Watching the eagles

[Long Lashes]

Please feel free to join in with us during this season watching two sets of eagles.



The eagles are called Liberty (female) and Freedom (male).

Here's the link to their nest cameras ...

Hanover Eagles Live Cam - HDOnTap

Enjoy Live Views of the Hanover PA Bald Eagle Nest Cam - In Partnership with Pennsylvania Game Commission | Powered by: HDOnTap

hdontap.com

And here we have Lipstick and Guy ....

With a link to their cameras ..

PA Farm Country Eagles Live Cams - HDOnTap

Enjoy Live Views From Two Cameras On This Pennsylvania Bald Eagles Nest!

hdontap.com

The eagles have been busy re-building their nests in preparation for some (hopefully) new chicks. If you would like any further information then please ask, I didn't want to overload the first post with too much information.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to chip-in with comments ... as much or as little as you like. All are welcome

 

[9unfold]

Thanks, I've been wondering how you got the photos.

I've noticed that Liberty and Freedom are have different feathers to Lipstick and Guy. Are they separate branches of the species?

 

[Long Lashes]

Thanks, I've been wondering how you got the photos.

We take screen shots whilst watching them. Before watching these eagles I had no idea what a screen shot was

I've noticed that Liberty and Freedom are have different feathers to Lipstick and Guy. Are they separate branches of the species?

Its just the lighting, both pairs look very alike.

Liberty and Freedom already had their names when we first started to watch, but Lipstick and Guy are named by us ... it just makes them easier to talk about if they have a name.


Here is Lipstick about 5 mins ago ..

Again her feathers look dark, but its the early morning light. We called her Lipstick because when you see her close-up she has a smudge of red on her beak.



This one is either Liberty or Freedom? its hard to tell from this angle....

What gorgeous feathers




Here again is Liberty or Freedom? flying in ...

They look so spectacular in flight.

 

[9unfold]

They look so spectacular in flight.

Yes they do. I don't think I have ever seen an eagle in the real world. These two pairs look magnificent.

All I see are pigeons. Nice enough but not as strikingly beautiful as these eagles.

 

[Biggie]

Excellent photos thanks for posting them.

These eagles are quite magnificent creatures, are they flourishing in the wild or are they protected hence the cameras?

How did you come across the cameras?

 

[DallasFanForever]

I’m so glad the Eagles finally received their own thread. Well deserved!!

Well done Lashes!!

 

[Michelle Stevens]

Thank you @Long Lashes for making a new thread devoted to the Eagles. Watching them can be a nature soap opera.

Freedom or Liberty working on the nest. Eggs may be coming in the weeks ahead.

I'm so glad we are able to see Lipstick and Guy after their cam being down for many months.

These two should be ready for eggs soon as well.

Excellent photos thanks for posting them.

These eagles are quite magnificent creatures, are they flourishing in the wild or are they protected hence the cameras?

How did you come across the cameras?

We came across these cams some years ago. 2018 or so. A co-worker of mine told me about the cam and I share this with Long Lashes as I knew she loved nature as well. Since then we have seen the ups and downs of these families. The Hanover (as in Pennsylvania) nest is the one we started with. In 2019 they had two eaglets, we called Soap and Chat. In 2020 their eggs were not good and there were no eaglets. In 2021 they had one eaglet, Fluff.

We started watching the Farm Country nest in 2020 when the Hanover nest had no viable eaglets. They have had three eaglets in 2020 and again in 2021. Two is average for Bald Eagles each year. They usually lay eggs in February and the eaglet hatch in 35 days.

 

[Long Lashes]

These eagles are quite magnificent creatures, are they flourishing in the wild or are they protected hence the cameras?

The people who organise and maintain the cameras at the nests don't protect them in any way, they are left to behave naturally.

A couple of years ago one of the eaglets we had become very fond of called SOAP was accidently knocked out of the nest and I was desperate for someone nearby to go and find her, rescue her and put her back in the nest, but quite rightly no one did. I have to admit I was upset to the point of tears, these eagles really get to me. No one interfered and finally after a couple of days she found her own way back to the nest, phew!

Last year another eaglet called FLUFF fell out of the nest, again no one interfered. He never did return, but was seen nearby flying with his parents Liberty and Freedom.


Here are Liberty and Freedom in their favourite tree near the nest ...

This is a new view for us this year, previously we've not been able to see the area outside of the nest. These two often sleep during the night on the same branch they're standing on here.




Here they are nest building ...

It fascinates me how they work so well together





Meanwhile over in Guy and Lipsticks nest ..

These are some cheeky Starlings who actually nest right underneath Guy and Lipsticks nest, we refer to them as THE CLEANERS because when no one is around they scavenge from the big nest and tidy everything up


Guy and Lipstick are also busy nest building ...

 

[9unfold]

THE CLEANERS because when no one is around they scavenge from the big nest and tidy everything up

Very witty, I enjoyed the humour.

Brilliant images, I'm glad to hear that the eagles are left to behave as nature intended.

