Bald eagle dad sees egg for the first time in California nest. ‘Absolutely precious’
The moment a bald eagle dad got to see his first egg of the season was “absolutely precious” — and it was all caught on camera in Northern California.
Bald eagle mom Liberty laid her first egg at about 4:07 p.m. Feb. 15 in Redding, according to the Friends of the Redding Eagles, a Facebook page.
She sat on the egg all through the night and into the morning the next day, until bald eagle dad Guardian returned to the nest at about 6:24 a.m.
The video shows Liberty rise and fly to a nearby branch where she can keep a watchful eye.
That’s when Guardian makes his move toward the egg, slowly lifting one talon at a time until he’s over the egg.
He gazes down at the new egg, then uses his beak to gently nudge it toward him as he positions his body over it, the video shows. Then he circles around the egg a few times and lowers down, beginning his turn at warming it.
“I never get tired of seeing a dad’s first peek at their eggs!” one person commented on Facebook.
“It is absolutely amazing how these Eagles show their great love first for the egg and for their babies. How tender they are!!!!” another person wrote.
Second egg laid during rain storms
Liberty then laid her second egg, about three days later on Feb. 18, when the live camera was down due to heavy rain and strong winds, the group said. The second egg was then visible Feb. 19 when the camera was up and running again.
The eagle parents have since taken turns incubating the eggs through the cold weather.
“It’s so much fun watching Guardian with the 2 eggs! He’s such a good Papa & he seems to take his job very seriously!” the group said in a Feb. 20 Facebook post.
Liberty laid her third egg Feb. 21.
She is 25 years old while Guardian is 10, the group said. They have been together since 2019, after Liberty’s previous mate, Spirit, disappeared.
The group said they think she’s laid 42 eggs throughout her life.
The live eagle camera can be viewed here.
Redding is about 160 miles north of Sacramento.
This story was originally published February 21, 2024 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Bald eagle dad sees egg for the first time in California nest. ‘Absolutely precious’."
