On Sunday rangers at the state-run nature area Oostvaardersplassen discovered that the White-tailed Eagle couple has successfully hatched at least one chick for the second year in a row.
The hatching comes just days after the webcam pointed at the camera lost connection. Rangers observing the nest over the weekend were, by a stroke of luck, able to see the head of a chick sticking out from the nest to confirm the hatching. The chick has made its appearance about a week earlier than expected.
The eagle parents successfully fledged one chick last year; that young bird is now summering in the Oostvaardersplassen, but is not welcome at its former birth place.
The camera, used by visitors to the natural area and online visitors, as well as raptor researchers, became unavailable on Friday the 13th. Rangers believe the lens is obscured by a snail or a leaf, but they will not risk disturbing the birds in order to investigate. Rangers may be able to get a look at the camera in the coming weeks, but making a visit to the camera will be impossible until much later in the year, when the baby chick(s) has fledged and the parents have temporarily abandoned the nest. The webcam was visited by up to 25,000 internet visitors per day.
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