Sutton Center Bald Eagle Nest Camera Spring 2009

Our Bald Eagle nest cam provides an intimate view of a wild Oklahoma Bald Eagle nest. Children and adults from
Oklahoma and around the world can observe life in an eagle nest, and scientists can make observations that will
help us better understand the life history of our national symbol.

This nest is on OG&E property at Sooner Lake north of Stillwater, Oklahoma. The original dead nest tree used by this pair of eagles fell down.
OG&E, with technical assistance from the Sutton Center and financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
erected an artificial tower which these eagles have adopted successfully.
For additional information about nesting Bald Eagles, scroll down this page.

NOTE: The video may take up to 30 seconds to begin.	To view the video, we recommend using the latest version of your browser, the latest version of the free Adobe Flash Player, and that your browser and firewall security and multimedia settings allow flash video.

This camera project would not have been possible without the support of: Atlas Computers, Inasmuch Foundation,
NatureWorks, Newfield Foundation, OG&E, OneNet, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation,
The John Steele Zink Foundation, and the Oklahoma Biological Survey at the University of Oklahoma's College of Arts and Sciences

Do you like our eagle cam and want to help support our research, conservation, and education work? You can help by making a tax-deductible donation securely online using your credit/debit card or PayPal account.

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***The video image may at times be unavailable due to technical problems or heavy user demand.***
We monitor the camera daily and do try to keep it working.

