Hornby Eagles are back!

[PamNY]

Mom and Dad are working on the nest (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hornby-eagles).

[badger]

ha, I was just asking my friend if she knew when the hornby island eagles were going to do things. brr, it looks cold and miserable there!

I don't have Facebook so I seem to not get a lot of the info - do you know when they are expected to lay eggs?

[PamNY]

Not sure. Eggs incubate for 35 days, and last year Phoenix hatched on April 29. So late March maybe?

Here's their FAQ (http://www.hornbyeagles.com/eaglefaq.htm#D). Also, their message board is here (http://www.ournaturezone.com/index.php). Quite informative.

Mom and Dad have lots of fresh green stuff in the nest already.

[PamNY]

Found out on chat that eggs were laid March 20 and March 21 during the last two years.

[PamNY]

We have an egg! 7:44 local time. Mother and egg appear to be doing well.

[badger]

it was looking like she may lay one last Friday but I guess it was just false labour ;)

I'm so busy lately with all the birds to watch! Phoebe, Ma & Pa Hornby; the eagle in the Delta, B.C. nest (Hancock website has a link) have already laid 2 eggs a couple of weeks ago. I think the hatch watch is first week of April

[PamNY]

Badger, the cams are an addiction.

I read the chat during egg-laying last night. The blessed event was on the TV at a bar in New Hampshire, which I thought was wonderful and hilarious.

[badger]

lol, if it was laid 7am here, it means people were in the bar at 11am?! blessed, indeed! ;)

I'm glad that people care and are welcoming them into their lives.

[PamNY]

Oh no it was 7:44 p.m. I should have specified. Would have made a better story if it were a.m, though:D

[PamNY]

Hatch is due anytime at Decorah nest:
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Hornby family doing well with two eggs; due to hatch around 4/28.

[Norse]

Two hatchings at the Decorah nest. Third expected any time.

[badger]

and the humminbird babies are ready to fledge any hour now!

[PamNY]

This video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTu-hlvDMio) is from an eagle nest near the Decorah Fish Hatchery (Iowa).

The baby eaglet escapes the nest bowl and tries to eat a muskrat toe during his little adventure.

It's very funny and ends with the eaglet being safely tucked in where he belongs.

Decorah nest (http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles)has two eaglets and one remaining egg (which I suspect is not viable as it hasn't hatched).

[Norse]

In the Decorah nest, the third egg hatched! They were zooming in on close-ups of the pipping yesterday. Just a little while ago, both parents were feeding all 3. I was surprised that the newest addition is not much smaller than the other two. The site has a link to a You Tube video of the actual hatch.

[badger]

wow... 127,000+ viewers! nothing compared to phoebe the hummingbird who had 4,000 people watching during the fledge watch.

[PamNY]

Isn't it wonderful that so many people are interested? I am thrilled that the third egg hatched at Decorah.

[badger]

almost all bird cameras on that Hancock website have laid eggs or have hatched - I'm too busy watching, I don't have time to work!!:p

[Norse]

I went to the Decorah nest site today - http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles - and could not see a thing; everything was covered in white and then, slowly, IT started melting and you could see the poor eagle parents huddled against the SNOW. :eek: Winter is refusing to die this year up here in the Northland. I checked yesterday and the babies are certainly getting bigger quickly.

[badger]

I went to the Decorah nest site today - http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles - and could not see a thing; everything was covered in white and then, slowly, IT started melting and you could see the poor eagle parents huddled against the SNOW. :eek: Winter is refusing to die this year up here in the Northland. I checked yesterday and the babies are certainly getting bigger quickly.

I KNOW!!! I had such a shock when I saw them covered in snow. You can't even see them right now with snow piling on top of the camera. This spring has been so unseasonably cold everywhere.

[PamNY]

Has everyone seen the Hornby eagle FAQ (http://www.hornbyeagles.com/eaglefaq.htm)?

It was written by the wildlife biologist who provides commentary for Hornby (AJL in chat). Quite good basic info.

[Ann G]

I check the Decorah eagles every day. I felt sorry for them when everything was covered with snow, but they are good parents and kept their babies safe and warm. Everyone is doing fine.

[PamNY]

Hornby has a pip! You can hear the baby.

