Eagles4Kids, Blair, Wisconsin - Bald Eagle Cam

http://eagles4kids.com/

[update - March 1 2011 - there had not been a lot of activity until recently, so while I've been keeping an eye on the cam, I didn't set up a formal thread; both eagles visited today - and it's looking as if the nesting season is getting underway. Happy viewing! ~JudyB]

This is a streaming cam, but doesn't have sound or night vision. It does provide a good look into the nest and a view of the fields beyond.

The nest is in Blair, Wisconsin, which is in the western part of the state, not too far from the border with Minnesota and Iowa. The interesting thing about this cam and website is that it is a project of the third and fourth grade classes at the Blair-Taylor Elementary School, in conjunction with the National Eagle Center. See their Eagle Camera Project Updates page to see all the work that went into the project (the most recent update is first, so scroll to the bottom to ready the story from the beginning). Please note that some of the information on the "Student Eagle Facts" page is likely the result of the class's research on the internet at the beginning of the project and should be considered a work in progress - it will be interesting to see how their knowledge grows by the end of the school year, after (hopefully) watching the eagles actually raise an eaglet or two.

This is the first year that we've watched this pair on camera, but their website says that the eagles have raised two eaglets each of the past five years. They are hoping for eggs in early March.

2010-2011 Season:

• cam online: December 7
  
• eggs laid:
  
• hatched:
  

Reserved

January 7, 2011

I was checking this cam now and then in December, and wasn't having much luck finding anyone at home - or even seeing signs that they were working on the nest. We have noticed that the eagles at some of the other nests we watch tend to work fairly hard fixing up the nest and then have a period where they don't seem to visit as much, so perhaps that's also the case for this pair.

And on January 7, I finally caught a visit!





The Eagles4Kids website was suggesting that the meal may have been one of the red squirrels they had seen in the nest tree.

January 15, 2011

I did not catch this visit, but a couple of people on the Window on Wildlife Discussion Forum saw an eagle visit the nest.

The first s'cap is from around noon and is courtesy of CLC from the Window on Wildlife forum


These two s'caps are from about 3 pm, and are courtesy of Sherri from the Window on Wildlife forum

January 16 - 29, 2011

I looked in from time to time, and didn't see any eagles. I also didn't see any changes in the nest until the 29th:

January 23 - beautiful golden glow


January 28


January 29 - looks like some new fluff on the right

January 30, 2011

I caught a brief visit - about 5 minutes - around 5 pm. The eagle didn't seem to be working on the nest - just looking around.

February 1, 2011

One of them was at the nest for over 40 minutes between 11 am and noon.







I did see a second eagle approach the nest at least once recently, though I'm not sure which day it was. The eagle on the nest didn't appear upset, so I'm guessing it was the other eagle of the pair. But other than that, I haven't seen them together, and don't know them well enough to know if one is doing most of the visiting or if they are taking turns.

February 2-4, 2011

I didn't take a s'cap on February 2, and didn't notice any changes on February 3 or 4 beyond those that might accompany a bit of melting of the snow in the nest.

February 3:


February 4: