The bald eagle parents will cope just fine with the departure of their three offspring, but what about the thousands of people who have become enamored with the eagle chicks and addicted to watching them on the web-cam?
To be sure, it'll require some adjusting for fans of Iowa's world-famous Decorah Eagles, particularly the chicks, who were hatched in early April, and who are preparing to leave the nest.
On Thursday they enjoyed their first brief flights, to a nearby branch. "Branching" typically precedes the fledge, or maiden flights away from the nest. These could occur at any time during the next several days.
Ordinarily, this would not be a big deal. Bald eagle chicks are hatched each spring throughout their range, and ultimately fly off to live on their own terms. But this is no ordinary situation. Web-cam viewership for the Decorah Eagles has surpassed 153 million. Since the eggs hatched, typical daytime viewership, at a given moment, is between 20,000-30,000.
Many are repeat visitors, watching from home, while at work, and even during late-night hours, thanks to infrared lighting. The more passionate among these admirers have, in essence, adopted the eagle family. One person, on a Facebook page devoted to the eagles, was already experiencing "empty-nest syndrome."
Said Bob Anderson, director of Raptor Resource Project, which maintains the web-cam: "It has turned into what is probably the world's most logged-on wildlife education tool on earth. Hundreds of thousands of people have been able to see the wonder of nature, the cruelty of nature and the awe of nature. It has been an incredibly popular wildlife education tool. I think it's unparalleled."
Reasons for the immense popularity of this particular raptor web-cam, when so many others exist, stems perhaps from its high quality, the use of non-intrusive night lighting, sound, and a camera that can be panned from a remote location. Updates have been provided via the RRP's Facebook page.
The parents, which in recent years have successfully reared other offspring from the same 80-foot-high nest, have done an amazing job with this trio. The family has endured snow storms, ferocious winds and sibling squabbles during a growth period that, for many, has seemed all-too swift.
And while it's about time to fledge -- admirers will be keeping a close watch during the next week -- it does not mean an end to this story. The eagle chicks, while they may or may not return to the nest after their maiden flights, will remain in the vicinity for at least six weeks, crying for handouts from their regal, white-crowned parents. Unless they return to the nest or nearby branches, however, they will not be visible on the web-cam.
To keep the story going, for research purposes, Anderson's team will capture one of the eaglets after its first flight and attach a solar-powered transmitter in an attempt to learn where it will spend the early part of its life.
"Every day we'll be able to tell the world that this bird is in Missouri, Mississippi or Des Moines," Anderson said. "We will have a website that will follow this bird for years to come. The most common question I get is, 'What happens to the babies,' so we're going to try to answer that question."
As for the parents, they'll stay put. In late October, barring incident, they'll begin to rebuild their nest. In December they'll be in full courtship and in February more eggs will be laid.
Will the world be able to keep tabs on the growth of that eagle family, too? Anderson, though he and his team have been besieged by emails and phone inquiries every day for the past 10 weeks, paused before giving an answer.
"I guess we have no choice," he said. "I don't think the world would accept us for not doing this again next year."
-- Image courtesy of Raptor Resource Project
I have watched this Eagle family since E2( I call her Etew) has hatched. From then on, I was hooked and now am formally an Eagleholic.
I have been on an emotional roller coaster ride from being meh- to being totally in tears to meh again. I have often wondered where they went to. I have heard stories that Mom took E2 aka D1 but she will always be Etew to me. I have heard that Mom brought her a bird into the nest and Etew came to the nest, she looked around and (again giving human emotions to our dear friends) she looked around and put her head down and let out a soft cry as if this was going to be her last time in the nest. You could then hear Mom call out to her. Then from what I understand she took Etew and circled around the area with her sibs watching then soon followed and they all headed north. The last map point was that Etew was in Wisconsin. Any others hear of simular stories like this? Please let me know via my wall on Facebook.... I have just gots to know.
Posted by: Melissa Schmidt | Aug 18, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Don't believe that I have enjoyed anything as much as watching these eagles the past few months. Watching them branching back and forth to nest and finally flying away. Looking forward to next year. nacy
Posted by: Nancy Toms | Jul 08, 2011 at 05:46 PM
It is now so clear and evident how our brains work. I learnead about this aspect watching the Charlie Rose episodes on The Brain.
I told my 98-year old mother about the Eaglets, the nest, the parents, she has asked me about it all, for the last 4 months.
Nobody in our family had any interest in this, even though I had asked them to show my mother all about the nest. Nobody has time, nobody was interested.
My mother tells me she was the only one of her 7 sisters to have had a tiny bench in the back yard of their house, and she says she would spend hours watching swallows and other birds while nesting and feeding. She tells me she was 4, 5 years old and did so until she no longer had enough time because she started her school. I keep telling her about the immense, the enormous amount of knowledge I have gained watching the Eaglets, the parents, their nest. ALL.
