Southwest Florida's bald eagle reboot began Friday.
It was a tumultuous year at the nest of Harriet and M15 in North Fort Myers. It included rebuilding a destroyed nest, two more eaglets to raise, the heartbreaking disappearance of Harriet and the stalwart dedication of M15 to shepherd E21 and E22 to fledge.
The cameras, calledthe SWFL Eagle Cam and installed by Dick Pritchett Real Estate at the Bayshore Road nest, documented the lives of the breeding eagle pair and were taken off-line after the 2022-2023 season for maintenance and repair.
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam co-founder Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden told WGCU on Sunday that this year the website is live streaming in 4K mode, likely among the first such eagle cams to do so.
There is also a 360-degree camera in use, McSpadden said, and hopefully the pond cam by next week.
McSpadden said this season’s live streaming new set up includes two ultra-high definition 4k cameras placed strategically in the nest tree.
"Cam 1 will again have the functionality to pan and zoom on action happening in the nest, giving viewers an up-close view into an eagle’s ecosphere. Cam 2, the 'Nest Cam' will feature eye-level up close footage of nest activity," she said in a special media release later Sunday. "Finally, a 360-video camera returns after sustaining damage last season during Hurricane Ian. This camera will also allow viewers to jump into the driver seat and experience real time 360 views of M and any future Eagles in the nest."
Some of the cameras became active again on Friday with a note from the site administrators:
"Welcome to Season 12. Cam 1 and Cam 2 are now streaming. We are looking forward to a Season of hope and possibilities."
The Southwest Florida Eaglecam Facebook group also lauded the returning cameras:
"Hello everyone, Great news, the Live Cams are now online. ... We appreciate the SWFEC, Pritchett Group, and everyone involved in the camera setup.
Happy Eagle watching and enjoy Season 12."
On Sunday, McSpadden told WGCU she was hopeful for the new season.
“But today we started streaming live season 12. This app was for the eagle cam, and we could not be more excited. Just because we have three new amazing cameras that have never been used before," she told WGCU. "We have M returning to the nest, and we have a potential new mate. And it's just an exciting day.”
For McSpadden, the possibilities are endless:
“We can't wait to see what unfolds. Mother Nature knows best. But we're excited and we can't wait for everyone to watch and hopefully like everything that we have in store for them. And then we'll see what happens," she said. "We'll see some hopeful courtship and some mating rituals between M and this potential new mate. And then hopefully, time will tell if we'll have eggs in the nest.”
There had been some conjecture over the summer that M15 might have found a new mate since a female eagle was seen in his presence around the nest. In fact on Sunday morning, the two could be seen, side-by-side, on a branch at the nesting tree.
A release Sunday from the website said both M and the new female bald eagle have both been delivering nesting materials and showing strong signs of a possible new courtship.
"But as 2015 showcased with Ozzie and M15, competition for a mate is fierce and can sometimes become a battle to the death between two eagles," the release reminded eagle aficianadoes. Ozzie was Harriet's original mate and succumbed after fighting with M15.
You could not ask for more drama than what happened during Season 11.
First came Hurricane Ian and damage to the breeding pair's Bayshore Road nest.
Harriet and M15 managed to repair that damage and welcome two eggs — egg 1 on Nov. 29 at 6:09 p.m. and egg 2 Dec. 2 at 8:09 p.m.
The normal eagle egg watch ensued with thousands of internet users looking on as the pair tended the two eggs.
But then, late in the day on February 2, Harriet vanished from the nest. Her disappearance raised all manner of concerns, worries and comments from the thousands of online viewers of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. Harriet was never seen again. Nobody knows what happened to her.
Fortunately she had trained mate M15 well and he managed to soldier through the winter and spring, fending off attackers, feeding his charges, and finally seeing E21 and E22 fly off to their own destinies.
Whatever happens from here, the newly awakened cameras at the SWFEC website will capture it . More than 213 million people have visited the site since it was started over a decade ago.
The tale of Harriet and M15 / Season 11
- Above: 30 seconds from the nest: Harriet's eaglets are preparing to fly
Information about the nest
- The original adult bald eagle pair, known as Ozzie and Harriet, had been coming to this nest since 2006. After Ozzie’s passing in the early fall of 2015, Harriet & M15 bonded in late fall of 2015. This is their eighth season as a mated pair at this location.
- While spotted most months out the year in the area, they officially reside in this nest between the months of October and May.
- The nest sits 60 feet above the ground, in a Slash Pine tree. In the Spring of 2016, the nest deteriorated and completely fell apart.
- The nest camera faces South East.
- The pair relocated the nest from across the street to its current location for the 2006-2007 nesting season. This nest is labeled LE026-B of the Florida State Monitoring Program. It has been monitored at this location for 16 years.
Visiting the nest
Remember that the closer you are to the nest, the less you can see. The best viewing location is from your desktop at home. Visits to the nest are closely monitored. If you can see the nest please remember you are being watched and recorded, even at night. The Pritchett Agency is a working office and your compliance with the eagle watching etiquette is most appreciated.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
Copyright 2023 WGCU. To see more, visit WGCU. 9(MDAyNDY5ODMwMDEyMjg3NjMzMTE1ZjE2MA001))
