Editor’s note: Watch live-stream activities in the aerie above the Mississippi River at https://livestream.com/accounts/1538473/eaglecam.
A new season of birth has begun for an internationally-known pair of American bald eagles, Liberty (female) and Justice. They became a pair in 2009 and laid one egg in 2010. It did not survive. Their nest is on the Alcoa Company’s Davenport[, IA,] Works property.
Installation of two live-action cameras in 2011 took their recognition factor skyward! On two screens, you saw them groom; feed; swoop into, and out of, the nest; fend off intruders; call to each other. It is always a bonus when two adults are at the nest. Alcoa spokesman John Riches stated Liberty, the female, is considerably larger than Justice. She also seems to spend most of “the night shift” in the aerie.
According to Riches, on Friday, March 6, 2020, at about 1:30 p.m., Liberty laid laid her first egg of the season, in the aerie high above the Mississippi River. Typically a second egg would arrive two-to-three days later. On Thursday, March 12, only one egg is visible. Incubation period is about 35 days, so Riches estmates hatching about mid-April.
In eleven years’ time Liberty and Justice hatched 14 eaglets, usually in batches of two. Twice they laid three eggs.
The first two eaglets fledged in summer 2010 before [Arconic] installed the camera, and they were not named. The 14 that fledged since then were named Freedom; Spirit, Faith, and Hope; Honor and Glory; Rudy; Star and Sky; Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury; Storm and Windy.
- The eaglet of 2011 was named Freedom.
- The three born in 2012 were Faith, Hope, and Spirit.
- Honor and Glory came in 2013.
- In 2014, the lone eaglet was named Rudy, to honor late Davenport Police Sergeant Kevin “Rudy” Marxen, who died in February.
- 2015 produced no hatch.
- 2016 brought Star and Sky.
- Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury were launched in 2017.
- In 2018, two eggs were laid, but they produced no live offspring.
- Stormy weather in 2019 inspired names of Storm and Windy.
Start thinking of names to submit in 2020.