Here is some good news that Berry College posted on Facebook and Kai posted to RC-Central:

"The eagle cameras and the live stream will be taken off-line on Tuesday, September 2, in order to add a second camera to the nest tree and re-orient the current camera. The approach camera may also be relocated. The cameras will remain off-line until they have been tested and re-connected to our network. Thank you for your patience as we prepare for the new eagle season."

An adult eagle believed to be Papa Berry made an appearance on the Berry nest earlier this week, so things are shaping up for the new season!

Wow! That 2015 title threw me for a minute. 2015? Really?

Published by crayj46

Here's a s-cap taken by Jerri Mowry on 9-30-14. It shows Pa Berry right before he is attacked. Jerry believes the white behind him is a GHO. I tend to agree.

Published on Oct 8, 2014 by eaglewhisperer18

Dad Berry at 1:58 into video watch for dad to bring in a big stick lol.Times Mom & Dad Berry visited is in lower right of cam.
Cam link with info,http://www.berry.edu/eaglecam/
Thank you Berry College Eagles.Berry Eagles

Mom and Dad Berry did a show this morning with their stick fights. LOL! I videoed some of it. I think they needed more coffee.


A RaptorCentral Video.

Published on Dec 16, 2014

Thanks Berry College, Dad is in the mood, makes his move and Mom bites him on the beak.

This morning, yours truly had the honor of leading a "Teacher Tuesday" session for the B3 Branch Buddies on Facebook. Here's a recap of the session:

Hello Fellow Branch Buddies!
Thanks so much for including me in the "Teacher Tuesday" posts. Most of you know me by my chat name "raptorz4ever" and call me "R4." I first started watching the Berry eagles in September 2013, so they are near and dear to my heart! I will post a few notes and then open to discussion, because many of you have quite a lot of info to share on this topic. And even more of you may have questions that we can toss around. The subject?

Will Mom EVER lay an egg? And related to that, how many eggs will she lay? How can we tell she's about to lay? and what is Dad's role in this process? So let's get started:

Will she EVER lay an egg? Well, there's certainly every indication that will happen, and happen soon. Our excellent on-site photographers have produced evidence of increasing mating activity, so we know the eagles are serious about it. The question is -- when? History is a major indicator. A bald eagle pair tends to lay eggs at approximately the same time each year, unless external circumstances alter their plans. Although we do not know the dates of egg laying in 2013, B1 and B2 fledged on April 22 and 28, so the eggs were likely laid in mid-to-late December. Last year, as we all know, the eggs were laid on January 14 and 17. (My personal opinion is that egg-laying was late last year because Mom was still recovering from a severe injury to her foot/leg, but that is speculation.) Another indicator is latitude. Many of the Florida eaglets have already hatched, and nests near the same latitude (Charlotte, for example) already have eggs. So, my guess -- already entered in the contest -- is today! We'll see!

How many eggs will there be? There's a high probability there will be two. Clutch size in eagles is limited to the number of mouths that a pair can feed successfully while not significantly reducing their own survival. Both clutch and brood size are limited by the available prey and the amount of work the pair has to do to provide the prey. But ultimately, the number of eggs is dependent on the female’s overall condition. A third egg is possible but improbable. Four-egg clutches are extremely rare.

How will we know she's about to lay? Egg formation may take days, and as an egg passes down into the uterus, the eagle begins nest-sitting (sometimes called pre-egg lethargy). The egg may move from there to be laid quickly. Right now, each time Mom sits in the nest to try it out, we are thinking “Is this it???” The fascinating thing about the Berry pair is -- Dad likes to sit in the nest too!

When Mom is actually ready to lay an egg, she will become calm and focused. She will squat down low but will be elevated from the nest a bit, leaning forward. She will fidget a little, shifting slowly from foot to foot. Then she will lift her tail slightly and -- voila! She may not move for a while, leaving everyone wondering if it really happened! I will share a personal observation -- I have noticed on several occasions that the female reaches around to her back with her beak at the time the egg is laid. I call this a scapular swipe. I haven't read about it anywhere, but a few others have observed this too. Here is ncaerie's video of Mom Berry laying the second egg last year (maybe B3?). At about 1:12 in the video you can see the scapular swipe.

http://youtu.be/wN5UcPerS1Y

If everything is in sequence, a second ovum is maturing and ready to be fertilized as the first egg is laid.

What is Dad's role? Well, last year proud Papa perched near Mom and watched. He is clearly a good Daddy eagle! His jobs will be to guard Mom and their clutch of eggs, provide much of her food, bring additional nest material to reinforce the nest, and relieve Mom periodically. If there is snow this year, he may even do some nighttime duty (like he did last year), even though the night shift is usually Mom's. And then, of course, after the eaglets hatch, he will be even busier!

