Eagle watch

See the Web Cam!

I have been anxiously watching Mom and Dad Hornby Eagle with their latest eggs. They are due to hatch any day now, both laid within four days of each other, with one due on the 26th and the other due on the 30th. They can come within a week of those dates.

It's possible that they will not hatch, because these two eagles have been in this nest for many years and might be getting too old to have viable chicks. They are in their late twenties, maybe around 27 years of age! They have fledged at least 18 eaglets. I did just find out that their two eggs last year both hatched, however.

The dedication and diligence that they have put into taking care of these eggs has been really touching to watch, and I'm hoping that I'm going to see at least one little eaglet emerge. I've put a link under the picture to the web cam I watch. If you join the chat room, I'm there some of the time.

Right now when I look at the cam, I know these eagles well enough to tell which is Mom and which is Dad. At this moment right now, Dad is on the nest. He's got a smoother head and is smaller overall. Mom has a much shaggier head than Dad, and from some angles it's quite easy to tell who's who.

But for now, I've got my fingers crossed that the eaglets will make it. And when I see the impressive and very gentle way they take care of these eggs, I am filled with wonder and awe at the way it all works.
:-)