I am a teacher my students are adults, teenAgers and children. I told the parents, my adult students. NOBODY had any interest.
The children kept asking me where and how to have access to the nest. Regardless of all I told them, they told me their parents said: There was not enough time to be sitting watching a nest. I am deeply flabbergasted, this tells me about the future of our lives. The nothingness of the nothingness prevails.
I am a different person, I am no longer whom I used to be. Needless to say, I have always observed, studied life and my curiosity has little limits.
I think this experience should have been made more public. The politicians should have sat night and day watching and learning how we humans behave and how the wisdom of father Eagle and mother Eagle, DISCARDS babysitters, day care centers, nannies, aunts, grandmothers, mothers in-law and neighbors and EVEN strangers. NO, SIR. Father Eagle and Mother Eagle use logic, reason, common sense and responsibility all with dedication and love.
Such is human life. ;->
Posted by: kiyo romero | Jun 30, 2011 at 02:26 PM
Perhaps the reason so many of us are in awe and captivated is because nature has somehow managed to figure out what we humans cannot. how to stay together as a couple, as parents, and raised our children, nurture them and send them off with the tools necessary to live full productive lives.
This set of parents have shown us all what each of us needs to do a little bit more of.
Posted by: lucky | Jun 30, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Mr. Anderson, when a dear friend of mine sent me the link to your webcam view of the baby eaglets and parents, I was delighted. Over the last three months, I watched regularly usually checking in a few times a day. I consider this a once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunity to have seen in real time the development of these majestic birds in their natural habitat. The gorgeous bucolic setting, complete with barn and horses, made viewing even more enjoyable. While I am very sad that the eaglets are fledging, I am relieved that all three survived. Thank you and everyone at the Raptor Research Project very much for providing such a remarkable experience.
Posted by: Jerrilyn | Jun 28, 2011 at 06:56 PM
Thank-you so much for the wonderful learning experience. All of us~ from teachers, aides and especially students have gained so much over these last few months. Projected on our Smart Board daily it was as if we were really there. Questions, discussions and respect for our
national and school symbols. (Eaglets) Can't wait to see the next journey. A huge thank-you once again! Galway, NY
Posted by: Lori | Jun 27, 2011 at 05:29 PM
Watching the eagles throughout from hatching to fletching made me more aware of myself and surroundings as well. It gave me a vision of my own life past, present and future. For the last 20 years of my life, I placed it into the shaking arms of drug addiction. Thanks to a wonderful god of my understanding and my wife, I overcome the obsticles and finally gave life a new perspective. Now, after 2 years of being clean and watching those eagles for the past 4 months, appreciation and understanding of life itself came into full zoom. Thank you very much
Posted by: Michael Rowe | Jun 25, 2011 at 05:19 PM
A thousand thanks for allowing so many of us to view this amazing hatching and development of the eagles. It has been a marvelous experience and one that I won't soon forget.
Posted by: Ginger | Jun 25, 2011 at 03:22 PM
What a treat it has been to be so intimate with these eagles. They are such beautiful creatures, and I am looking forward to seeing them again next year!
Posted by: Martha Dever | Jun 25, 2011 at 12:48 PM
I'M so sad to see them go, it's like being the parent. I enjoyed this wonderful experience, and will tune in next year. Thank you
Posted by: kim | Jun 23, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to watch these babies grow up.
Posted by: Sharon | Jun 20, 2011 at 05:31 PM
Really enjoying watching the webcam but would like more comments, if any of the Eagles can be seen out of view of the webcam. Currently I can see one on a branch. Can the others be seen in the vicinity?
Posted by: Carol | Jun 20, 2011 at 01:09 PM
thanks raptor...you guys have done an amazing job. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed watching the Deocrah Eaglets....what a treasure to be able to view. Though I am so happy for the babies and their time to leave the nest....I can't help but feel so sad to see them go....I feel like they are all by babies! I truly will be an "empty nester" ....God be with them all....thanks Raptor great job..
Posted by: Jill | Jun 20, 2011 at 09:22 AM
it was, it is, and hopefully will be next year, a wonderful experience.I saw my first bald eagle in Nanaimo 21 year ago and now for me is really amazing seeing every day these wonderful birds.
Posted by: donatella d. | Jun 19, 2011 at 08:04 AM
with a smartly locate webcam, many people have come to learn and love Decorah's Bald Eagles, Same love should be granted to all animals in the wild even if we are not so lucky to see them as much and close as we've seen the Eagles.
Mind, that if we loose the top predators, we're gonna loose a lot more in the aftermath. It takes simple actions to induce respect for land and water environment. Let us all do something, starting with "Respect what mother nature is still giving us"
Posted by: 05jimmy | Jun 17, 2011 at 02:09 PM