darn cold here with -16 night low predicted for Wednesday night. You wonder how they can keep that egg warm even with all the grass insulation they put in the nest along with their own body heat.

[Freckles]

Mom has laid three eggs. First pip this morning. Viewers had been about 4,000. Now, with nest activity, viewers average about 12,000!
Lots of fun watching. Perfect pictures.

[kaycountrygal]

Apr 1 2014
I watched the Decorah eagles last year--very interesting.

Here's a site for live eagle cam at Jordan Lake, North Carolina, 25-30 miles from me (near Chapel Hill-Durham)

http://www.ustream.tv/jordanlakeeagles

[Freckles]

3/28/2015
1 hatchling, 1 pip and 1 egg.

[Freckles]

Here's where to find the eagles
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

[lizbud]

It's a very windy day on the nest.:)