2025 Nesting Season

Incubation confirmed on January 18th.    Three eggs

1st egg hatched: February 25th, 6:32am

2nd egg hatched: February 27th, 12:41 am

3rd egg hatched: February 28th, 3:53 pm

May 3rd, 2025

Nine weeks and looking ahead : Diane Cook

The 3 Duke Farms eaglets are 9 weeks old. As they reach 10 weeks, they are mostly fully grown and feathered. They are ready for flight but usually do not fledge until they are 12-14 weeks old. There will be plenty of activity between now and then, and it has already begun! Branching happens before flight. Branching is when both feet leave the nest and rest on a branch or trunk of the nest tree. Much wing flapping, jumping, and running across the nest is happening now for all. H58 has taken her first leaps from one side of the nest to the other catching air under her feet.

H57 watches his sister hop over H59.

H58 has her landing gear down.

The eagle has landed!

It has been said that male eaglets fledge before the female. H57 is the youngest, so would that hold true? He sure was practicing, and managed a little lift off as he crossed the nest while his siblings looked on.

Not to be outdone by the youngest of the brood, H59 decided it was time to show off.

There was a bit of lift as H59 crossed the middle of the nest.

This video shows H57 and H58 beginning their exercise bright and early in the morning.

Wing-Off

It seems the eagles practice “farm to table”, sourcing locally available food. Just as a restaurant would serve “in season” food, so too are the eagle adults providing what’s running in the river to their offspring. When the white suckers were running, viewers saw many brought to the eaglets. It seems the river lamprey are now spawning in the river. Eels also call this river home. They must be plentiful and easy to hunt as the number being delivered to the nest is many.

Sometimes the adults just make a food drop, and escape the chaos as the eaglets try to lay claim to the incoming meal.

Other times a parent will stick around and answer the pleas of “feed me”. Everyone gets a good meal then!

There are leftovers laying around in the nest, which is how my dinner plate looked when forced to eat liver as a kid. My uncle raised cattle, beefers and dairy, which is where we got our meat. Liver was part of the package. No matter how much my mother tried to dress it up, it was still liver that I had a hard time swallowing. I forced some, but never enough to be full. I didn’t starve. Watching the eaglets, I am reminded of those dinners. Anthropomorphizing? Maybe, or those eaglets could just be full. Lessons are being taught though. This is what is available in the river now, and they are an easy catch. They appear to be harder to eat than other fish, but again, the eaglets are learning how to consume many different kinds of prey.

In the coming week and beyond, the eaglets’ days will be filled with much time spent exercising those wings and flight muscles. Activity really picks up on windy days. The wind gets under their wings, and helps to lift them up. Branching will happen soon. Once they do, the game of leap frog on the perching branch will begin. Hold your breath for that! Who will be the first to fly? Stay tuned!

April 22, 2025

 Eight weeks-Look At Me!: Diane Cook

Heading into week 8, the nest is getting cramped as big bodies take up much space when resting. In cooler temperatures the eaglets cuddle together. When it warms up, they want to spread out, but your sibling could get in the way. H57 was resting between his siblings. He stretched his leg which ended up over the body of H59.

H59 returns the favor with a wing stretch, coming to rest overH57 and his outstretched leg.

Stretching continues with H57’s wing covering H59.

The eaglets finally come to rest, each with an outstretched leg in the other’s space.

The eaglets all turn 8 weeks this week. Most of the gray fluff is gone, and sleek dark brown juvenile feathers are covering their body. Those juvenile feathers continue to grow.

Food aggression and mantling is reaching new heights! Parents, whether delivering prey or not, are mobbed with great enthusiasm by all 3 eaglets. Parents will distance themselves from the fray, and let the “kids” sort things out. The male came in with part of a fish. H59 saw him coming.

He no sooner landed and all 3 eaglets were on him. There was a mass of feathers, keeping him pinned to the edge of the nest. H59 immediately mantled and covered up the delivery.

There is much pushing and shoving to get the fish. The male flies away.

Despite H59 being the first to mantle the prey, it is H58, the large female who gets the prize. The adult female watches from the side of the nest. The adults may continue to feed the eaglets, but they are able to feed themselves more often at this age and beyond.

Prey does not last long in the nest these days. It is eaten fast! Gone are the days of a nest filled with fish waiting to be fed to hungry eaglets. The eaglets have huge appetites. Parents will be busy bringing prey back to them, only to have it disappear in record time. As the 9th week approaches, stealing becomes the way to get a meal, and it has begun already. H58 was feeding on the fish the male delivered, only to have H59 sneak in and steal it. H57 looked on, but eventually walked away.

Not wanting to lose the prize, H59 grabbed it and tried to swallow it as is. It seemed a bit too big to go down easily, and after several attempts to swallow it, H59 spit out the fish. It was picked on a bit, and H58 moved closer. H59 picked up the fish, turned away, and attempted to swallow it again.

That fish tail flopped about in the mouth of H59.

Finally with one last swallow the fish was down!

Later an adult flew into the nest. Thinking another prey delivery had been made, the eaglets pounced on her, pecking at her feet.

Unfortunately for the eaglets, she had delivered a stick. She placed it and fluffed nest material under the watchful eyes of H59. The eaglets move sticks and nest material too.

Besides feeding those big appetites, wing flapping and jumping are activities which occupy an eaglet’s day during this stage of development. Each eaglet takes a turn at flapping while the others watch. Sometimes it seems as if they are trying to impress each other. This particular day, it was H58 who flapped first. Her wings span the entire nest.

H57 was next to show off. He flapped, then hopped across the nest, turned and flapped some more.

He returned to the top of the nest where he began.

Not to be out done by siblings, H59 stretched and began flapping too!

