Daughter #1 wrote with news that the third bald eagle chick was about to hatch in the Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. It is about 145 feet up in a Jeffrey Pine tree. Imagine bringing up baby 145 feet up in the air! Also, imagine the chore of setting two cameras 145 feet up in the pine tree so that all who wish may watch this spectacular hatching and raising of our national bird. Ten inches off of the floor does it for me!
The parents (named Shadow and Jackie) have raised other families; apparently, it’s been three years since their last clutch. After the three eggs were in the nest, Mom and Dad took turns keeping them warm, turning the them, and assuring their safety by driving away anything that might harm them – crows and other eagles among them.
Going to the website to keep tabs on the progress of the eggs and the hatchlings does take time away from those “more important” duties. It’s well worth the wait, however, to see pipping begin as the babes work their way out of the shell.
The feeding of these newly hatched eagles is amazing to me. How does that little thing know that the big yellow/orange beak holds something that it needs? And, yet, there is always the anxious encouragement from the eaglets to the adult to get that food into their mouths. And, Mom or Dad do just that.
Seeing these vulnerable babies reminds me so of our own human babes. Helpless. Defenseless. In great need of protection. And, protect them, the parents do.
In a recent session of watching, Jackie was on the nest keeping the eaglets warm. Shadow brought a bunch of “stuff” to the nest to give to Jackie. Jackie immediately began adding it to the nest, rearranging the sticks and fluff to her satisfaction. Just like a human, she would put something in one place. Then, apparently, thinking it did not belong there, she would move it to another place. This continued until all of the material was where she wanted it. There must have been something edible in the gift because I observed that she ate some of it.
The little ones, each are now the size that would easily fit into one hand, will need to grow to be the size of their majestic parents. They have already grown to twice their hatching size. It will take a lot of hunting and bringing food to achieve their adult size and weight.
And, then, they will fledge. From 145 feet in the air. Again, imagine dropping from that height into nothing but air. Bungee jumping must be like that; but, at least, the jumper is tethered!
If you can only watch the cam on an irregular basis (we do, after all, need to get dinner, wash clothes, sweep the floor), it is possible to go back along the timeline to see what has been missed. Watching the eagle cam requires patience. Do not expect an action movie; raising babies is a long process. But, if time is available to you, take it. Be patient. Enjoy the view.
Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
The cam link:
https://www.friendsofbigbearvalley.org/eagles/