Update Jan. 26, 2016

 

Eggciting – The first EagleCam egg has arrived!

We suspect that many of you are already aware, but if not, the first DNR EagleCam egg arrived at approximately 2:17 pm on Monday,Jan. 25.  Eagles typically lay between one and three eggs, and they do so asynchronously (the eggs are laid between one and four days apart – not all at once). Because eggs are laid over several days, they also hatch several days apart in the order they were laid. Incubation lasts about 35 days. In case you missed it, you can watch the video of the first egg being laid.

Too early to lay?

This pair is now known to be early birds when it comes to laying their eggs. Before the camera was installed in 2012, biologists suspected that eagles using this nest laid their eggs earlier than most, but the live video stream has provided confirmation and valuable insight into the variability of nesting in Minnesota’s Bald Eagle population. Below is a table showing egg laying dates by year.

Year	First Egg Laid	Number of Eaglets Fledged
2013	First wk of Jan.	0
2014	Feb. 14	2
2015	Jan. 19	2
2016	Jan. 25	--

 

It’s not easy…

Several noticed that after egg laying, the adult female eagle appeared exhausted. Egg laying is a laborious task, but this exhaustion and resting with eyes closed is to be expected – not a cause for alarm.

 

How to stay connected?

As eagle activity increases we will start sending out more frequent GovDelivery updates, so keep an eye on your inbox. Also, be sure to check out our Nongame Wildlife Program Facebook page (You DO NOT need to have a Facebook account to view posts and photos). We also post EagleCam updates on the new Minnesota Department of Natural Resources page and via Twitter, be sure to follow @mndnr. Know someone that may be interested in EagleCam updates? They can sign up by following this link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDNR/subscriber/new?topic_id=MNDNR_107

 

Help support eagles, loons, pollinators, and more…

The DNR eagle camera is paid for by the Minnesota Nongame Wildlife Program, which is almost completely funded by people like you who make a voluntary donation, usually at tax time. Look for the Loon on Line 21 of the Minnesota Income Tax form (if you do your own taxes), or tell your tax preparer that you want to contribute to the Nongame Wildlife Fund, also referred to as the “Chickadee Checkoff.” Donations can also be made using online tax-preparing software. Donations are tax deductible and matched dollar for dollar.

More information for tax preparers. Donate anytime online at: www.mndnr.gov/nongame/donate

 

Important Links:

Watch the MNDNR EagleCam live at: mndnr.gov/eaglecam

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinnesotaNongameWildlifeProgram (You DO NOT need to have a Facebook account to view posts and photos).

Do not forget to checkout past EagleCam Updates