H58 is also feeling air under her feet. As she flaps, she is beginning to hop across the nest and catch a bit of air. It won’t be long before that one starts lifting off the nest, especially on a windy day.

H57 flaps again while both of his older siblings look on.

When not eating or exercising, the eaglets watch the happenings in their neighborhood. They are imprinting on the area, what it looks like, and learning who shares the space with them. When they fledge, they will know where the nest is located and return to it. In the coming week, do not look for frequent feedings as in the past weeks. Looking ahead to week 9, the feeding schedule will more closely look like the adults. Less feedings, but more at any given time. In the wild bald eagles do not usually feed daily. Food can be stored in the crop to sustain the bird for a few days if needed.

April 15th, 2025

Living on the Edge: Diane Cook

Many questions have been asked about blood drawn at banding, and the bands themselves. This should clarify information following banding.

Yes, blood is taken at the time of banding. This blood is used to test for contaminants only. It ensures the eaglets and their environment are healthy. The blood is drawn from the sheath around the developing feather. The eaglet is calm during the process, and does not react. The eaglets are not sedated at any time during the banding event.

During banding many measurements are taken: weight, Culmen length, bill depth, 8th primary feather on the wing, tarsus (leg) front to back and side to side, Hallux claw, and foot pad. These measurements are then compared to graphs and charts to determine the sex of the bird. If numbers all fall well onto one side, the bird is most likely female. The other side, and it is most likely male. Measurements that fall in the middle or bounce from one side of the chart to the other, are not as clear to call male or female. This is what happened with H59, and why the sex of H59 is undetermined. DNA testing is not done here. We could make guesses and I certainly have mine, but it is not conclusive. It is a guess.

The green NJ band is a great visual, easy to read identifying it as a NJ bird, and helps in reporting re-sightings. The green band is placed on opposite legs of siblings to make identification easier for monitors. When there are 3 in the nest it gets a bit tricky. The biologists try to alternate legs as best as they can. The green band is not placed on one side or the other for sexing purposes. We don’t need to see the number, just on which leg that green band is located. In this way we can correctly report eaglet activity in the nest, and correctly identify who fledges first.

We know H58 is the largest in the nest at this point. She is in the middle. Green band on the left leg tells viewers the eaglet on the left is H57. The eaglet on the right has a green band on the right leg, that is H59.

The eaglets are 7 weeks old this week. What milestones will be reached? The eaglets are building strength and coordination. They are spending more time on their feet as those muscles get stronger.

This stage and going forward is a time filled with many hold your breath moments for cam viewers. The eaglets will be standing on the edge of the nest, gripping those branches. This helps to strengthen the toes and legs which is crucial for perching on branches later.

“Wingercising” is serious business! If an eaglet wants to fly, the muscles need to be strong. The eaglets will stretch and flap their wings. They spend more time on the edge of the nest. Beginning now and in the weeks to follow, is a sensitive time for the eaglets. A disturbance at this stage could cause a premature jump from the nest.

Windy days are especially good for wing exercises. Eaglets get to feel the wind under their wings. While H58 was perched on the rails of the nest, a gust pushed her. She caught her balance, landed in the nest, and she proceeded to flap and hop her way across.

The eaglets watch and learn from each other as well as their parents. H58 was winging and hopped to the rails as H59 looked on. When she was done, H59 decided it was time to take a turn at this move also.

The adults spend much time off the nest hunting and fishing to keep their hungry offspring fed. Weather makes fishing hard some days, and they turn to the land for birds, mammals, and maybe even a turtle or two. There often are lean days with little food to eat. Such is life in the wild.

The female has taught her young ones well, as they jump on and mantle prey when it arrives. Landing on the nest at this stage is a wild time for the adults. Whether bringing in grass, a stick, just stopping by, or dropping prey gets a parent mobbed and pushed around, and sometimes a toe grabbed as well.

Eaglets test how bold they can be at this time. Dad delivered a nice fish for breakfast. H58 gets the first bites.

H59 was hungry and braved a few bites.

H57 wants that fish, and boldly moves in on Dad. The male left the nest.

H57 had the prize and fed under the watchful eyes of his siblings.

H59 was hungry and wanted that fish, inched closer to H57 and waited for the right moment.

H59 achieves the steal and begins feeding!

H57 tried to get back to the fish, but H59 said NO!

H59 was not letting H58 get that fish either. This eaglet is usually the first to backoff and allow the siblings to feed. Not this morning! It was good to see H59 standing up to its siblings.

H59 fed for a short time. H58 and H57 circled their sibling without challenge. Eventually H57 took the fish back without any fight. H58 and H59 settled down in the nest next to each other while their brother fed. The fish was finally abandoned by all the eaglets. The male flew in with another, even larger fish. The 2 younger eaglets enjoyed a good long feed by their father. H58 watched her siblings feed.

The eaglets will continue to learn how to be and practice being a grown bald eagle in the coming weeks. They will continue to figure out the best way to get food. Building strength is the hallmark of this stage of development.

April 10th, 2025

2025 Duke Farms Banding Summary

Banding Bald Eaglets: Diane Cook

The Duke Farms eaglets were banded! The weather was perfect in the morning, sunny and not too warm. I have seen many questions regarding banding, and will try to answer each. Photos are mine taken during the day, as well as a few screenshots of the cam once I returned home.

Parents’ behavior during banding is a question I saw pop up many times. As the team began our walk to the nest, I scanned the sky for adults. I spotted one at a great distance perched above the river on a tree.

As we reached the nest area, an adult vocalized and then flew from the nest tree. It was hard to see which adult it was, but it continued circling the nest area and vocalizing.

The team reached the nest tree, and preparations began. The tree climbers prepare for a safe climb at the tree.

