OT: Duke Farms Eagle is back

[Extra Point]

The camera was down for a while but it is back. If you remember last year, the one little baby got picked on a lot and had trouble getting food from the parent. They both ended up being vibrant healthy birds. Thus far this year there are no babies yet.

 

[Extra Point]

It has 3 eggs. If they all hatch there will be a lot of competition for the babies.

 

[RUPete]

Here we go! This is right there with pitchers and catchers reporting soon.

 

[RUPete]

The Eagles’ comeback in this state has been incredible. I was walking in Johnson Park a couple of years ago and MC Parks had signs posted about staying on the path and avoiding general areas due to eagles nesting.

 

[SouthJerseyRU]

It's a sign

 

[Kbee3]

The camera was down for a while but it is back. If you remember last year, the one little baby got picked on a lot and had trouble getting food from the parent. They both ended up being vibrant healthy birds. Thus far this year there are no babies yet.

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It was damn frustrating that the camera was down for so long. We missed everything up to and including the egg laying.
Now we'll just have to watch the Philadelphia Eagles laying an egg in the Super Bowl.
BTW, the Big Bear eagle cam is way better and so are their eagles...Jackie and Shadow.

 

[ashokan]

Super Bowl sign?
Fly Eagles Fly Saquon

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

I can't believe it but I am rooting for the birds.

 

[newell138]

It's a sign

I’ll be glad when we don’t hear this expression for a few months

I see eagles on the regular now down in cape may county

 

[29PAS]

That's one helluva nest. Go Birds!

 

[Kbee3]

Tough night for them with the snow.

 

[mosito]

What happened to the 2 babies from last year... They do their own thing and never come back?

 

[Kbee3]

What happened to the 2 babies from last year... They do their own thing and never come back?

Apparently. I think they were banded so they may know whether they're OK or not.
I guess we'll never know.
BTW, I think I read somewhere that the survival rate for the first year is 50%...that if they make it through the first year they should be fine.
Of course, those of us who watched the second chick struggle for food last year are wondering how the third one is gonna fare this year.

 

[ScarletR97]

Apparently. I think they were banded so they may know whether they're OK or not.
I guess we'll never know.
BTW, I think I read somewhere that the survival rate for the first year is 50%...that if they make it through the first year they should be fine.
Of course, those of us who watched the second chick struggle for food last year are wondering how the third one is gonna fare this year.

Site has answers to some of these questions.

For instance:

Do we know what happened to any of the chicks that were banded at the Duke's Farm nest?

The oldest of the three males from the 2009 nest (C-96) was identified while fishing in 2013 at the Conowingo Dam in Maryland. The smallest male from the 2009 nest (C-94) was observed nesting in Connecticut and has fathered at least four chicks as of 2015. Finally, another male that was banded at Duke Farms in 2014 (D-98) was found near Little Sebago Lake in Maine. Unfortunately, residents witnessed him being attacked by a nesting adult bald eagle and he was later found deceased.

 

[Kbee3]

Site has answers to some of these questions.

For instance:

Do we know what happened to any of the chicks that were banded at the Duke's Farm nest?

The oldest of the three males from the 2009 nest (C-96) was identified while fishing in 2013 at the Conowingo Dam in Maryland. The smallest male from the 2009 nest (C-94) was observed nesting in Connecticut and has fathered at least four chicks as of 2015. Finally, another male that was banded at Duke Farms in 2014 (D-98) was found near Little Sebago Lake in Maine. Unfortunately, residents witnessed him being attacked by a nesting adult bald eagle and he was later found deceased.

Yeah...that's great. But they only mention two birds from 16 years ago and one from 10.
The poster mosito was asking about the two from 2024 that flew off to who knows where or what. If one watches them break out of their eggs and grow to the point where they can fly, it's not unusual to then wonder what happened to those little guys.

 

[LETSGORU91]

I thought the bird was dead and frozen solid just now in the snow. It didn't move a millimeter for about 15 seconds. Then she turned around and buried her head into the back feathers. This camera view is pretty damn cool!

 

[eso1989]

Yeah...that's great. But they only mention two birds from 16 years ago and one from 10.
The poster mosito was asking about the two from 2024 that flew off to who knows where or what. If one watches them break out of their eggs and grow to the point where they can fly, it's not unusual to then wonder what happened to those little guys.

If I recall, the person that used to climb to the Duke Farms nest so they could be banded and tracked retired a couple of years ago.

 

[Extra Point]

The eagle is getting snowed in.

 

[Kbee3]

Someone pointed out that the bald eagles are thriving in Alaska....so they must be perfectly capable of handling some New Jersey snow.

