Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - Bald Eagle Cam

http://www.eagles.org/eaglecam.htm
The cam is streaming but doesn't have sound.
For WMP users try this:
mms://wmlive.vitalstreamcdn.com/live_st ... eagle-pull

Liberty and Justice, a pair of non-releasable Bald Eagles - female Liberty can only see out of one eye so lacks the depth perception needed to hunt in the wild, while male Justice was found with shotgun pellets in a foot and wing, resulting in permanent injuries that would keep him from hunting successfully. They bonded as a pair in 1993, and have successfully raised 13 of their own offspring and several foster chicks for release to the wild from hacking towers in Tennessee.

Based on past experience, look for eggs in late March, chicks in early May, and fledging in mid to late July. The chicks will be removed from the parents at about 5 weeks of age and transferred to a nearby artificial nest in a hack tower, where they will be released a few weeks later as part of the American Eagle Foundation's captive release program.

2008 Season:

• eggs laid: two before April 2
• hatched: first egg - May 8; second egg did not hatch
• removed from nest June 24 for transfer to hacking tower (age 6-1/2 weeks)
• fledged: from hacking tower August 25 (age 15-1/2 weeks)
• last seen: August 27 by observers in the area

(screencap by gogee, May 8, 2008)

Link to last year's thread for the Pigeon Forge bald eagle cam

This cam is now active as of April 2. There is no sound but it is live and in color. Their web page doesn't give the exact date the two eggs were laid, they just mention that the cam was activated "a few days after" they were laid.

This pair has not hatched a chick of their own in several years. The wing and foot injuries to the male may prevent him from mating successfully.

They have a very nice nest

Eggs appear intact, although we are getting close to a possible hatching. This is an older eagle couple but who knows, they may have a surprise for us this week.

Thanks for the update on these eagles, mariepr - hadn't thought to check in a while! I do hope they are successful this year, though it does seem that the odds are against them. But after the miracle at the West End nest - anything is possible!

As of May 3th egg are still intact. Is it getting to late

I don't think it's too late yet, Diana. If they were laid "a few days" before April 2nd when the cam was turned on, we could guess they were laid around March 29 - which is 35 days ago. 35-40 days is fairly normal for a hatch, and the second one could have been laid as late as April 1 - and 40 days from April 1 is May 10. So I'd expect the first one to hatch in the next couple of days if they are going to be successful - but wouldn't give up hope for another week.

Thanks Judy, I didn't know the dates. I will keep my eye on this nest

This eagle couple last hatched one of their own chicks in 2004, although they have fostered other eaglets. The male, Justice, is in captivity because he has a permanent wing injury. He may therefore have some trouble completing the act of copulation.

Thanks, mariepr! I knew it would be a bit of a challenge for this pair to have a successful hatch - but it could still happen! I am sending good thoughts their way - though knowing the odds may be against them.

I am wondering what happens next if they aren't successful - it sounded as if last year the American Eagle Foundation gave them them eaglets hatched by another pair in their establishment - which is great for Liberty and Justice and the cam watchers - but I do wonder (probably humanizing a bit) how the eagles who lost their chicks felt about that.

Anyway, I hope at least one of the eggs hatches naturally - that will be a win-win for everyone!

I tried to view this nest just now and all I get is a big brightly colored bar code, is anyone else getting this, or have they turned off the cam, possibly due to the eggs not hatching? Anyone know?

Kim That is what I am getting too

5:05 pm
Checked in and the cam is on now. Someone is sitting on the eggs.

Still incubating May 7th 5.20pm PST

That is wonderful news - thanks so much!

Cam is down

Not sure if it's down or if it only allows a very limited number of viewers. Either way, I agree with !

Oop - I apologize to the computer - it's back up using this link:
http://www.eagles.org/eaglecam.htm - click on the picture and it opens in Windows Media Player. Parent is in nest - don't know which one as I don't watch them.

Edited 5/9/08 to add pictures:

Here is the eaglet Justice and Liberty are very proud parents once more. Against all odds

I named the eaglet Hope
We should never lose our hope that is way

I think their cam bandwidth is limited because I'm getting a jerky stop-action movement rather than the smooth continuous live stream.

I think that's Justice on the eaglet and remaining egg right now. He seems to spend more time on the nest than most of our other eagle cam fathers, but he's non-releasable and therefore does not have to hunt.

Their web site is a bit old, but it's worth a read on the wonderful way they take care of their eagles down there. Oscala, a young male who lost a wing to gunshot, was even taken up in a hang glider sling so he could "fly" like an eagle again!

Ah, the joys of older parenthood! I looks like our eagle couple may need a bit of time to remember what they need to do with one of these things! I thought baby Hope might get a feeding - he/she seemed to be up and peeping away. But Liberty and Justice were staring at the little one as if they have no idea what it is!

Good Morning World
HOPE and Dad May 9th

Gogee asked me to do a video of the eaglet. Here it is

It is from about 8:15 a.m. (Sidney Nest time). It is in doubletime. The transitions in the movie are when I had to re-start my recording software.

Video Link - The Eaglet This Morning (4 minutes)