Over at EagleCam, the female has laid an egg (ca. 2:50 EST), and a bird is currently sitting on it. Way cool! With any luck, we’ll have at least one chick in about five weeks. Here’s a screenshot I took:
Remember that everything the eagle does in its life—feeding, flying, nesting, grooming, and so on—has, as its evolved “goal”, the production and tending of that egg. There are lots more screenshots here.
I’m pretty sure that’s the female on top of the egg. According to Defenders of Wildlife, both sexes incubate the eggs, but the female (as usual) does most of the work.
If you’ve followed this pair, you’ve seen a lot of twig arranging. Now you’re gonna see a lot of sitting.
h/t: Hempenstein, who spotted the egg first, and Peter, for finding the screenshots.
Cool!
Both eagles are at the nest right now. One is incubating, and the other is just hanging there.
Cheers,
b&
Yay! I finally got the EagleCam to connect!
Both there now, 3:15 PM EST. The female might actually be laying another if her position is any indication.
Nope, still only one, she just turned it over
Cool!
I saw in the moderated comments, that several days may go by before the next egg comes (if.
They are so beautiful, I relly enjoy watching them.
WAY cool..
Here are more shots of the event:
http://www.wvec.com/news/slideshows/Eagle-lays-first-egg-of-the-2011-season-115204929.html?gallery=y&c=y&ref=/
According to Defenders of Wildlife, both sexes incubate the eggs, but the female (as usual) does most of the work.
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but while the female is doing all the work sitting in the nest, the lazy male is off hunting and he brings food back to share – as well as fresh green spruce and pine twigs
It was awfully nice of her to aim her oviduct at the camera for all of us. They’re supposed to post a replay video in due time, too.
This calls for a fish!
Where’s Mordecai?
Video posted here:
http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/e-community/eagle-cam/eagle-cam-videos
What nice, clear footage!
Yay! Thanks for finding the wonderful video! Now the kids can watch, too, even though they can’t stay up late enough usually to watch the cam live (waiting for the weekend…)
I think there might be a changing of the guard going on right now. Mom is just out of the nest, right in front of the camera. Dad is just looking at the egg.
And wait — Mom just flew off.
b&
Looks like Dad has finally realized he’s supposed to keep the egg warm….
b&
I can’t help it. I think I love you.
“but the female (as usual) does most of the work.” So true.
So this female is incubating an egg. Big deal. THIS female just did her taxes. With a pencil. And forms. And a calculator. I’d like to see an Eagle do THAT. By the way, doing taxes sucks.
So my former business partner who did no one the favor of killing himself last year by shooting himself in the head–I don’t know why I’m bringing him up, but there is something about eagles and eggs and the way my partner loved the scent of Shalimar and how I’ve finished my taxes and all that just seems it belongs here, on Dr. Coyne’s blog, where there is so much kindness. It all seemed related somehow.
And do you know what Shalimar smells like?
Birds and their nests never seemed to smell like much of anything to me, let alone a perfume, nor do eggs…
No. I suppose not.
Sounds like your business partner left you with much to have to deal with. I’m sorry.
I guess the Shalimar is in the realm of À la recherche du temps perdu.
A lawyer friend of mine always submits his taxes on paper, in pencil, which amuses me.