One of the eagles feeds on something that was just brought into the nest while the second eagle maneuvers to take a brooding position over the eaglet that is believed to have hatched within the last 24 hours. (Doug Walker, RN-T.com)
“Based on what we observed this morning, they have hatched,” said Renee Carleton, assistant professor of biology at Berry College.
The long anticipated hatching of an egg, possibly eggs, on the bald eagle nest near The Cage Center is thought to have taken place overnight Monday or early Tuesday morning.
What makes Carleton think a hatch has taken place?
“No. 1, the length of incubation is right. No. 2, this morning we were watching the nest and saw the male come in with a squirrel,” Carleton said. “Within a few moments both of them were very attentively picking and putting their heads down deep in the nest, which indicates feeding the little one.”
Feeding activity was definitely stepped up by adults Tuesday.
Eddie Elsberry, Berry’s director of conservation compliance and sustainability, said there is no way of knowing at this point how many young have hatched.
“I don’t know that we can do anything at this point,” Elsberry said. “Really what we’re waiting on now is some exercising — when they can get above the nest bowl rim and then maybe out on a branch. It’s really going to be a waiting game.”
Elsberry said he doesn’t think he could get high enough in any of the college’s bucket trucks to be able to actually get a view into the nest. Carleton said she felt the nest was easily 80 feet up into a pine tree.
If multiple eggs were laid, it would be typical for them to have been dropped as many as three days apart.
Eagle Cam
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