2021 SEASON
Season Summary: TBD
October 4, 2020 - Female's first visit to the nest
October 16, 2020 - Both eagles seen at nest
October 17, 2020 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree, first stick brought into the nest by the male
October 18, 2020 - Both eagles in nest at 7am and 3pm
October 19, 2020 - Both eagles in nest, moving around sticks
October 23, 2020 - Both eagles meet in nest
October 27, 2020 - Both eagles meet in the nest, moving around sticks for about 45 mins in the nest together before leaving
November 15, 2020 - Both eagles meet in the nest around 6:33am, Both eagles enter with sticks and move around a few sticks in the nest
November 19, 2020 - Female arrives first followed by Male, both eagles move sticks and peck at the bole, leaving and returning several times, hay is brought into the nest as soft material for the bole, Male rearranges sticks, Female joins and the two continue to dig into the bole of the nest
November 20, 2020 - Male rearranges sticks, Female joins and digs in the center of the nest until sunrise and then leaves at 7:12am
December 2, 2020 - Both eagle survey the nest and shuffle around with sticks, Female continues to move the same stick around the nest, her beak looks dirty from dirt/debris, Male returns to the nest with a stick, then later with fluff for the center of the nest,
December 3, 2020 - Female gets comfortable in the nest and then leaves about 10 minutes later, Male comes into the nest and then leaves about 12 mins later, Female returns to the nest with Male following shortly after, a stick goes over the edge while the eagles rearrange the sticks around the nest.
December 15, 2020 - Male enters the nest followed by female, chatter between the two the male gives the female a few little snaps
December 17, 2020 - Eagles visit after snowstorm and dig out the snow in the center of the nest
December 30, 2020 - Squirrel is in the nest and female eagle givees a wing slap
January 7, 2021- Both eagles enter the nest with fluff
January 8, 2021 - Female sits on the bole for an extended period of time
January 10, 2021 - Female sits on bole for long period of time
January 19, 2021 - Male has a meal in the nest
January 23, 2021 - First time Eagles mate on camera this season
January 26, 2021 - Female spends a good amount of time sitting in bole.
January 27, 2021 - Male brings the female a large meal then the two eagles copulate
January 29, 2021 - Eagles copulate
January 30, 2021 - Eagles copulate two times
February 2, 2021 - Female Lays Egg #1
February 5, 2021 - Female Lays Egg #2
March 12, 2021 - Pip first noticed on egg
March 13, 2021 - H313 hatched at approximately 6am, about 34 hours after pip was first noticed
ATTENTION HANOVER EAGLE VIEWERS - We recognize that over the years this bald eagle pair has been named by the public and is commonly referred to as "Freedom" and "Liberty". While we understand that naming the eagles helps connect and distinguish the female from the male eagle, naming the pair introduces an element of domesticity to wild animals. In order to respect the eagles and focus on their natural history, we will refer to the female and male as such as per recommendations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
To watch Hanover Eagle Nest Highlights from previous seasons, view our Hanover YouTube Playlist
2020 Season
Season Summary: Clutch of 2 eggs, none were hatched
October 24, 2019 - “Freedom” & “Liberty” spotted in Sentinel tree
October 28, 2019 - “Freedom” visits nest (watch clip), both eagles spotted in Sentinel tree
November 2, 4-6 & 9, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree
November 14, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree, seen flying in distance
November 15, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree (watch clip)
November 16, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree
November 17, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree
November 18-19, 2019 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
November 21 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
November 23, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree
November 25, 2019 - One eagle seen in Sentinel tree multiple times
November 26, 2019 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
November 29 - 2019 - One eagle seen in Sentinel tree two seperate times
November 30, 2019 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
December 3 - 4, 2019 - Both eagles seen in Sentinel tree
December 5, 2019 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
December 7, 2019 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
December 9, 2019 - One eagle in Sentinel tree
December 10, 2019 - Both eagles in Sentinel tree
December 21, 2019 - Nestorations begin (Watch timelapse clip)
February 13, 2020 - First Egg Laid @ 6:02pm EST (Watch Clip)
February 18, 2020 - Second Egg Laid @ 6:11pm EST (Watch Clip) *The appearance of the second egg did not look "normal". After laying the second egg, it appeared as though Liberty tried to roll the new egg, it broke and she ate the contents. The second egg wasn't seen on the cameras since this incident.
