Wildlife

F23 and M15 have successful hatch -- new eaglet E24 is out

WGCU | By WGCU Staff

Published December 14, 2024 at 5:46 PM EST

One of two eggs in an eagle nest along Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers hatched on Saturday afternoon. Named E24, the eaglet wriggled out of its shell shortly after 4 p.m. A second egg is being watched for hatching.

New eaglet E24 works to shed its shell on Saturday. The eaglet is the second successful hatch from eagle pair F23 and M15.

An eaglet hatched at the active bald eagle nest along Bayshore Drive in North Fort Myers on Saturday afternoon with a second egg being watched.

The official hatch time for the eaglet named E24 was 4:01 p.m.

The new eaglet is the offspring of mated pair F23 (short for Female 2023) and M15 (short for Male 2015).

Viewers can watch and track the eaglet and the remaining egg on the official SWFL Eagle Cam website, the official Facebook page, Instagram account and YouTube channel.

The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam is keeping close watch on the remaining unhatched eagle egg that is expected to hatch in the next few days.

Two eggs, laid November 8 and November 11, were closing in on the average 36-day incubation period when the first egg showed a pip and the hatch began. The eggs are the second clutch of eggs from F23 and M15. E24 was hatched at 4:01 p.m. Saturday.

The two eggs, laid November 8 and November 11, were closing in on the average 36-day incubation period when the first egg showed a pip and the hatch began. The eggs are the second clutch of eggs from F23 and M15.

Both parents have taken turns incubating the eggs; maintaining the necessary temperatures embryos need for proper development. F23 and M15 will continue to nurture their eggs until they feel movement and the chick scratches the surface of the egg to break out.

Once the hatchling has begun to breathe, it will make soft calls that the adults can hear. The process of pip (or first crack) to a complete hatch can take anywhere from 24-48 hours and is expected to begin any minute over the next few days.

Celebrating 13 years of live streaming this season, the SWFL Eagle Cam has captured three different bald eagle pairs in the wild for all the triumphs and tribulations of raising their young. Since its inception in September 2012, the SWFEC has received more than 210 million views from over 190 different countries worldwide. The SWFEC also launched the first ever live 360 video eagle camera; allowing viewers to enjoy an immersive experience of all the action from the nest. To view this new 360 video, click here.

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