The long climb begins, first one then the other. The nest sits 80 feet off the ground. You can see the cam above and slightly right of the first climber.

Both adult eagles continue to circle the area very high in the sky. We could hear them vocalizing during their fly-overs. I have read that due to their large size, bald eagles are not quick and agile enough to take on something larger than themselves. Their size makes it difficult to escape quickly, and they do not put themselves in danger taking on something like people. You can be sure they are watching though! As the first tree climber reached the nest, an adult could still be seen flying high above (center of the red circle).

Meanwhile on the ground the banding area has been set up. Measuring devices, bands, and items needed to take blood are all laid out on a blanket that has been spread on the forest floor in a shady area.

Bands – green for easy spotting and identification as a NJ bird. Silver is a long number and is the federal band.

Once the climbers are in place and the ground crew is ready, the first eaglet is caught. The climber does not seek eaglets in hatch order. He gets the first eaglet that is closest to him. They tend to move to the opposite side of the nest, and huddle together. This is one reason the team aims to band eaglets at 6 weeks of age. They are easier to handle and are not likely to jump from the nest. The eaglet’s talons are wrapped to protect everyone, and a falconer’s hood is placed over the head to calm the bird. It is then placed in a canvas bag and slowly lowered to the ground. The bag and eaglet is weighed. The weight of the bag will be subtracted to get the bird’s weight.

The eaglet is taken from the bag, held by a team member, and the process begins. Measurements are taken, recorded on a data sheet, and studied by the professional team. These measurements are compared with those of research tables/charts to determine the probable sex of each bird. H57’s numbers strongly indicate he is male. Based on behavior observed in the nest from hatch and after banding, and by measurement of his 8th primary feather, it appears he is the former E3, 3rd hatch.

H57’s 8th primary feather is measured. The straw-like objects are a thin tissue covering the developing feather. It is filled with blood to nourish it. As the feather grows, the covering dries up, falls off, except close to the body, and a beautiful dark feather is unfurled.

H57 has his bands, gets a check up from the state’s vet (just like your physical: eye check, a look down the throat, listen to the heart), and placed back in the bag for the ride back to the nest.

As soon as the bag on the next eaglet is open, it is clear this is the first hatch and female. H58 is huge! The procedure is repeated for each eaglet. Blood taken, measurements, bands, and checkup before returning to the nest.

H58 is banded. Green bands are placed on opposite legs in nests with 2 eaglets. This helps monitor to know who fledges first. In a nest with more eaglets things are a bit tricky. Since H58 is a large female and H57 a smaller male, the green band is on the same leg. If size holds up, it may be easy to see which of these 2 fledges first. The middle eaglet’s band is on the right.

She’s a big girl, and she made it clear how she felt about her experience. As she was lifted off the blanket for her trip back to the bag and nest, H58 left a present on the blanket and the team’s vet!

 

H59 was last to be banded, and is a mystery. Based on behavior observed all season and after hatch, coupled with the length of the 8th primary feather, this is hatch 2. As for whether H59 is male or female, this eaglet was unclear. Numbers will be studied more and compared with the research tables and charts.

When all was done, H59 rode back up to the nest along with a bag of 6 fish. During banding, the adults continue to fly over the nest, vocalizing to let us and their offspring know they are near. In the last hour the adult activity settled down, and they were out of our view. Fish are left in the nest so when the parents return, there is something to eat without having to hunt for the meal, making for a stress free return to normal life.

All 3 eaglets self-fed on the fish as seen on the live cam when it came back online following banding, and continued until an adult returned. An adult off cam view could be heard vocalizing beginning about 2pm, and the eaglets could be seen tracking something above them.

Just after 4:30pm, the female came down to the nest. The eaglets all began talking at once. Were they telling her stories of their crazy adventure. She looked around the nest at all the fish. Was she wondering where they all came from?

After an eventful day for the Duke Farms eagle family, the 3 eaglets settled down with their mother.

April 5th, 2025

Five Weeks, Going on 6, Half-way to Fledge: Diane Cook

Storms rolled through the area on the last day of March and the first few days of April. They were no April Fool’s joke, bringing some intense rain. The river was up and chocolate milk brown. Food was scarce. Of course E1’s aggressive behavior kicked in again when prey finally showed up and the feeding frenzy began. 

Could E1 kill its siblings? It can happen, but the younger two Es know how to turn away and cover up. They have developed strategies that will do them good when they are on their own once they fledge. E3 usually heads under its mother, perfecting the stay hidden from threats strategy. It manages to get a few bites while hidden from E1, though that one catches on fast.

E3 was sneaking around E1 to get under their mother. It walked right up to the edge of the nest, and stood with talons gripping the sticks. It was right at the top when E1 lashed out. I thought for sure E3 was going to go over. Thankfully all was OK. Watch for eaglets to begin standing on the twigs of the nest soon. Standing on sticks with talons and toes will give them good practice in preparation for holding on to branches later.

Strategy 2: be fast! E2 is the champ of grabbing bites with lightning speed! It also plays a game of patience, waiting until its older sibling has had enough, and then makes its way to the leftovers. It is not yet strong enough to rip pieces of meat, but E2 is beginning to nibble. 

The river clears up, and fish start to pile up in the nest again. The female mostly takes on feeding the eaglets. The male has fed a few times when she is gone, and even occasionally in tandem with her. This helps to ease aggression, and get everyone fed quickly.

All the Es are up on feet, and taking a few steps on toes and wobbly legs. They will stand and walk more and more in the coming days and weeks as they gain better balance and confidence in this new skill. E1 stands tall over its siblings.

E2 walks using its wings to keep balance. A few wing flaps are taken. You can see the new feathers growing on wings. Tail feathers are starting to show also.

Standing and wing flapping when your legs are still wobbly can result in a face plant in nest material. That’s just what happened to E2. No harm done, and just keep trying.