March 29, 2020 - Incubation Day 46 for egg # 1 - "Liberty" consumes egg
2019 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of two egs, two hatches, two fledges
- December 3, 2018 - Cameras turned on for the season
- February 26, 2019 - First egg laid at 5:08pm EST (watch clip)
- March 1, 2019 - Second egg laid at 6:23pm EST
- April 4, 2019 - First hatch @ 9:20am Eastern (watch clip)
- April 6, 2019 - Second hatch @ 9:30am Eastern (watch clip)
- June 18, 2019 - "Star" is knocked off the nest by "Liberty" (watch clip)
- June 23, 2019 - "Star" returns to the nest (watch clip)
- June 30, 2019 - "Stripes" fledges (watch clip)
2018 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of two eggs, no hatches, no fledges
- January 3, 2018 - Cameras turned on for the season
- February 20, 2018 - First egg laid (watch clip)
- February 23, 2018 - Second egg laid (watch clip)
- Events of March 17, 2018 and beyond:
The cameras were disrupted and unavailable due to an electrical malfunction from the morning of March 17th to early March 19th.
During this time, the PGC reported that there appeared to be another adult eagle around the nest. From the PGC:
“Extra” bald eagles may be adults that have not yet paired up and claimed a territory; they may attempt to interfere with this pair in order to claim a mate or territory. With the population filling the available habitat in many parts of Pennsylvania, it would not be surprising to see some increase in nest failure as a result of these interferences and competition disrupting the care of nest and young. The big takeaway lesson, bald eagles are well-adapted to Pennsylvania. They are well-adapted at selecting nest sites, building nests, and caring for eggs and young. This is one of the great lessons of the Game Commission’s bald eagle recovery effort and its annual monitoring of active eagle nests. As bald eagles are filling available habitat in some parts of the state, there will be some conflicts between competing eagles. We have never in modern history been witness to such conflict events and we will all learn as we go. In most conceivable circumstances, nature will be allowed to take its course without intervention. Should an injured eagle end up grounded, the Game Commission could facilitate its transfer to a licensed rehabilitation facility.
It is not possible to know the events that transpired while the cameras were shut off, however, it appears that the "extra" adult eagle engaged the resident eagles in conflict at the nest, potentially in an effort to claim territory. It is unclear what happened to the resident female (commonly referred to by viewers as "Liberty", although the PGC does not name wildlife). It appears that the resident male (commonly referred to as "Freedom") continued to incubate the eggs alone and may have been subject to additional conflicts with the "extra" adult eagle over the next few days.
- March 21, 2018 - The two eggs were left unattended during a winter storm and were exposed to harsh conditions, ultimately becoming buried under the falling snow. The eggs are believed to have become non-viable due to these events.
- March 22, 2018 - The "extra" adult eagle (now being referred to by viewers as "Lucy" and distinguishable by black markings on the tail wing tips) and the resident male made several visits to the nest throughout the day, both alone and together. In the evening hours after a joint visit, the black tipped eagle consumed one or possibly both of the eggs.
- Late March and beyond - The nest continued to see visits from various eagles, including juveniles. While it is not possible to know for certain which eagles visited the nest, it is widely speculated that the adults included Freedom, Lucy and Liberty.
- May 4, 2018 - Cameras turned down for the season
2017 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of two eggs, two hatches, two fledges
- December 28, 2016 - Cameras turned on for the season
- February 10, 2017 - First egg laid
- February 13, 2017 - Second egg laid
- March 20, 2017 - First hatch
- March 21, 2017 - Second hatch
- June 7, 2017 - First fledge
- June 10, 2017 - Second Fledge
- July 3, 2017 - Cameras turned off for the season
2016 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of two eggs, one hatch, no fledges
- December 17, 2015 - Cameras turned on for the season
- February 18, 2016 - First egg laid
- February 21, 2016 - Second egg laid
- March 28, 2016 - First hatch
- March 30, 2016 - Hatchling deceased, perhaps injured by a branch being moved in the nest
- May 23, 2016 - Unhatched egg removed from the nest by one of the adults
- June 1, 2016 - Cameras turned off for the season
2015 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of two eggs, two hatches, two fledges
- February 14 - First egg laid
- February 17 - Second egg laid
- March 24 - First hatch
- March 25 - Second hatch
- June 22 - Both eaglets fledged
