Southwest Florida Eagle Cam hatch watch continues for second egg
North Fort Myers’ most famous pair are nurturing the first of what hopefully will be a brood of two.
The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam stars welcomed eaglet E26 Thursday at 7:25 p.m. It was half in and half out of its shell, furiously breaking out.
As of this morning, the duo, male M15 and female F23 was still on hatch watch for the second egg.
M15 was in the nest when E26 finally emerged in the nest on the Pritchett property off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers.
The hatch watch began last Monday. A “pip” in the first egg was discovered Wednesday morning, with the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam showing the closeup view of the first tiny crack in the egg.
The eaglet spent the next 36 hours breaking it way out of the egg. The hatching process typically takes between one and three days.
The second egg was expected to hatch three days after the first one, and will be named E27. That eaglet is expected to emerge sometime Sunday.
In the meantime, the parents will feed E26. Once the second eaglet comes, it will be a battle over food for the eaglets, with the bigger eaglet often bonking the smaller eaglet with its head.
The first egg was laid on Nov. 12 at 3:08 p.m. The second egg was laid on Nov. 15 at 7:23 p.m.
Last season was a disaster for M15 and F23. Both eaglets died six weeks after hatching due to the avian flu believed to have come from something they ate. The adults were also sickened. They survived, but didn’t attempt another clutch.
Throughout its 14 seasons of streaming, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam has captured three different bald eagle pairs in the wild for all the triumphs and tribulations of raising their young. The site has garnered more than 230 million total views worldwide.
This is the third season as a mated pair for F23 and M15.
Viewers can watch and track the action at the nest on the official cam website; the official Facebook page, Instagram account and YouTube channel.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com