Do they build new nests on the same site every year ?

 

[Long Lashes]

Very witty, I enjoyed the humour.

Here is what I saw when I checked Lipstick and Guy's nest this afternoon

no eagles just the cleaners ...

There must be a 'Starling-City' right below Lipstick and Guy's nest ....

Here's Lipstick and Guy returning to the nest after the Cleaners (Starlings) had made a quick exit ...

"Hey, Lipstick someones been moving these sticks around"

I'm glad to hear that the eagles are left to behave as nature intended.

Yes me too, otherwise I guess it would be pointless watching them. I've learned so much about these birds.

Do they build new nests on the same site every year ?

Yes they do. From what I've seen the main part of the nest survives their absence and so is still there when they return, they then get busy repairing and rebuilding it.

We've had an Owl visiting Liberty and Freedoms nest this year, its a glorious bird, but I was reading that some Owls don't build their own nests, instead they acquire other birds nests and they're also partial to eggs

No sight of Freedom and Liberty today, unless I've been checking the cams at the wrong time? I've only briefly seen Liberty earlier on ...

"Good morning Telly Talkers!"

 

[Biggie]

I like the "Good morning " photo above. Looks like Liberty is about to kick some arse!

Are Eagles not predators? Would they not take the Owl as prey? Or maybe the Owl's just brave.

How many eggs do Eagles lay on average, how many babies can we expect?

 

[Long Lashes]

I like the "Good morning " photo above. Looks like Liberty is about to kick some arse!

Lol! .... She was in a more loving mood yesterday, here she is with Freedom .

Are Eagles not predators? Would they not take the Owl as prey? Or maybe the Owl's just brave.

When I first saw the Owl I just thought it was cute and cuddly I've recently learned that the Great Horned Owl (like the one seen in Lib and Free's nest) is very strong, tough and vicious, but then so are eagles. .From what I've read, a bald eagle would likely win in a fight, but maybe not so at night when the Owl has better night-vision.

If anyone is interested I came across this short clip of an Owl knocking a bald eagle out of its nest ...

How many eggs do Eagles lay on average, how many babies can we expect?

@Michelle Stevens might know the answer to this, but I think its up to 3 eggs?

Last year Liberty and Freedom had 2 eggs and sadly one of the eggs wasn't viable. They continued to sit on the egg for weeks after it should've hatched...

Lipstick and Guy had three eaglets last year ....

You can see the 'lipstick' on her beak here.

 

[9unfold]

The video was spectacular.

I never would have thought that birds would behave like this. Thanks for posting.

Owls now seem less cuddly!

 

[Biggie]

That video is....Wow!

Attempting to hijack another bird's nest is something I also never thought would happen.

The only experience I have of any Owls, is the one in the oak tree outside. He/She just makes a lot of noise in the morning now I know it can also be a thug!

A lazy thug the steals other bird's nests that is....!

 

[Biggie]

Watching the video again... raised a question.

Why would Eagles not sleep in their nests? Could it be because they are not incubating eggs?

 

[Michelle Stevens]

Watching the video again... raised a question.

Why would Eagles not sleep in their nests? Could it be because they are not incubating eggs?

I'm assuming they are more accustomed to sleeping on branches as adults but the fledglings have trouble leaving the nest. 'Lashes and I witnessed that in '19 with Soap and Chat, especially Chat who enjoyed the nest until it literally fell apart.

It's now a wait to see when the eggs arrive. Until then it's more work on the nest.

and testing the nest.

and construction on the Lipsick/Guy nest as well.

 

[Long Lashes]

Why would Eagles not sleep in their nests?

I'm assuming they are more accustomed to sleeping on branches as adults but the fledglings have trouble leaving the nest.

I've always wondered why they choose to rough it on a branch overnight rather than get snug in their nests? Perhaps they feel more vulnerable being on full view in the nest and are a literally a sitting target for predators such as Owls?

Funnily enough though and just to prove me wrong, last night both Liberty and Lipstick slept on their nests.

Here's Liberty ..

and here's Lipstick ...

The video was spectacular.

That video is....Wow!

One of the Starlings who lives beneath Guy and Lipsticks nest decided to try and copy the attacking owl....

Lol! poor little bird had no chance.

 

[Biggie]

Lol! poor little bird had no chance

So I think it fair to say that there are old Starlings and there are bold Starlings, but there are no old bold Starlings.

 

[Long Lashes]

So I think it fair to say that there are old Starlings and there are bold Starlings, but there are no old bold Starlings.

Definitely


When I checked out the cams this morning, Lipstick and Guys was deserted, but Liberty was asleep on her nest again ...

she was literally flat out!



Meanwhile, yesterday Lipstick (I think) treated us all to a bit of juggling..

 

[9unfold]

The juggling video is good.
Guy seems uninterested, probably seen it before.

Do eagles migrate for winter? I understand that some birds travel amazing distances with navigational accuracy that would embarrass a Boeing 747.