Not getting enough to eat at this feeding, E2 and E3 gave self-feeding their best shot. More than beak strength, the muscles in their necks and legs need more development to be able to really feed well. A few little bites of fish were eaten this day.

Everyone is stretching and flapping their wings. This will continue, and get stronger in the coming weeks. E1 has already begun flapping while jumping in the air. There will be pushing and shoving in that nest as they all begin exercising. Accidents can and do happen with all that movement. Hopefully they will figure it out and stay safe.

Not only will eaglets be working on strengthening muscles in preparation for their first flight, those feathers are growing fast. It seems they grow by the day.  They are still gray fuzz balls at 4 weeks old.

The difference in only 3 days is amazing! By the time they reach their 6 week old marks, the eaglets will be almost fully grown. Most growth will now be in the feathers. In the upcoming weeks dark brown juvenile feathers will replace the fuzzy gray down.

The eaglets have already begun playing with and moving sticks and grass like their parents. They also keep an eye on each other, and learn new things from siblings. As their balance and standing improves they will get a better look of their outside world by perching on the nest sticks. They are well aware of things happening outside the nest now, and when not napping they are busy observing that world.

As the eaglets approach 6 weeks old, watch for new developments as the eaglets spend more time alone. When the weather is bad, though, there is nothing like being with Mom even if you are too big to fit under the shelter of her body.

March 30, 2025

4 weeks Old and Still Growing!: Diane Cook

The Duke Farms eaglets are now 4 weeks old. One could almost watch them grow and change by the day. The eaglets huddle together on a cool morning, with their mother. Eaglet 1 has always been the biggest, and that still holds true. It will be a couple more weeks until it catches up to its parents, but its getting close.

Viewers were treated to some nice close shots of the eaglets as the cam operator zoomed in on March 26. A sleeping E1’s pin feathers are showing. Soon those feathers will replace the thermal down.

Feet and foot pads have been growing fast. Legs are turning yellow, and black talons are looking strong.

A few natal down feathers are hanging on, especially on the eaglets’ head. Those will be the last to be replaced. E2 looks comfortable using siblings as pillows.

Some animals, like Bald Eagles, have a nictitating membrane that protects the eye. It is a translucent eyelid allowing the bird to see, but protecting the eye from dirt and wind.

Those new, dark feathers on E1 really show during a stretch. Pin feathers are also called blood feathers. The developing feather is covered in a thin sheath of keratin and has a supply of blood through it. As the feather develops, the blood supply is reduced, and the keratin comes off, except at the base of the feather. A new dark brown feather unfurls and becomes full size.

E2 is not yawning. This is a crop drop in action. Food stored in the crop is being moved to the stomach.

With their improved eyesight, the eaglets can track their parents flying in and out of the nest. When they are not sleeping, they are watching the world outside the nest.

The eaglets are exploring the nest, and playing with the corn cob and husks, sticks, and grass. E3 was interested in the piece of grass, moving it from one spot to another.

More grass was brought into the nest. The female was busy aerating the old material. The eagles poke through the compacted grass to loosen it. This allows rainwater to drain out of the nest instead of pooling. E1 grabbed the new grass, and did some arranging covering E2.

Even E3, the youngest, has pin feathers beginning to show. All the eaglets are starting to stretch and flap their wings. This will help to develop muscles needed for flight later. E1 keeps eyes on E3 during a short flapping exercise.

The eaglets are still scooting around the nest on their legs. E1 has been trying to stand on wobbly legs. Those legs are not quite strong enough to stretch wings and stand at the same time. E1 loses balance quickly and falls back down. Soon we will see the eaglets standing and walking on those big feet!

A small part of the tail end of a fish was left behind after a feeding. E2 and 3 laid next to it, taking small nibbles. They did manage to get small bites, but with full crops they couldn’t have had much of an appetite.

When you’ve had enough to eat, you drop where you are. This gives new meaning to “sleeping with the fishes”.

Watch for those new feathers to pop and get bigger along the neck, wings, and tail. Continued walking on feet and balance will improve in the coming week.

March 24, 2025

Growing and Changing: Diane Cook

The female Bald Eagle does most of the incubating of eggs and brooding of eaglets. Her larger size makes her more suited to the job than the male. The male is always there to give her a break to stretch and hunt to feed herself. He is the one to bring prey to hungry eaglets. Once the eaglets are older, the female begins to hunt for her family in addition to her mate. She brought in a nice fish for breakfast the other day.

About 25 minutes later, the male brought in another fish. She has “words” with him.

He moves across the nest before flying off.

The male has been a great provider all season, whether he is bringing in nest material or prey. He may not stick around to feed his offspring, but about an hour after his last drop he delivers the goods again!

This afternoon the male came in with a beautiful Rainbow Trout. He looked around for any takers.

Eaglet 3 was the first up and ready to eat. The feeding took place under the watchful eyes of Eaglet 1. E1 was also fed without any aggression.

Less than 5 minutes into the feeding, the female arrived with talons full of grass. She began vocalizing and mantling. The male backed off the fish, and all 3 eaglets put their heads down. Make no mistake who is the boss in this family, and it isn’t E1. This could be a lesson to the kids on how to take prey from another. It could also be the female asserting her dominance. She frequently demonstrates bossy behavior, and seems to want to feed her eaglets herself. She usually chases him off the nest once he drops his prey.

She resumes feeding the eaglets whose eyesight has improved greatly. She no longer needs to place the food close to their beak. The eaglets now reach out to her. E1 took a big piece.

She often pauses, looking from one to another. She is encouraging the eaglets to take the meat from her beak. This is a valuable lesson young eagles must learn if they are to eat in a crowd once they leave the nest and their parents.

