HHI Eagle Cam
Follow Along on Social Media
The nest on the Eagle cam is located on private property in an undisclosed area. Eagles can be quite sensitive to human activity while nesting and the nest tree is on private property. This is believed to be at least the 13th season for this pair of eagles. During the 2023-2024 nesting season, the eagles had three eggs with two eaglets fledging.
January 3, 2025 6:54 pm. Gracie lays first egg of the season.
January 7, 2025 6:50 pm. Gracie lays second egg of the season.
February 8, 2025 5:45 pm. E1 Hatched.
February 11, 2025 11:33 pm. E2 Hatched.
Time Lapse
Get Land Trust Eagle Updates
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Lead Sponsor:
Corporate Sponsors:
JOIN THE
CONVERSATION
Reminder to Viewers:
Just as we experienced with Harriet and Mitch, we are viewing a wild eagle nest. While we hope that all eggs hatch and grow to be healthy and successful fledges each season, things like sibling rivalry, predators, illness, natural disasters as well as territorial disputes can affect wildlife. Nature may be difficult to watch.
About seeing the nest at night: We have an IR camera using infrared lighting that is imperceptible to the eagles. If you were to visit the nest site in person at night, it would look completely dark.
This Cam does not interfere or intervene and allows nature to take its course. This live stream is intended to educate the viewers by showing nature in an unguarded fashion. You will see nature at its best, and possibly its worst. You will see life being started and sustained, in very natural ways. It is nature at her finest.
Rules of the site: Keep your comments focused on the topic at hand. Be polite and remember the "Golden Rule." No spamming, baiting or trolling. Comments can be removed at the discretion of the moderators and Hilton Head Island Land Trust. If someone writes something you don't like, NEVER engage them. Content that falls under the following is subject to immediate removal: Profane, defamatory, offensive or violent language; attacks on specific groups or any comments meant to harass, threaten or abuse an individual; hateful or discriminatory comments; commercial solicitations; content determined to be inappropriate in poor taste, or otherwise contrary to the purposes of this community.
7:40am Still a bit cool and Gracie is out of the nest. Next best thing is each other.
6:10am Good picture of the changes happening to E1’s coat. The night camera picks up the darker feathers beginning to come in.
Good morning Gracie! I’ll be quiet so I don’t wake the E’s😉
5:49am
RECAP:
1ST 🥚laid January 3RD, E1 HATCHED February 8TH ➡️ TODAY 31 DAYS OLD, ❤️
2ND 🥚🥚laid January 7TH, E2 HATCHED February 12TH ➡️ TODAY 27 DAYS OLD ❤️
9:00pm/
I brought this perfect pic from over at HDonTap from chatter/friend ,Thomas/Rambler, to put on our board here to show all and relieve many anxious hearts, after a few days of minimal/or no prey coming in.
Thank you, Thomas, and hope you don't mind, 😉❤️
Today, and actually since Sunday, we have all been shown EXACTLY what it is like to be an eagle/eaglet, and how they deal each day under many different and difficult harsh conditions in order to survive.
This WILL happen on and off throughout their ENTIRE lives.
It is what it is in "Eagle/Wildlife World". This is EXACTLY how they live.
This is also a "teaching lesson" on what to expect as well, when going through these situations, ALWAYS being prepared for anything - because NOTHING is guaranteed in an "Eagles World" even OUR world for that matter. At any time the "conditions" can worsen, and yes, there is a possibility that someone/somebirdy won't survive and die.
BUT THAT ISN'T THIS DAY, 😉
BOTTOM LINE:
This is our 1ST SEASON with George and Gracie and we don't know them yet. We are just getting to know them and their behaviours, their teamwork together, etc... Not all eagle families have exactly the same "playbook".
Whatever happens, there is nothing that we can do, but pray a situation gets better, "walking away" if necessarily when times are extremely difficult to watch, because of course it will hurt our hearts and we'll be concerned - we're human!!
Do NOT assume because we haven't seen a parent that something is wrong with them or happened to them.
We need to wait it out and see over a period of time and/or get feedback from the landowners where the cam is, if something has happened.
EXPECT that if prey is low or none for a day or so, that the older and larger eaglet WILL EAT FIRST!! They are just as hungry as everybirdy else, are worried that they might not eat again for awhile, and WILL be aggressive until their crops are filled up enough to appease them, THEN the younger, smaller eaglet/sibs will master their "maneuver skills" around a Parent, and get SMART in finding ways to get their bites.
*** The important part is that the younger eaglet(s) MUST GET THEIR BEAK IN!!
It would be WRONG to blame or be angry when the older eaglet gets to eat first and just trying to survive like they are supposed to do. (YES, this may be difficult at times, but it's just not fair to the older eaglet/sib)
This also trains BOTH eaglets in BOTH their positions, on HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE REAL WORLD that they will be living in after fledge.
Do not give up "HOPE" when times may appear "dire" in times of low prey availability, because as we have seen today, usually but not always, the prey DOES eventually come in in time for all bellies to be filled and all eagles/eaglets to survive another day.
This is why eagles and eagles can survive the days that they can with minimal or without food , like the information I put below in "the basement/comments below", because their prey is "NEVER GOING TO BE ON SCHEDULE, NEVER GOING TO BE PREDICTABLE", 😉
PARENTAL CARE WHEN EAGLETS ARE APPROX A MONTH OLD:
When eaglets are approximately a month old, both eagle parents are typically involved in their care, but their roles and time spent at the nest can vary depending on the species (e.g., bald eagles) and specific circumstances. For bald eagles, which are commonly studied, the division of labor shifts around this time.
At about one month old, eaglets are growing rapidly and require substantial food, but they are not yet capable of thermoregulating fully or fledging (which typically happens around 10-12 weeks).
Early on, the female tends to spend more time at the nest, brooding the eaglets to keep them warm and protected, while the male focuses on hunting and bringing food back. By the time the eaglets reach four weeks, the need for constant brooding decreases as they develop more feathers and can better regulate their body temperature.
Around this stage, the female may start leaving the nest more often to hunt as well, though one parent—often still the female—tends to stay near or at the nest more frequently to guard the eaglets from predators and feed them. The male typically increases his time away, provisioning food, but both parents remain attentive.
8:42 pm Breezy tonight, but 61degrees.
Everyone looks to be resting peacefully.
5:17 Nice afternoon.
Gracie, E1 and E2.
I like this set up with Gracie separating them. Good job!
E2 trying the back door, sneaking in under mom! Keep trying small friend! Whew E1 is going to be a strong eagle one day.❤️