1 February: The eagles have been actively working on the new tree nest about a mile from
the tower. But they are also spending time at the tower nest. Only time will tell what their plans
are for nesting this year. We do have cameras installed at the tree nest and are working on
the rest of the needed infrastructure to stream that video if the birds decide to use that nest.
22 January 2010: We have staff members out checking the situation on the ground and will
post another update when we have more information. From the cameras we can see
that the eagles continue to visit the pole nest with some regularity to feed or perch, but they
have not started refurbishing the nest yet.
6 January 2010: Two of our staff visited the nest site and several miles around it yesterday to
evaluate the situation. They observed 15 eagles (7 of which were adults), and located four nests,
although none had signs of eagle activity. The pair of adults we believe nests on
the tower each year flew in and perched on the crossbar around dusk. This pair is
traditionally one of the later nesting pairs in the state, often not laying until early February.
22 December 2009: The cameras are now online, although we are still working through some
intermittent problems now and then. The eagles do spend some time at the nest, but are not
there full time yet. A new and improved eagle nest cam page will debut sometime in early 2010.
18 December: It is still isn't clear which nest the eagles will choose to use. We plan to
install a camera on a portable tower near the tree nest in case they use that one. The video
feed from the original tower nest should be up and running soon.
4 December: Our field crews from OG&E, Atlas Computers, and Sutton placed new cameras
and connection lines at the old nest recently, but we found the eagles are building a new nest
in another location nearby. The new tree nest is in a difficult situation (for human climbers)
at which to place cameras, but we are doing our best to do so before the eagles lay eggs.
Of course we cannot gain access to the nest once the eggs are laid. This morning the adult female
was back sitting on the crossbar of the old pole nest. Since Bald Eagles often build and maintain
more than one nest in the same vicinity, but finally choose one of the nests in which to
lay eggs and raise young, it is hard to know exactly what might happen. We will keep you posted.
19 November: Read an article about our eagle cam project in the Fall 2009 issue of
Sooner Magazine at http://www.oufoundation.org/sm/fall09/story.asp?ID=345
18 November: Some nest cam equipment was recently replaced and we will soon be making
minor improvements to the nest tower that will enable the eagles to enlarge their nest. Little
activity is taking place at the nest lately, although activity should pick up in a month or two, and
we should have the cameras online again between now and then.
8 September: Some camera problems have resurfaced, and relatively little recent eagle activity has been
noted in the vicinity of the nest. The autumn season is typically the time period when the eagles
have the least attachment to the nest area. For this reason, we plan to visit the site this fall to
replace cameras, inspect and improve the nest structure, and maintain other associated electronic
equipment in preparation for another nesting season. We don't expect a lot of eagle activity at the nest this fall.
The eagles may begin spending more time near the nest again late this year, and egg laying usually
begins in January or early February.
16 August: An eagle of unknown age was seen perched in a tree near the nest.
1 August: All three birds were reported to be present near the nest by an observer who visited the site.
22 July: The primary nest cam has now stopped working (and is inaccessible to us with birds
still in the area). The second nest camera's mount is knocked out of alignment so it cannot reach the nest.
As soon as the widecam comes back from the repair center we will restore the widecam view.
We can report that an adult transferred food to the eaglet this morning, so all is well.
16 July: The widecam had to be sent to the factory for repairs, which will take 2-3 weeks.
As of last weekend, a visitor to the area of the nest reported that all three birds were still present.
10 July: As of yesterday, all three family members were seen at the site. Camera problems
resulting from rain are being worked on.
19 June: Recently fledged Bald Eagles are often at a higher than optimal weight for flying,
and they may have little interest in or need for food. They might only eat something every other day,
so it can be easy to miss seeing a meal. The eaglet continues to do well.
17 June: The eaglet continues to remain in the vicinity of the nest, perching in trees most
of the time. This is completely normal behavior for a fledgling eagle. We are sometimes able to locate
it by searching with our WideCam to maintain the viewing opportunity a little longer.
16 June: Nest cam watchers observed the eaglet fly off of the nest early this morning!
It is possible that it will make occasional reappearances at the nest in the coming days or weeks
(kind of like a hungry college student!). The adults will likely continue bringing
food to and using the nest for a while, and you may still catch a glimpse of the eaglet.
Many have asked to see video of the fledging. Our archive did not record
that few seconds of behavior, but here is a link to a 10-minute YouTube video someone from
the Maine eagle discussion group caught:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiQ0VPhbXzQ.
A short clip of the flight can be viewed at
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll40/MaineEagleLovers/Sooner%20Lake%20Eagles/Animationsooner061609fledge.gif
9 June: The eaglet is now old enough to go to the bar. Well, fly up to the crossbar, that is! She
(we think it is a she based on size and behavior) is exercising her wings with this short hop. The
adults spend very little time at the nest, primarily dropping off a fish once or twice a day.
29 May: While watching the WideCam, we have noticed Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in the vicinity
of the nest. As aerial insectivores, they perch on or below the nest and watch for flying insects to
capture in flight. So, we have the state bird of Oklahoma and our national symbol together at once!
27 May: All is well at the nest. The eaglet may begin making short flights within a few weeks.
It will likely continue to spend time at the nest after its initial flights.
19 May: As the eaglet matures, it requires less care and the adults spend less and less time at the nest.
The eaglet continues to be fed by the adults every day. The gender of the eaglet cannot be determined
accurately without surgical inspection, though females are usually larger than males. Our eagle experts
think this eaglet is a female based on their past experience and from watching its behavior.
7 May: The chick is showing less and less gray down and more and more dark feathers.
6 May: We hope to be able to get a nest cam working again this week or next, so that we, like you, can
continue to monitor the growth of the eaglet. Forecasted rainy weather this week may continue
to cause power problems intermittently. In the coming week we will be installing a
fresh set of deep-cycle batteries, as well as a small wind generator
that will supplement the solar power, and will be mounted in such a way as to pose
no threat to the eagles or other wildlife.
30 April: Some sunshine last evening allowed the camera to work, and the eaglet had a meal
of fish. Being older now, it does not need to eat as often as it did as a small chick.
24 April: While adult eagles may occasionally take a drink while bathing, nestling eagles obtain
all of the water they need from their food. Meat is, of course, mostly water,
and provides sufficient hydration for them.
22 April: As the Oklahoma weather gets warmer the eagles will need to cool down.
The way they accomplish this while on the nest is to pant. Birds don't have sweat glands,
and instead cool themselves by evaporating moisture from their respiratory systems. You may also
notice the eaglet taking advantage of the strip of shade provided by the nest support structure.
At times the eagles may appear to be stressed by the heat, but unlike Alaskan eagles, these are of
the southern race of Bald Eagles and they have evolved to live and survive in nests open to the
full sun and heat of the southern U.S.
20 April: As in most young animals, the eaglet spends a fair amount of time sleeping. The adults
are beginning to leave it alone a little more often as well. Unhatched eggs can either break, be removed
or buried by the adults, or ignored, as this egg has been for some time.
15 April: This intimate view of the nest life of birds is apparently generating concern
that the chick will simply fall out of the nest at any time. What you are viewing here is simply one
example of what takes place in millions of bird nests every spring and summer.
Consider that many thousands of generations of eagles and other birds have been produced, and that
this species is currently increasing in population. Predation is the leading cause
of nest mortality in most birds, but this nearly impregnable tower is a safe haven from predators.
In rare instances, severe weather or unusual accidents can result in a young bird falling from a nest,
but it doesn't happen often. This eaglet is in a deep cup, and the adults continue to build up the edge
of the nest cup. Eagles nesting at this location have raised 25 young in the past 15 years,
so they are proven performers when it comes to raising young. Enjoy the view!
10 April: Despite the appearance of the wide angle cam picture, the nest structure is in a stationary
body of water and not in a swift river. The chick is growing well, and the rotten egg remains in the nest.
3 April: Regarding the abundance of food (coots and fish) in the nest, once a chick hatches, the male's
hunting instinct goes into overdrive, and he begins bringing in as much food as possible. It can be too
much food, especially when the chicks are young, or as in this case when there is only one chick.
1 April: Camera viewers this morning noticed an unhatched egg stuck to the female as she stood up and
flew off. The egg dropped off in flight. It had probably leaked and adhered to her feathers. (No fooling!)
30 March: A very interesting sequence of events takes place about 10:35 CDT. The male brings in an
American Coot and begins eating it. A large stick is in his way, and he spends a moment rearranging
it several times. The female rises and the male begins feeding the chick, who clambers over to
get closer to the coot. The female begins burying the unhatched eggs in the nest lining. Shortly
thereafter, the female leaves and the male unburies the eggs and settles on them, by all appearances
ineptly excluding the chick for a few minutes before allowing it to climb under for brooding.
He seemed focused on the eggs, although they are almost certainly rotten at this point.
26 March: First chick is doing well. Still waiting to see if the other 2 eggs hatch.
Numerous fish and an American Coot have recently been delivered to the nest by the male.
21 March: The first egg hatches!
25 February: Good news! The trash bag blew out of the nest.
24 February: Black trash bag blows into nest. (A good reminder not to litter!)
13 February: Third egg is laid!
9 February: Second egg is laid!
6 February: First egg is laid!