E2 wiggled between siblings and got in on the action too. She continued to feed all 3 eaglets without any aggression. Perhaps that is coming to an end, thanks to age, a pecking order established, and regular prey in the nest.

E2 and E3 took turns eating. It was a race between the 2 younger eaglets as to who would get the fish offered.

E2 walked away first, and with a bulging crop. The female continued to feed both E1 and E3.

Finally only the tail of the fish remained. E1 reached for it, seeming to eat larger pieces during feedings these days. This tail was just too big. Time for another lesson from Mom, or waste not want not. She picked up the tail end facing out, and gulped it down. That’s how to eat a trout’s tail!

Feeding over, it was naptime for 3 very stuffed eaglets.

March 19, 2025

Are the Kids OK? : Diane Cook

This week the 3 eaglets are 3 weeks old, and they have changed! They are about 1 foot tall, and feet and beaks are their prominent features. Bodies are covered in fluffy, gray thermal down. Pinfeathers will be popping soon.

The eaglets are left alone in the nest. Don’t worry, though, an adult is nearby. On cool mornings watch for the siblings to cuddle together.

On warm days it gets hot in the nest at the top of the tree. The eaglets pant to cool off, and they seek cool shady spots in the nest. They follow the shadow the tree trunk casts throughout the day.

Eaglet 1 continues to control feedings. It is not unusual for its two siblings to miss out on feedings, but  not for long.

Just as worry is about to take over, both littles are stuffed full at the next feeding. Crops are bulging so full at times they look like a balloon ready to pop!

Watch for Eaglet 2 and 3 to feed after their oldest sibling is stuffed, and asleep in a food coma! That’s a good strategy for feeding in peace. Sometimes the female will turn away from Eaglet 1’s view when feeding one of the others. Walking with a full crop can be a challenge.

Eaglet 3 is still too little to feed itself, but it has nibbled on leftover fish. Leg and jaw muscles need to strengthen to be able to tear off anything substantial.

Recently, strong storms with much rain and wind passed through the area. Overnight as the worst of the rain fell, the female put up her “Mombrella” to protect her offspring. Thermal feathers help to keep eaglets warm, but they will not shed rain. She gets soaked but her young are dry and warm.

Fishing in the river must have been difficult for the adults. Between muddy water and wind blown ripples covering the surface it hid fish from the adults’ amazing eyesight. The nest was not full of prey, and the adults dug through to find any leftovers hidden under grass. Conditions improved, and the prey parade continued – fish and squirrels are favorites. Hopefully the pantry will be full before the next storm.

The eaglets are becoming more aware of their surroundings, both inside and outside the nest. They explore sticks, corn husks, grass, and look above and out. Standing on wobbly legs will be coming soon.

As brutish as Eaglet 1 can be, watch for sweet moments of allopreening. This is when one eaglet will preen one of its siblings as a part of social bonding. All 3 eaglets are growing and thriving despite some rough spots.   Ah, life in an eagle’s nest.

March 14th, 2025

The male brought in a raccoon for lunch.

Week 3 – Beaks, Feet, and New Feathers: by Diane Cook

Eaglet 1 will be 3 weeks old March 18th. The others later that week. 

Many feedings have all 3 eaglets lined up waiting their turn, each getting something to eat. They are more coordinated now with improved eyesight, and feedings hit the mark consistently. With plenty of prey in that nest, they continue to eat, sleep, and grow.

They will be eating frequently as their bodies go through a growth spurt this third week. Gone already are the tiny fluff balls that hatched 2 weeks ago, almost 3 weeks for eaglet 1. Tiny black dots are beginning to be seen on Eaglet 1 along the wings. These will soon become pin feathers.

Bodies are getting stronger. They are able to sit up very tall, and hold their balance, tracking the adult in the nest. All 3 eaglets are wandering around the nest out of the egg cup. They are moving on legs and not feet, but will try standing soon. They are able to track and follow their parents.

The white natal down gives way to gray, thermal down. The white fluff on the head will be the last to go. Watch for gray bodies with a white mohawk. 

Feet and legs are beginning to change from pink to yellow. Talons are showing signs of darkening. Feet and beaks grow fast, and will begin to look disproportionate to their body. Watch for full crops that will fill stomachs and support the growth spurt. 

Yes, birds have ears. We just don’t get to see them since they are covered by feathers. Watch for the tiny black dot on the side of an eaglet’s head. That is the ear, and will soon be covered by feathers. You can see the ear on a sleeping eaglet 2.

With the growth of thermal down and the ability to thermal regulate body temperature, watch for the eaglets to spend more time in the open.

As temperatures dropped in the early morning, the eaglets covered up under the warm blanket of their mother.

Bald eagles, like your dog, do not sweat to keep cool. Instead they pant. An adult’s body and wings act as an umbrella to shelter the eaglets from a hot sun or rainy weather.

On warm days, the eaglets may be left alone in the nest for short periods of time. Remember that at least 1 adult is always nearby watching over their offspring, even when they are out of view of the live cam. It is amazing how fast bald eaglets grow. Enjoy week 3 and watch for the changes yet to come.

March 8th, 2025

Sibling Rivalry Part 2: Diane Cook

It is not hard to spot eaglet 1 in the nest. It is by far the biggest of the three nestlings. Thankfully the sibling rivalry has not been too terrible, an order has been established. Eaglet 3 is determined, and not afraid to grab one of the older two eaglets. They all seem to get their bonks in on each other, but it is clear who rules this clutch. When eaglet 1 sits up tall and gives the stare, watch out!

It usually doesn’t take much to put one of its younger siblings down. Eaglet 2 has already learned to go down fast. Eaglet 2 stood up and faced its older sibling. That must have looked like a challenge. Eaglet 1 reached out, beak open, and ready to strike. Eaglet 2 backed off immediately, escaping a hit.

