Carolina Raptors Center~ Savannah and Derek~Bald Eagle Nest

[golden1]

WCNC TV has come along side CRC, Carolina Raptor Center, to broadcast this nest.  To access this cam:

http://www.wcnc.com/weather/neighborhood-cameras/Live-EAgle-CAm-134398128.l

or google wcnc eagle cam.

There is also info at The Carolina Raptor Center.org  They also have a facebook page.

This nest is located near Charlotte, N.C.  The eagles arrived at CRC in 1998.  Both are unreleasable: Savannah has an injured left wing and Derek has gunshot injuries to both wings. They became a pair in 2004.  Until late 2011 they shared a large pen with other bald eagles and they had a nest box on the ground that they carefully guarded.  In the fall of 2011 several groups came together and remodeled the aviary at CRC and Savannah and Derek have a new aviary.  

2004  no eggs hatched
2005 no eggs laid
2006 2 eggs hatched and both fledged from a hacking tower
2007 no eggs
2008 1 egg and it fledged from the hacking tower
2009  no eggs
2010  3 eggs, 1 inviable, 1 chick died in the first week, and Noah fledged from the hacking tower.
2011  2 eggs  1 chick died at 26 days,  Kinsey fledged from the hacking tower.
2012  1 egg laid on Jan. 18 at 4:07

[golden1]

11:15  Parent is incubating the egg.

[golden1]

January 21, 2012

Looks wet here.  The egg is being incubated by mom I believe.

[golden1]

Nice to hear the eagles this year.  It is a rainy day for sure puddles everywhere.  They are taking turns incubating.

[golden1]

4:32  Derek gets up from incubating.  After they chat a bit he goes over to the food storage area and gets something to eat.  He brings the food to the nest. 

4:33 Savannah goes over to check on the egg.  She moves closer to Derek and then goes back to the egg.

4:35  Savannah is settled into incubating and Derek is eating.

[golden1]

January 22, 2012

Looks like we have a second egg this morning.  Not yet confirmed but sure looks like to eggs.
8:25 Eagles switch with a bit of chatter.  I think it is Derek that is incubating right now.  It does not seem to be raining. 

[golden1]

It is wonderful to hear Savannah and Derek live.  Derek has been incubating the eggs and Savannah has been off with lots of chattering. 

9:37

[golden1]

January 31, 2012

Derek and Savannah continue to incubate their 2 eggs.  Derek sure loves those eggs.  This is just such a wonderful story. 

[golden1]

Feb 2, 2012

Derek is calling loudly and Savannah does not come to relieve him.  He stays on the nest for the next 8 min.

[ra]

golden... Thank you for the pics and the story of Savannah and Derek!  I have so many questions about this pair...  When they're not on their nest, where do they go?  Did they build the nest themselves?  Did someone just put a pile of sticks in their enclosure, and they did the rest?  How do they get their food, is there a chute or something?  Is there a place where I can go to read about them further?  I think it's so cool that they can be together and raise babies!

[golden1]

You can go to Carolina Raptor Center.org and there is info there.

Last year their nest looked pretty stickless so several posters sent the Center a note asking that they put sticks and bedding around for S and D to find.  They built a nest of sorts and then the fence was the highest between the cam and us!!!  That was a chuckle on us because the eggs and little eaglets were hidden from us.  They redid the aviary this year with the help of some local landscaping and garden clubs.  We think the food comes in near the viewing window sort of behind the bushes.  They go and get it on their own.  They built the nest on their own also.  The perches are new this year and they use them.  I think s and d did a terrific job of making a nest this year.  And this new aviary is fantastic.  They are really noisy, but since there was no sound before, the calls can make some us tear up. I am glad that they have touched your heart as much as they have touched mine.  Seeing them care for the eaglets is a wonder.  You are in for a treat.

[kittenface]

Golden you have such a passion for eagles it is wonderful to read your reports this is a great nest the only thing that breaks my heart is
YES you all know HACKING

[golden1]

I did not like that either Kittenface.  But having the other two juvies that were rescued there with Kinsey made it better.  And Kinsey did ok.  But S and D were upset for sure....

The juvie was moved to a tower on the CRC property where Kinsey had room to perch and practice short flights like branching and beginning flight behavior.  Then they open the door and leave it open for the juvie to fledge when it is ready.  They continue to put food out in the tower for awhile after the first flight of the juvie. 

Here is a snap of the hacking tower with the 3 juvies from last year.

[golden1]

Seems to be raining here today.  I have been in and out and have only seen parent incubating the eggs.  They are being diligent.

[golden1]

February 9, 2012

The eagles were busy incubating and perching today.  As usual Savannah was very noisy and Derek was bringing food to the nest.  They have been staying on the eggs most of the time.  And it seems to be raining at CRC more than not.