SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Viewers from all over the globe can watch a pair of West Virginia eagles this spring as they nurture their young.
Eagle Cam is a joint partnership between the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Outdoor Channel, and the Friends of the National Conservation Training Center.
Randy Robinson from the NCTC talked about what folks can see: (He is an Instructional Systems Specialist and Producer in the Creative Resources Division – History and Partnerships Branch at the National Conservation Training Center)
“Folks can see it being fed, that’s very fascinating to watch,” Robinson said about one eagle that was born earlier this week. “It’s doing very well, it’s very healthy.”
He said the eagle pair has been in the area for decades.
“This is the twentieth anniversary of the nest being built,” said Robinson, who added they put a camera up two years later in 2005. “It’s really gathered a worldwide audience.”
People from all over the world are tuned in to see nature at work and just how good of parents these eagles are.
“It really gives people an insight into real nature, I mean these are wild birds that hunt, fish, and care for their young,” Robinson said.
Some drama last year resulted in no eggs last mating season. Robinson said a new female eagle flew in and spent multiple weeks in the nest, disrupting the resident eagles.
“There were no eggs laid last year, but we were extra happy this year to see two eggs had been laid.
The eagle nest is located on the campus of The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown. It sits about a quarter mile from the Potomac River, according to information on the Eagle Cam site. https://www.fws.gov/media/nctc-eagle-nest-location
The NCTC Eagles, Bella and Smitty, had their first egg hatch on March 26 around 2:15 pm, according to an NCTC social media post, which included video highlights of the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_vtR3062Ts
The post indicated they were looking forward to seeing the second egg hatch soon.
The Eagle Cam discussion group is a place for viewers to chime in and give updates on the status of egg and eaglet. The NCTC called the chat group “a family- and classroom-friendly discussion board.”
You can access the Eagle Cam here: https://www.outdoorchannel.com/live/eaglecam