HANOVER, Pa. — Fans of the eagle camera in Hanover's Codorus State Park are squawking over the news that the eagles nesting there have welcomed their first new edition of 2022.
Over the weekend, viewers of the livestream spotted the first egg of the year, provided by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and HDOnTap since 2015. The eagle couple, dubbed Liberty and Freedom by their many fans, have been nesting there for years.
Every time they lay an egg, thousands of viewers eagerly begin a 35- to 38-day vigil, waiting and hoping for a glimpse of their first hatchling.
Viewers may get to see another egg sometime this week. Typically, experts say, eagles lay two eggs per year. The eggs generally incubate for roughly seven weeks before hatching.
Last year, Liberty and Freedom laid two eggs, but only one hatched. In 2020, neither of the eagles' two eggs provided offspring.
There have been other dramatic moments captured by the eagle camera over the years. In 2018, Liberty was briefly chased from the nest by a larger female interloper who ate both the eggs she had laid. After a few weeks away, Liberty returned and chased the invader away, but the eggs were long gone.
Last year, the lone eaglet that hatched out gave stream viewers a scare when it missed a nearby branch on a practice flight and fell 75 feet to the ground.
It looked bleak for the baby eagle, dubbed Patience by fans, but birdwatchers on the ground later reported seeing the young bird flying with both parents at a nearby lake.
HDOnTap and the Game Commission upgraded the cameras surrounding the nest in 2021, so followers of the live stream can pick from three different views of the nest, including an infrared view at night.
The exact location of the nest is not public knowledge to discourage bird watchers from getting too close.
Eagle Cam FAQs
Where can the cameras be viewed?
These cameras are all available for viewing with HDOnTap’s multi-cam video player here.
Where can daily time-lapse clips can be found?
Right here.
Where are these cameras located?
Hanover, Pennsylvania. The nest is located in a tree, approximately 75 feet above the ground on a private residence at Codorus State Park.
Will another egg be laid?
The first egg was laid on Saturday February 12th at around 2pm, this female usually lays 2 eggs each season. The time between eggs laid in a clutch is between 3-4 days, so we could see another egg laid this week.
How long will the eaglets remain in the nest?
Eaglets typically remain in the nest for about 10 -13 weeks after hatching.
Who sponsors these cameras?
The Hanover live cameras are made possible by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, HDOnTap and ComcastBusiness.
