Hatch Watch: First of two bald eagle eggs finally hatches
FORT MYERS, FL (WCMH) – Pip, pip, hooray!The first of two baby American bald eagles has hatched in Fort Myers, Florida, delighting millions of people who have tuned in to watch the eaglets emerge.
Days after the first egg hatched, officials said it’s “doubtful” the second egg will open. The average hatch window is usually between 34-40 days, and the unopened egg is now 43 days old.Dick Pritchett Real Estate in Fort Myers provides nature lovers with a live look at Harriet and M15’s nest with its Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. The real estate company has been providing a live look at the nest for four years now, offering a close-up look at the lives of female bald eagle Harriet and her mate, M15.The eagle cam was launched in 2012. Back then, more than 16 million viewers watched Harriet and her mate Ozzie raise their two eaglets. This year, the stream has amassed more than 57,670,000 views so far, according to the site.Harriet found her current mate M15 – short for “Male 2015” – last year after Ozzie died following a fight with another male eagle in the area, according to the eagle cam website. The pair successfully raised two eaglets that left the nest.Now, Harriet and M15 are awaiting the hatching of two more eaglets. The pair has been taking turns incubating the two eggs in their nest high up in a slash pine tree. Harriet and M15 have been turning and rolling the eggs regularly, according to a blog about activity at the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. M15 has also brought grass, sticks and fish to the nest.Russ Ochs, with the Audubon Society and McGough Nature Park in Florida, told NBC affiliate WXIA the eggs “will likely hatch one day apart.”
Their parents will then take turns hunting and protecting the eaglets, Ochs said, and will stay at the nest for about three months, until they’re grown and can fly. The eggs were laid on Nov. 22 and 25.
It can take an entire day for the hatchlings to completely break through their egg after pipping, according to the National Eagle Center.