 

[Kbee3]

Amazing how they just lay there protecting their eggs no matter the wind, rain, or snow.

 

[m1ipabrams]

Someone pointed out that the bald eagles are thriving in Alaska....so they must be perfectly capable of handling some New Jersey snow.

Bald eagles in Alaska are like pigeons in NYC or seagulls in Ocean City.

 

[Kbee3]

Bald eagles in Alaska are like pigeons in NYC or seagulls in Ocean City.

It's cold up there. I guess they can thrive in the cold and rain and snow.
Even the eaglets.

 

[RocktheRac]

1 egg hatched 6:32 am this morning. Other 2 will hatch within days reported.

 

[LETSGORU91]

Two fish in the nest. Dinner time.

 

[Extra Point]

1 egg hatched 6:32 am this morning. Other 2 will hatch within days reported.

Baby Godzilla :-) It looks so innocent at the moment.

 

[29PAS]

Baby Godzilla :-) It looks so innocent at the moment.

Sure does. Just saw it. The other two eggs still haven’t hatched.

 

[LETSGORU91]

Bald eagles in Alaska are like pigeons in NYC or seagulls in Ocean City.

They flock together, eat pigeon feed at your feet and steal food from your hands while you are sitting on a beach chair?

 

[RocktheRac]

2nd egg hatched today

 

[Kbee3]

Sure does. Just saw it. The other two eggs still haven’t hatched.

Having seen what happens to the second one to hatch when food was brought last year, I don't know how much I'm looking forward to watching the third one to hatch trying to get some food from the parents.

 

[m1ipabrams]

They flock together, eat pigeon feed at your feet and steal food from your hands while you are sitting on a beach chair?

Pretty much, except they don't just steal the food from your hands, they take the hands as well..... :)

 

[RULoyal]

Chick #3 hatched yesterday

 

[29PAS]

Seriously windy up there today!

 

[RUPete]

Seriously windy up there today!

It really picked up a little after noon.

 

[Kbee3]

Having seen what happens to the second one to hatch when food was brought last year, I don't know how much I'm looking forward to watching the third one to hatch trying to get some food from the parents.

It sure seems grim for the third chick. Not getting enough food....even with a nest full of fish.

 

[RULoyal]

Just took a look - there is one monster chick (first to hatch I assume) monopolizing feeding time. The other two better gang up on him or they’re toast.

 

[RU#1fan]

Just took a look - there is one monster chick (first to hatch I assume) monopolizing feeding time. The other two better gang up on him or they’re toast.

That Uber Chick is pounding the small guy not allowing him to feed. The Mother does not seem to care. Unfortunately he may be doomed.

 

[Kbee3]

That Uber Chick is pounding the small guy not allowing him to feed. The Mother does not seem to care. Unfortunately he may be doomed.

That's always been a little troubling. But, if you check the posts from some of the regulars on the site....which often include pictures.....they're mostly commenting on the fact that all three have a good amount of food in their crop and are thus getting a good bit of food.
More troubling is when they grow their wings and the #1 will grab any food brought to the nest by their parents and spread those wings to prevent the others from getting to the food.

 

[BigRnj]

Eagles often raise 3 chicks to fledging age. Their survival rate is pretty poor for the first 1-2 years, but having 3 chicks, even with obvious size differences is not unusual. By the way both parents raise and feed the chicks, the Mom/female is often the larger adult.

FYI - Back in 2013 they had a nice meal. This is an amazing video of a red tailed hawk attacking the nest with Dad eagle in it. Yep he killed and ate the hawk!

 

[knightfan7]

Eagles often raise 3 chicks to fledging age. Their survival rate is pretty poor for the first 1-2 years, but having 3 chicks, even with obvious size differences is not unusual. By the way both parents raise and feed the chicks, the Mom/female is often the larger adult.

FYI - Back in 2013 they had a nice meal. This is an amazing video of a red tailed hawk attacking the nest with Dad eagle in it. Yep he killed and ate the hawk!

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On ABC National News they had a segment on 3 chicks hatching in a Cali nest with a cam, I believe 2 yesterday and 1 today.

 

[RULoyal]

Eagles often raise 3 chicks to fledging age. Their survival rate is pretty poor for the first 1-2 years, but having 3 chicks, even with obvious size differences is not unusual. By the way both parents raise and feed the chicks, the Mom/female is often the larger adult.

FYI - Back in 2013 they had a nice meal. This is an amazing video of a red tailed hawk attacking the nest with Dad eagle in it. Yep he killed and ate the hawk!

View embedded media

Not sure what your definition of often is but I think I saw that the success rate of 3 hatchlings making it to fledglings was less than 50%. Could be wrong though.