The 3 eaglets were left on their own for a short time when the female stood up. Eaglet 1 had bonked both its siblings and they were down. Eaglet 3 was closest to eaglet 1 as it settled back down. They both did some rubbing of each other’s head on the other. Eaglet 1 was busy preening (cleaning feathers with its beak). There was some jostling around as eaglet 3 lost its balance. Eaglet 1 just looked up at its youngest sibling.

Eaglet 1, with a full crop, put its head down again, and napped. Eaglet 2 decided it was time to get up. It faced off with eaglet 3, but all was OK, as it rested its head on that of its younger sibling.

Full and sleepy, all looked peaceful, at least for a little while. Then trouble-maker eaglet 3, stood up and faced off against eaglet 2, who went down at the first touch.

Eaglet 1 was now awake, up, and beak to beak with eaglet 3. All ended well.

Hopefully the nest will remain well stocked. Crops are full on all 3 eaglets, and many crop drops are observed. Relationships seem to be developing. Their interactions with each other now will prepare them for life as an adult eagle later.

March 3rd, 2025

Sibling Rivalry : Diane Cook

The term pecking order is defined as an organization of status or rank among a group of animals. It is seen in a wolf pack, lion pride, chickens, your backyard bird feeder, and in a bald eagle’s nest. Those sweet little nestlings want to eat. Be prepared to see a food fight. Eaglet 1 has the size advantage already, and is more steady. To ensure a meal and survival, it must be first in line to eat. If a sibling is in the way, watch out! Sometimes that means knocking another on the head, and grabbing hold to wrestle it down. Viewers call this action bonking. It can get intense, but it does pass as time goes on, and they settle into an understanding and routine.

It is the dominant eaglet who takes charge. Many times it is the oldest, but not always. Eaglet 1 seems to have a dominant personality. Even before others hatched it grabbed out at the nest material and wrestled with it. Was this a case of bad eyesight, not realizing what it had, or was this exerting its will to be sure it was fed? 

Just before the wrestling match begins, watch for a stare down. Eaglet 1 sits tall over its younger sibling, throws back its head, and brings its beak down on eaglet 2’s head. 

After being shaken a bit, eaglet 2 submits, and lays low. Eaglet 1 gets fed.

Sometimes the less dominant eaglet will submit and lay down. Other times it will go after its sibling. Sometimes you give what you get. Eaglet 2 seems to be feisty.

Even the smallest nestling will try to be assertive when hungry. It does have the disadvantage of being smaller and not yet steady. Those hits are most likely not effective.

The bonking and wrestling can look quite violent at times. The sound on this new cam also allows us to hear the cries which can pull on heartstrings. All that natural behavior is normal. Can this sibling rivalry result in death? It can, though usually it all works out. Even the little one finds an opportunity to feed once its siblings are full.

The younger eaglets in the nest will need to be feisty and crafty if they are to survive. As the siblings have had enough to eat, order is restored, and the littlest eaglet can feed in peace. Bonking goes on until an order has been established. This is what happens in nests we cannot see every day, and prepares eaglets for life as an adult. 

March 1st, 2025

Hatch #3, Full House: Diane Cook

On February 27th one egg remained in the nest, yet to hatch. Things began happening. A star-like crack was seen during a feeding of the chicks.

Great cam zooms show viewers the details on the egg.

February 28, 5:28 AM In the early morning hours the female fluffs the grass in the egg cup. That crack is now open. The chick has been busy.

12:05 PM Look inside the egg. The first image is dark inside. Look inside the next image. Can you see the egg tooth?

If you missed it on the live cam, watch the video. During this feeding, keep your eyes on the egg. Watch for the egg tooth moving inside and changes in the egg shell. chick at work

1:42 PM The shell is opening even further. As the chick hatches, it rotates its body inside the shell pecking away. This creates a line of broken egg shell. Then the chick will stretch out its legs and push to open the shell and eventually complete the hatch.

2:20 PM That top is ready to pop! Chick 1 is getting more fish by far, but don’t worry about chick 2. It is getting fed also. That is natural. Chick 2 is holding its own, and getting in its share of hits on its sibling.

3:08 PM As the female finishes feeding the other 2 chicks, she rolls the egg. Look carefully, can you see that tiny head? It won’t be long now until this nest has a 3rd February baby!

 

Just in time, the male delivers a nice sized fish. With soon to be 3 hungry nestlings, they will need all they can get.

3:53:56 PM Hatch 3 is out of the shell!

3:55:02 PM Chick 3 is wet and exhausted. After a few stretches, it curls up to rest.

If you missed the hatching today, it has been captured in the video below. What took hours has been cut down to just a few minutes. I’ll bet that little one wishes it was that easy. Welcome to the last chick to hatch in the Duke Farms bald eagle nest.

hatch 3 video

February 28th, 2025

After the Hatch, The First 2 Weeks : Diane Cook

After hatching, a bald eagle chick is wet and exhausted! In the first few hours, it will sleep as its feathers begin to dry and fluff. Those first fluffy, white feathers are natal down. It will slowly darken. They cannot maintain their own body temperature yet. Look for the parents to brood for warmth and protection from predators.

The white “egg tooth” at the tip of the tiny beak that is used to hatch from the egg is visible in the first week after hatching. It will soon wear away.

Newly hatched chicks are wobbly, and falls will be many for a short time. One day soon, those tiny, pink feet will grow fast complete with mighty talons.

Only 8 hours and the first chick is sitting up, and scooting around the nest. They can’t yet stand on their feet, but move around on their lower legs, tarsi. Its eyes are open, though sight is a bit fuzzy at this age. Eyesight will improve in the first 2 weeks.