Questions and comments welcome and encouraged!!
R4

Here are a few of the additional posts:

Melinda Parker: Ok this is probably a dumb question but after reading this I'm wondering....do they literally decide whether they will have 2 or 3 eggs or is that regulated by her body?

Ans: Good question, Melinda. I don't believe the eagles actually make a decision about how many eggs to lay. But the conditioning of the female's body determines this. Around 85 - 90% of clutches are 2-egg clutches.

More on clutch size from Dr. Watts at CCB: " The ultimate clutch size is not just determined by the ability to produce eggs but doing so in a narrow time window so that incubation is not extended too long and the chicks hatch relatively close together."

Asleepnomore Birdwatcher Very informative Betty! I've also noticed at many egg layings that Mom's lower back will ripple, much like contractions... And I tend to think the same thing about Mom Berry's injury last season causing a delay in her egg laying.

Comment: Yes, Asleep, it takes a pretty good camera to see this, but sometimes the contractions can be seen.

Jerri Mowry Did anyone else notice she delivered at 7 ish at night! Saying that they do lay their eggs at night, great now I won't even get a power nap!

Asleepnomore Birdwatcher They've delivered in the middle of the night too, Jerri! LOL, no rest for the wicked or the weary

Jerri Mowry Betty how long after fertilization does mom lay her egg!

Ans: Jerri, the egg is laid about 2 days after fertilization.

Jerri Mowry Now I don't know what to say to others! My research says 5-10 days after fertile. Pat says 5. ?? Help!

Ans: Here is Dr. Watts' excellent recap of the egg-laying process: "The egg begins as an ovum within the ovary where it enlarges
by a factor of 1,000 or more as the yolk is laid down a process that likely takes 2 weeks in eagles. Upon maturation, the ovum is released by the follicle that encloses it and enters the upper portion of oviduct. It is in this location that the egg is fertilized. The egg then takes about 24 hours to pass down the oviduct during which
time albumen and membranes are added. The shell is added over about a 24 hour period in the uterus. So, the egg is laid approximately 2 days after being fertilized. You can see that
it takes well over 2 weeks to form a single egg.
Several ova are being formed simultaneously in the ovary in
order to produce a clutch. If everything
is in sequence, the second ovum is maturing and ready to be fertilized as the first egg is laid. Timing is important
in breeding and the purpose of courtship is to bring the pair into
synchrony. Although sperm may be viable within the oviduct for some time, likelihood of fertilization drops after a couple of days. In eagles we typically see copulation occurring multiple times over a 10 day period in order to raise the odds of fertilizing ova as they mature in sequence to form the clutch."

More: Jerri Mowry, you will find many differing opinions on this subject. My info comes from CCB and my trusty "Manual of Ornithology."

Jerri Mowry Thanks ProfR4. I will have to get that Manuel!

Barbara Cavenaugh How do we know that she has an egg/eggs to lay already????

Ans: @ Barbara Cavenaugh, we don't. Just speculation.

Sandy Vegners Betty, Do you know why eagles do that cute side-to-side "shimmy" when they are settling down on eggs? Is there a reason for it?

Ans: Sandy Vegners, I love to watch that too. They are positioning the brood patch to get close to the eggs

Melinda Parker grew up with chickens and when some laid they clucked and cackled..this year with sound we (hopefully) be able to hear Mom

Comment: That is a possibility, Melinda Parker. I'll be listening for that too.

Melinda Parker Jerri watching the video knowing the obstacle of a injured leg/foot and how she cared for the eggs/baby...makes me love her even more

Comment: Can't know for sure, of course, but I believe she was in a lot of pain last year. Incubating the eggs and lying still in the cold was very hard on her. Dad was a trouper & relieved her a lot.

Jerri Mowry There are a number of life lessons that humans could learn from these majestic birds.

Tamara Brewster Knabb Yesterday, at the NEFL nest, I observed the Florida pair (that already has two tiny eaglets) continuing to mate. Is it possible that additional eggs could be produced? It would seem an unlikely, if not impossible situation for the eaglets involved. Just curious.

Ans: Tamara, I'm not sure if it's possible. I agree it's highly unlikely, and it would be most unfortunate for a latecoming eaglet.

Asleepnomore Birdwatcher What say you about delayed incubation to help ensure BEaglet chicks hatch close together, Betty?

Ans: @ Asleepnomore Birdwatcher, I missed your question about delayed incubation to ensure the eaglets hatch close together. I have been taught that, while some raptors delay incubation until all eggs have been laid, bald eagles do not. I have observed, however, that the eagles do tend to leave the first egg for short periods and are more diligent after the second egg is laid.