Season 14 ready to take wing for eagles, Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
Season prep for the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam is underway.
International web stars M15 and F23, a mating pair, have returned to their nest on the Pritchett Farm off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers.
The American Bald Eagles returned from their summer vacation a few weeks ago and are preparing to nest and the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam is ready to bring Season 14 and all the doings of the famous family starting in early October.
Virginia Pritchett-McSpadden, founder of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, said things ended on a sad note last year when both of the pair’s eaglets succumbed to avian flu.
But things look promising this year.
“There was a lot of uncertainty with the passing of the eaglets and the adults (maybe) getting the flu. We were holding our breath they would pull through,” Pritchett-McSpadden said. “To see them back at the nest and doing the restorations is pointing towards good signs.”
The birds should be ready to mate and produce offspring very soon, and the multi-camera eagle cam — which attracts hundreds of thousands of views worldwide — will share all the activities, from the laying of the eggs, to their hatching, to watching the eaglets grow and eventually fledge from the nest.
M15 and F23, entering their third season as mating pair, have raised one chick to the fledgling stage so far.
Their first season two years ago produced two eggs. One cracked days before its scheduled hatching and the eaglet did not survive. The other hatched and E23 successfully took wing.
Last year, two of two eggs hatched successfully but E24 and E25 died of bird flu six weeks later after, it is believed, they consumed an infected bird carcass.
Pritchett-McSpadden, said things have gone full3c…3.ircle at the nest since the eagle cam started in 2012.
“In the beginning we had Ozzie and Harriet, two seasoned parents. When M15 came around, Harriet had to get him up to speed,” Pritchett-McSpadden said. “Now, we’re seeing F23 learn to deal with things, survive and hopefully thrive as a mom.”
The 2025-2026 season will again catch all the action using four cameras that stream the bald eagles live at https://dickpritchettrealestate.com/southwest-florida-eagle-cam/DickPritchettRealEstate.com.
Pritchett-McSpadden said the cameras have been refreshed so people will be better able see the action, barring an act of nature.
“F23 landed on one of the cameras last year and knocked it out of view. We fixed that and we’ll have this cool view of the pasture,” Pritchett-McSpadden said. “Our fingers are crossed that things will go according to plan.”
Camera 1 is positioned seven feet above the nest and is equipped with night vision. Camera 2 is located at nest level capturing the side view.
Camera 3 is in the nest tree and the first-ever live camera in history to capture a 360-degree look into a bald eagle’s daily activity. This cam allows you to click and drag to any viewing area for a fully immersive experience.
Camera 4 is installed closer to the pond to capture activity happening around the pasture and in the pond area.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com