Eating is a challenge at first! The adult must get close to the chick, beak to beak, and offer small bits of meat. The little one lunges at the shadow in front of it, and often misses, at first. Soon they all connect!

Only 1 day old, and this chick is hungry. Frequent eating will support an amazing growth rate.

Viewers will see saliva dripping from the adult’s mouth as it feeds the chicks. The saliva passes antibodies from adult to chick. It helps keep the chicks healthy.

Much drips on the chicks too.

Both adults will need to work together to keep this brood fed and happy. Two have already hatched, and they will compete with each other to be fed.

During the first 2 weeks following the first hatch, the nestlings will eat, sleep, tussle with each other, and grow. Don’t blink!

February 27th, 2025

And Now There are Two: Diane Cook

About 12:41 AM, this morning nestling #2 hatched! It is hard to see in a still image. In the video played at a slow speed, sometimes frame by frame, and zoomed in, you can see a wet chick moving about under its sibling and to the right of the egg.

The female kept both chicks well hidden, until just before daybreak. She was up and off the nest to feed a hungry #1, while its new sibling sleeps.

The female begins to feed nestling #1. A dry and fluffy nestling #2 is seen.

Nestling #2 struggles to sit up, but falls over on its back.

Thanks to a zoom of the cam, viewers are treated to amazing closeups of both nestlings. Zoom and feeding of nestling #1 begins at 8:09 am.

Nestling 1 is eating well. Sometimes it misses and grabs its mother’s feathers.

Yesterday evening the chick did the same. A startled female took the little one for a wild ride. Watch the video clip – Wild Ride

Let the fun begin!

 

February 25th, 2025

Progression of a Hatch: Diane Cook, nest monitor

The hatching of a bald eagle’s egg begins with a tiny opening in the inner membrane of the egg. The chick starts to breathe through the porous shell. Soon a tiny pip shows as the chick has broken through the outer shell of the egg.

Sunday, February 23 11:44 AM

The eggs are briefly left in the open. A spot of interest is seen on the left most egg. It could be dirt, but it deserves watching.

Monday, February 24 12:07:55 PM

The female is up turning the eggs and fluffing the grass in the egg cup. A spot is visible on the egg to the right, closest to her body,

Monday, February 24 2:09

The eggs are in full view, and so is the pip in the middle egg. In real time watching the cam, the egg tooth could be seen working on that shell.:47 PM

Monday, February 24 7:44:51 PM

Monday, February 24 2:19:46 AM

The chick continues to work on that shell through the night.

Monday, February 24 4:26:09 AM

The shell is now beginning to crack around its middle with every push of the chick.

Monday, February 24 5:44:41 AM

The chick is almost out. The shell still cradles it.

Monday, February 24 6:32:48 AM

With one more roll of the egg from the female, the chick slips out. The tiny chick is no bigger than her foot.

Monday, February 24 6:43:29 AM

There is an exchange of adults in the nest, and the male sees his chick for the first time. The male is learning what to do with these little chicks.

Monday, February 24 6:50:35 AM

He finally settles down to incubate the other 2 eggs, and brood his new chick. The chick is already drying, and feathers are beginning to fluff. The empty shell will begin to break apart and become part of the nest. Sometimes the adults eat the shell.

Monday, February 24 February 25 10:07:32

The process repeats. It looks like there is a pip in egg 2. That spot deserves careful observation.

 

Duke Farms – Who is it? : by Diane Cook, nest monitor

Both adults in the nest are unbanded. Viewers can no longer use bands as a way to distinguish between the male and female. Female bald eagles are the bigger of the two, but this pair are very close in size. Size is hard to use to identify who is in the nest when only 1 eagle is there. There are subtle differences to use. The female has a pronounced brow or supraorbital ridge. When looking straight on at the cam with her head in a certain position, you don’t see her eyes. His is not as large, and more of his eyes are visible.

She has very light gray feathers between her bill and eye. The line circling her eye is not as heavy and black as the male’s. He has a heavy black line circling his eye.

The cere is the yellow, fleshy part of the beak where it meets the head feathers. Hers appears to come to a point at the center. His is more rounded. The pronounced supraorbital ridge hides most of her eyes. His eyes are more visible. 

When seen together, his head appears thinner and more sleek. The triangular shape of his head is smaller than hers. 

Watching for the exchange on the nest is most helpful, and allows viewers to watch for behaviors. The cam’s rewind feature comes in handy for finding the latest exchange. Cam angles, wind, and wet feathers from the weather can make identification even harder. The differences shown here are still slight, and telling these two adults apart is tricky.

February 23rd, 2025

The Hatch: Diane Cook, nest monitor

 As the hatch gets closer, what signs do the adults give viewers of the live cam? Watch for some of these signs observed through the years. Adults know when hatching has begun. It is a long process. Observers will see an increase in the frequency of egg rolling. They may sit higher in the nest, depending on weather conditions. As the chick inside the shell begins scratching, the adult may hear it. Watch for the adult looking down. It may also chirp softly back to the eggs, and the chicks chirp back.

What is happening inside the egg? The chick has grown a hard spot on the end of its tiny beak. This is called the “egg-tooth” which it will use to break the inside membranes of the egg. There is a bubble of oxygen inside that the chick will breathe. Scratching continues until the chick makes a tiny hole in the shell called the “pip”. Look for a pip on the side of the shell near the larger end of the egg. The chick will be able to breathe through the pip.  Hatching is hard work, and can take some time. The chick will rest between active hatching. The pip gets bigger, and as the chick stretches and works the egg will crack. Watch for the egg tooth working inside the egg. Adults will not help to break the shell as this could endanger the chick inside. Most biologists consider a chick to be hatched when it is totally free of the egg shell. The chick is wet and exhausted. It may rest for hours following hatching. Before hatching, the yolk sac has been absorbed providing nutrients to the chick. It will not need to feed right away.