In other eagle cam news, the Norfolk, VA mom was hit and killed by a plane yesterday. The decision was made to remove the babies to rehab, and they were taken out of the nest this morning.

[Norse]

I have not been able to pull up any of the Hornby cams so far this year. Very sad about the VA eagle mom.

The Decorah eaglets seem to be thriving and growing fast.

[withm]

I have not been able to pull up any of the Hornby cams so far this year. Very sad about the VA eagle mom.

The Decorah eaglets seem to be thriving and growing fast.

try this link
http://www.hornbyeagles.com/webcam.htm

[Norse]

try this link
http://www.hornbyeagles.com/webcam.htm

Thanks, I tried that but no luck. All the ads run just fine but then ... nothingness. Perhaps it's my quirky work computer. :rolleyes:

[withm]

Thanks, I tried that but no luck. All the ads run just fine but then ... nothingness. Perhaps it's my quirky work computer. :rolleyes:

Do you have Adobe Flash?

The eagle people have made a link with suggestions to try if you can't see the web cam, and there are alternate links.

http://www.hornbyeagles.com/camhelp.htm

[Norse]

Yeah, I tried those too. Thanks.

[PamNY]

I think Hornby is hatching now (9:22 EST). AJL is in chat trying to provide commentary over the excited din.

[salsabike]

That baby is LOUD for someone still in its egg! I love it.

[PamNY]

Yes, that baby has a lot to say already. She's taking her time coming out, though.

[badger]

oh, that is great news!!! Hope this year will be much better than last year!

but on the other hand, it makes me sad to know that the eggs at the Delta nest are duds. They were laid a good 2 weeks before the Hornby eggs. Breaks my heart that they are still tirelessly incubating the eggs :(

[crazycanuck]

I thought of you bird lovers yesterday when I heard on the ABC about a bird sounds app for smart phones

http://abc.com.au/rural/telegraph/content/2011/s3200496.htm

[PamNY]

The Delta situation is sad. I've stopped watching anything but Hornby since my real-life hawk died. I know heartbreak is part of the deal in watching birds, but I can only take so much.

[badger]

The Delta situation is sad. I've stopped watching anything but Hornby since my real-life hawk died. I know heartbreak is part of the deal in watching birds, but I can only take so much.


I know. Every time I open the page to any of the live bird cameras I go to, I hold my breath to see if everyone is there and that everything's ok.

The Hornby chick still hasn't hatched... I hope it's ok?!

[badger]

it's hatched!! :D

[badger]

it's a busy day - Phoebe's (hummingbird) first of the latest clutch hatched pre-dawn today!



and I see that Delta's nest has finally been abandoned - there's one egg left there. Better luck next year!

[badger]

I hadn't checked on them for a while, and voila, there are 3 chicks in there!!

http://www.wildearth.tv/sidney-eagle-nest-02

[PamNY]

The Hornby family has two babies! The older one is a pistol, biting her sibling on the head during feedings.

[salsabike]

I love the names they picked, too.

[badger]

I love the names they picked, too.


what are their names? I don't have facebook and their webcam site never has any info.

[PamNY]

Hornby kids names are David and Alexandra (eldest). Named for Canadian environmentalists David Suzuki and Alexandra Morton.

Sad situation at Sidney BC nest -- one eaglet is caught in fishing line and can't get free. Intervention will be difficult because nest is in dead tree -- unsafe for climber. Would require a crane -- and ground may be too wet for that. They are looking into what can be done.

It's been a tough year for raptors. In real life the hawk nest I watch lost a father (Mom and two babies doing well with supplemental food provided by rehabber).

A hawk nesting at NYU has a swollen leg possibly caused by band. She could have been helped by our wonderful local rehabber, who is fully willing and qualified to capture, treat and return her to nest -- but bureaucrats got involved and nothing has been done.

NYU hawk cam sponsored by NY Times is here:

http://www.livestream.com/nytnestcam

The Times' coverage is spotty/inaccurate on the hawk story. They mis-estimated hatch date because no one knew how to watch for incubation starting; then they failed to notice she was banded.

The wonderful wildlife biologist who participates in Hornby chat helped me come up with some accurate background to send reporter. He may not care, but it makes me happy to point out some errors.

