MINNESOTA — Since 2013 the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has used its "EagleCam" to observe a family of eagles.
Within the last year, the EagleCam has captured some amazing moments, from a female eagle losing her male companion to her hunkering down during last week's snowfall.
Last year, the female eagle's male counterpart disappeared from the nest. By the summer of 2022, a new male entered her territory and within the last few months it seems as though she has taken him on as her new mate.
In late December of 2022 the DNR reported that there has been little activity in the nest as the eagle couple were spending most of their time perched on nearby branches to watch their territory or fishing a nearby river.
On Jan. 20, 2023, the DNR reported that they added a microphone at the nest to hear the sounds of the eagles' territory.
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"You will hear traffic noise, the natural sounds of the birds and critters in the area and hopefully, eagle chicks in the near future," the DNR reported on its website .
There was not another post until Feb. 15, when the DNR announced the first egg of the 2023 season.
"The first egg came around 12:30 p.m. today," the post stated. "The pair has been preparing the nest bole with soft grasses and leaves for a few weeks. The female has been slowing down, spending more time in the nest and the male has been bringing food to her in the nest. These are signs that an egg was imminent... The average time between egg laying is 63 hours (between two to three days)."
The latest update came on Feb. 21, announcing that on the previous Saturday — Feb. 18, the female laid her second egg.
"Her mate has been providing food and trading off incubation duties. The mate is never far away, keeping a watchful eye over the nest for intruders or predators. Both of the eagles have delivered more nesting material in anticipation of the coming snowstorm," the post stated.
On Thursday, Feb. 23, the day of the blizzard that wasn't, viewers witnessed the female eagle stay strong as inches of snow covered her while she incubated her eggs. The DNR said the snow actually provides extra insulation for the eggs.
Now, the DNR is anticipating a third egg and said in 34 to 39 days, they may be hatched.
The EagleCam is one of the DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program projects that help protect and preserve Minnesota’s wildlife species. The program also works in outreach and education for Minnesotans to learn about their wildlife.
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This story has been edited with a correction related to the gestation period.
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