The final sign hatching is on the way is the delivery of prey to the nest. The adults are preparing for the first feeding of their young. How many signs will you observe? Remember, this can be a slow process. Sometimes very strong chicks may hatch faster than others. Eyes to the cam!

The Windy Day: by Diane Cook, nest monitor

watch the video: Windy Day

While we wait for the eggs to hatch, viewers to the cam can observe other events at the nest. The winds have been fierce here in NJ. Bald eagle nest monitors worry about their nests in such weather. Is the tree strong enough? Will the eagles and their eggs be OK?  Watching the cam might make a viewer seasick on a windy day. The eagles need to learn how to stay safe in the nest in such conditions. The wind can get under a tail or wings and lift the eagle up. It is best to face the wind and to lay low. 

The male flew into the nest to relieve the female of incubation duty.

He settled on the nest, his back to the wind. A gust came up from behind and lifted his tail. He began to flip over.

Thankfully he was strong enough to catch himself and fight the gust.

He settled back down on the eggs. This time he turned to face the wind instead.

That Corn Husk by: Diane Cook, nest monitor

February 12, 2025 12:45pm-1:15pm

Watch the video here: That Corn Husk

The female was incubating her eggs when her mate flew in with some grasses. They tend to bring in new grasses to cover the snow, and to provide a layer of insulation between the snow and their body. He attempted to move a corn husk near her head. She spoke softly to him and grabbed it back. Thinking she would get a break from incubating, she stood, but he flew off. She changed position and resumed incubation. The male returned with more grass a short time later. The tug of war with the corn husk continued, with the male waving it over her head and in her face. 

She took it from him, so he went on to rearrange sticks instead. He stood so close to her, his tail feathers covered her head.

It was time for an incubation exchange. She stood up, and flew off the nest. He gently rolled the eggs, and took his place on them. Finally it was his turn to incubate!

February 12th, 2025

The eagles have been incubating during the recent sleet and snow storms.

The sound allows us to hear what other bird species are near the nest. This morning the eagle on the nest was calling and upset at a red-tailed hawk that could be heard off camera. The other eagle was heard calling and most likely chasing away the hawk.

Diane Cook captured this screen shot of the female upset that a songbird got too close to the nest. She jumped up and flapped her wings which singled to the songbird not to get any closer.

February 7th, 2025

The Duke Farms cam is fixed and back online. The eagles have three eggs!  Incubation was first confirmed on January 18th by Diane Cook the nest monitor.  Unlike past seasons we don’t know the exact date the first egg was laid. If we use the January 18th date we can expect hatching to start around February 22nd, 35 days after incubation.  But the first egg could have been laid early then January 18th, so we will have to wait and see.

January 19th, 2025

Good news, the Duke Farms pair is incubating. Incubation was confirmed January 18th.

The nest monitor for Duke Farms is Diane Cook and in past years she’s been able to keep track of the nest by watching the eagle cam. Due to the cam being down, Diane has been in monitoring the nest in the field from a safe distance so she doesn’t disturb the pair.

Diane’s notes from the field January 18th:

January 14th

How long have eagles been nesting at Duke Farms?
The eagle nest at Duke Farms was first discovered in the fall of 2004. The pair started using the nest in 2005. In the fall of 2012 Hurricane Sands 70+ mph tore off the upper half of the nest tree, destroying the nest completely (the camera and camera tree were spared). The pair built a new nest 100ft south of the eagle camera in late December 2012. The view of the nest was limited by branches and leaves during the 2013 nesting season.

In what type of tree is the nest located?
In December 2012 the pair built a new nest in a sycamore tree

How high is the nest?
The nest is about 80 feet high.

How long has the camera been at the nest?
The camera was set up in 2008 and transmitted the picture beginning in March 2008. In the fall of 2013 the camera was moved to the new nest tree. In December 2024 a new livestream camera with audio was installed.

Where is the camera located?
The camera is in the nest tree positioned to view the nest from above. The camera can be maneuvered remotely to pan, tilt and zoom

When do the birds start incubating?
Over the past couple years the pair has typically began incubation in mid-late January. In 2021 and 2022, the pair started incubating on January 17, in 2020 and 2023 they began incubation on January 20, and in 2024 incubation began on January 22.

Are the adult eagles banded?
In 2009 and 2010 it was noted that both the male and female were NJ- banded birds, because they each had a green color band on one leg and a silver federal band on the other.
In 2011, however, there was a new female in the pair, which we know because she was not banded. In 2020 there was a new unbanded female in the pair. In addition to behavior changes, close up views of the eyes showed a difference between the old and new female’s iris.

How many young have been raised in this nest?
A total of 34 eagle chicks have been raised and fledged from this nest since 2005.
2005 – 1
2006 – 2
2007 – 1 male; banded
2008 – 2
2009 – 3 males; banded
2010 – 2 females; banded
2011 – 2 males; banded
2012 – 1
2013 – 2
2014 – 3 (2 males, 1 female) banded
2015 – 2
2016 – 2 females, banded
2017 – didn’t incubate
2018 – failed, 2 eggs
2019 – 2 (1 male, 1 female) banded
2020 – 2
2021 – 2
2022 – 1 male, banded
2023 – 2
2024 – 2 males, banded

How is the eagle cam funded?
Duke Farms hosts the eagle camera and the internet connection. The Endangered and Nongame Species Program and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ support their work and conduct the on-site banding and provide biological consulting.

How many eagle nests are in NJ?
In 2024 there were 293 nesting eagle pairs monitored in New Jersey. Two hundred sixty-four of these were active (laid eggs) and 182 were successful in producing 288 young.