Sexual maturity and breeding generally coincide with attaining adult plumage (head and tail becoming all white, beak yellow, and the eyes white), from 3 to 5 years of age.

Nest site selection and building can begin as early as late September in Oklahoma. Several nests may be constructed by a single pair in the same territory.

Nests are typically located in one of the taller trees in an area, just below the crown, about 3/4 the way up the tree, against the trunk or in a sturdy fork of the tree. Assorted interwoven sticks up to 1 inch or more in diameter make up the bulk of the nest. The nest is lined with soft grass, moss, or other fine materials. Nests can take months to complete, are added to each year, and in exceptional cases can end up weighing several tons.

One clutch of 1-3 eggs is laid per year. However, a replacement clutch may be laid in the event of a loss during laying or early incubation. Incubation begins sometime from December or January in Oklahoma and lasts for 33.5 days, while the hatching process can take up to 2 days. If more than one egg is present, the others hatch at intervals of 2-3 days. This results in eaglets of different sizes with the first hatched eaglet being the largest, a difference that is maintained until growth is completed before fledging. After fledging eagles may gain weight, but they do not grow very much larger dimensionally. Female Bald Eagles, as with many birds of prey, average larger in size than males; however, there can be an overlap between the sizes of the sexes. Size is almost the only visible difference between them. Eagles nesting in the northern part of their range also average larger in size than those from the southern parts of their range.

About a third, on average, of Oklahoma Bald Eagle nests fail, either during incubation or brooding, for mostly unknown reasons. Causes of nest failure could be due to food shortage, inclement weather, human disturbance, predators, and environmental contaminants.

Week One: At hatching, the young are covered with a light gray down and have limited mobility. Their eyes, dark brown in color, are closed, but open after a few hours. The female parent does the majority of the brooding while the male parent provides most of the food for the family. Aggressive antagonistic behavior can appear shortly after hatching wherein the oldest, largest eaglet tries to dominate or even kill its sibling(s).

Week Two: The second down plumage, darker in color, begins to replace the first. At the end of this period thermoregulation is attained; that is, the eaglet can maintain its own body temperature under normal weather conditions without brooding from an adult.

Week Three: Black contour feathers on back, shoulder, breast and wings begin to emerge.

Week Five: Male and female parents bring relatively equal amounts of food. Parents begin spending more time away from the young and often perch in nearby trees.

Week Six: Young are able to tear pieces of food off and feed themselves, and begin to stand and walk.

Weeks Eight - Twelve: Nestlings begin "branching". They flap their wings while perched on the nest and hop onto nearby branches, practicing and building up flight muscles, coordination, and landing skills. Most of Oklahoma's Bald Eagles fledge between 11 and 12 weeks after hatching. After the first flight the eaglets may return to the nest a few times to spend the night (roosting) or to get food brought there by the adults.

After fledging the young are still dependent on the adults to feed them for a period of up to a couple of months until they gain the experience and skills to find and catch their own food. Radio-telemetry studies of a few Bald Eagles reared in Oklahoma show that they migrate north during the hottest months of the summer to cooler climates such as the Great Lakes area or Canada.

The initial flagship project of the Sutton Center was the reestablishment of breeding Bald Eagles in the southeastern U.S. How did we do it? To find out about these intensive and very successful restoration efforts, click the page link below.