Due to the toppling of the bald eagle nest the camera is now showing backwater activity. It is unknown at this time whether we will have another eagle nest cam. In the mean time please enjoy the view.
Starr took a new mate during the 2022-2023 nesting season. Both Valors went their separate ways. Valor I and Valor II remain in the area. Starr’s nest was destroyed by a storm and both 2023 eaglets perished. Starr and her mate started rebuilding after the storm and have been seen nesting together in the 2023-2024 nesting season. We do not have a camera on the new nest at this time.
Live stream provides an opportunity to view wildlife in its natural setting and sometimes those scenes may be difficult to watch.
The nest was located in the backwaters of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Lock and Dam 13, Fulton IL on the Mississippi River. We work hand in hand with the US Fish and Wildlife Service staff that is located at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center, Thomson, IL.
Derecho hit this area in August of 2020 and the nest was blown out. A new nest was built across from the old nest in 2021. One of the cameras did not go down and we are able to watch them from a distance. The tree is not suited for a cam, so we will have to be continent to watch from a far.
The nest tree couldn’t compete with the powerful storm that hit the area March 31, 2023, for it is no longer. Now we have to see where they will rebuild. Hopefully in a good healthy tree.
If your new to the page, please check out the FAQ and history section farther down the page.
– Trio Bald Eagle Nest Products – order now!
We have had many questions in regard to the trio nest. A FAQ page was developed to help answer those questions. We also added answers to many general bald eagle questions.
- Comments can be sent to us by messaging us on the Stewards Facebook page. If you are not a facebook user, click on contact us and we will get back to you within 24hrs.
Here is an interesting study that was done on a cooperating nesting of a trio of Bald Eagles in California in 1992. Institution for Wildlife Studies.
There will be no camera on this nest during the 2022 nesting season due to the nature of the dead tree, however we are able to watch from a distance.
• 2005 – The nest and eggs were destroyed by high winds.
• 2006 – One mate died after flying into an electrical power line. The other mate abandoned the nest and eggs.
• 2007 – Two young fledged.
• 2008 – Three young fledged.
• 2009 – One chick fledged, but flew into an electrical power line and died.
• 2010 – Three chicks fledged.
• 2011 – The nest was relocated and webcam installed. Wooden supports were added to the old nest for stability.
• 2011 – Eggs were laid, but parents abandoned nest. The tree collapsed in June, due to wind.
• 2012 – Nest was rebuilt in old location, near Lock and Dam 13. Two eggs were laid and eventually hatched. Behavior of male (Valor) indicated that he was young and didn’t know exactly what to do. He had limited interest in incubation and feeding. Both eggs hatched, but each eaglet at 3 days old perished.
• 2013 – New nest location. Three adults were around nest. Behavior indicated that Valor I was replaced with Valor II. The pair successfully raised 2 eaglets.
• Working on moving camera to new location. We need to raise some money to purchase electrical wire.
• Camera was placed in mid November, 2013 at nest location. However, there are several new nests being built. We are waiting to see where they settle before proceeding with camera setup.
• 2014 – unable to see nest due to vegetation, saw three adults eagles around the nest.
• 2015 – Eagles worked on two different nest locations. Nest that was used in 2013 was the site they used at the last minute. Unable to get camera hooked up due to disturbance. 3 eaglets were fledged. Three adult eagle were seen around the nest site.
• 2016 – Trio of eagles (two males, one female) successfully fledged 3 young. Finally documented that indeed all three are sharing in all aspects of nesting. Video was taken of all three copulating, building the nest and raising the young.
• 2017 – Trio has returned and has been working on the nest periodically. Copulation has been seen on 1/19/17: 1/26/2017 – 1st egg was laid, 1/29/2017- 2nd egg was laid, 2/1/2017 – 3rd egg was laid.
3/7/2017 – 1st eaglet hatched, 3/9/2017 – 2nd eaglet hatched. Third egg never hatched.
On the evening of March 24, two adult bald eagles attacked the nest. The webcam recorded the attack that lasted over an hour and shows two adult eagles battling on the ground in a desperate talon clinching struggle. When the struggle ended, both eagles hopped out of sight of the webcam. Hope did not return to the nest that night and still was not present at the nest on the morning of March 25. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff intensively searched the area under the eagle nest and adjoining land areas. The nest is located on a narrow forested peninsula that is surrounded by Mississippi River backwaters. The searchers found no sign of Hope nor of feathers on the ground where the struggle occurred. Valor 1 and Valor 2 were disturbed by the searchers and remained off the nest during the search and for several hours after searchers left the area. On the evening of March 26, two adult bald eagles made a second recorded attack on the nest. Valor 1 and Valor 2 boldly defended the chicks and prevented the marauding eagles from entering the nest and no injuries were observed. Daily attacks occurred throughout April with an occasional flyby in May. Two males continued to raise the eaglets to fledging. They fledged on 5/30/2017. Hope is considered MIA and not expected to be found.
• 2018 September 1, 2017 – New female was seen with both males. Female is a young adult due to few darker feathers on her head, Periodically all three are seen at the nest bringing in and moving sticks around. This is part of the bonding ritual that they do.
2/10/2018 – First egg was laid, 2/13/2018 – Second egg was laid
3/20/2018 – The first eaglet was observed, 3/21/2018 – The second eaglet arrived.
4/18/2018 – #2 eaglet died of unknown causes.
5/19/2018 – #1 fledged early at 8.5 weeks of age. It spent the next several weeks on a platform below the nest. The parents changed the feeding to that location. It was seen in a tree on the opposite side of the island a month later doing just fine.
2019
2/18/2019 1st egg was laid, 2/21/2019 2nd egg was laid, 2/24/2019 3rd egg
3/27 E1 hatched, 3/29 E2 hatched, 4/1 E3 hatched
6/6 E2 was making a running approach to land on the limb with E1. In so doing he/she caught E3 off guard and knocked he/she over the edge of the nest. He/She learned the first lesson on how to swim. It was later spotted south of the nest and then again north of the nest. Parents continued to feed E3 at that location.
6/22 E3 was back at the nest with E1 and E2.
6/17 both eaglets fledged
2020
2/14/2020 5:15 pm 1st egg laid
2/17/2020 5:50 pm 2nd egg laid
3/23/2020 1st egg hatched
3/24/2020 2nd egg hatched
6/10 1st eaglet fledged.
6/16 2nd eaglet fledged.
Derecho hit this area in August resulting in the nest being blow over.
2021
Trio built a new nest across from old nest site. Only able to view from a distance.
We were able to confirm on April 5th that there are three eaglets.
Eaglet 1 fledged on June 7
Eaglet 2 fledged on June 11
Eaglet 3 fledged on June 13
2022