[badger]

I have to admit, every time there is a new post on this thread I'm filled with dread. I'm going to avoid watching the Sidney nest, it would break my heart to see that. I'm hoping that intervention will be successful.

A fishing line?! honestly. I fish (it's a constant internal struggle for me, I fly fish mostly and crimp all my barbs and only do catch and release). Whenever I'm out, I take everything back with me, including the really short lines I cut. And I always clean up after others, too. My boyfriend thinks I'm nuts, but it angers me so much when other fishing people are so reckless. You'd think they'd be a bit more environmentally friendly but they're awful. Grr.

[Norse]

With all of this sad news, I thought I would add an upbeat note to report that all three of the Decorah eaglets http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles are still alive and seemingly well. :) They are gaining their juvenile feathers and spend much time preening.

[badger]

yeah, I check on the Iowa eagles as well as the Hornby and Sidney (though not now for Sidney, I just can't bear to look). I also check on Phoebe, she lost one chick this clutch, though; it fell out of the nest :(

[PamNY]

With Hornby chat full of sadness and tragedy on the bird cams, someone posted this in the middle of a discussion about nature poetry:

They gave me a box of tin soldiers
I threw all the generals away.
I broke up the majors and colonels
Now I play with my privates all day.

It really is a funny group sometimes (not always).

[PamNY]

The Sidney eaglet was rescued today. He was released from fishing line (or whatever it was), examined and returned to the nest.

They finally got a crane in -- apparently that's the only way to reach this nest. According to reports, the parents returned to the nest and he's eating and doing well.

Hornby kids are getting bigger by the minute.

[Norse]

That is good to hear Pam. :) Thanks for the update!

[badger]

it was all over the local news here, I was SO happy to see that they were able to rescue him! and the camera's no longer fuzzy from strategically aimed poop ;)

[badger]

Phoebe (hummingbird)'s lone baby fledged this afternoon! that was fast. I imagine she'll lay another clutch soon, that little baby machine!

[PamNY]

Oh my goodness -- does Phoebe never get a break? I guess that's what she was born to do.

[Norse]

Very sad. http://www.kare11.com/news/article/924126/14/Eagle-cam-advocate-dies-helping-with-Mpls-tornado-cleanup-.

[Norse]

The Decorah eagles started branching today:
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAi81_OqIgk. Right now there's one sitting in the nest alone who seems a bit perturbed.

[badger]

oh, that is sad news. One of our co-workers who was 53 also died of a heart attack a couple of weeks ago.

I thought the iowa eagles were on the move, I only saw one in the nest today.

There is an eagle nest about a block from my workplace. They had no luck last year but this year they had 2, and they have semi-fledged. They were gone Monday but yesterday I saw one back in and around the nest (no camera for this one).

[PamNY]

I kid you not, there is a teddy bear in the Delta nest. The parents brought it and Jet loves it.

http://www.hancockwildlife.org/index.php?topic=Delta2#new-camera

Delta forum has screen caps of Jet and the little friend she is rapidly destroying.

http://www.hancockwildlife.org/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=110112&mode=&show=8&page=599

This is the second time Delta parents have brought a teddy bear to the nest. News report on the 2008 bear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI957yZ_9lw

[tulip]

Sad story in Richmond, VA. A Perigrine Falcon fledgling was very hesitant to take flight, and it became a minor event with a Falcon Watch and spotters and articles in the newspaper. You can do it!!

Well, the little guy flew and promptly crashed into a building and fell straight down, dead.

*sigh*

[PamNY]

Tulip, that is sad about the baby falcon. Breeding season inevitably produces some tragedies.

One of the Franklin Institute hawks (in Philadelphia) ended up with a broken bone after premature fledge. Story is here:

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/

The NYU hawk fledged yesterday:

http://urbanhawks.blogs.com/urban_hawks/washington-sq-red-tailed-hawks/

[PamNY]

Hornby eagles are due to fledge any day now.

Unfortunately, this cam will be turned off after they fledge. There apparently are disagreements among the parties involved, and the cam owner is calling it quits.

In other bird news, here's a funny short video of baby hawks listening to music in Central Park. These are Pale Male's kids; video is from palemale.com (http://palemale.com/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vXo0hOjV2cI