2024 Hilton Head Nesting Season: TBD
1/2/2024 - First Great Horned Owl egg is laid at 3:04 pm ET.
1/6/2024 - Second Great Horned Owl egg is laid at 4:16 pm ET.
2/5/2024 - HH5 hatched at 10:09 p.m.
2/8/2024 - HH6 hatched at 3:00 a.m.
3/23/2024 - HH5 branches for the first time leaving the nest at 1:52 pm ET
3/26/2024 - HH6 branches for the first time leaving the nest at 7:52 am ET
4/1/24-HH5 fledges
4/1/24-HH6 Fledges
2022-2023 Hilton Head Nesting Season
Season Summary: No Eggs
September 15, 2022 - Harriet and Mitch first sighting back at the nest
2021-2022 Hilton Head Nesting Season
Season Summary: 2 Eggs, 2 Hatches, 0 Fledges, Loss Due to Avian Flu
November 19, 2021 - First Egg Laid!
November 22, 2021 - Second Egg Laid
December 25, 2021 - First Pip
December 26, 2021 - First Hatch HH3
December 27, 2021 - Second Hatch HH4
February 26, 2022 - HH3 falls from the nest, The eaglet was recovered by Russell Patterson, lead sponsor of the Eagle CAM, and taken to The Birds of Prey Center Avian Medical Clinic in Awendaw, SC the following morning by Robin Storey, Board Member of the Land Trust.
February 27, 2022 - HH4 experienced seizures and falls from the nest. They were also recovered and taken to Avian Medical Clinic the following morning.
February 28, 2022 - Both Eaglets pronounced dead and corpses taken to be examined by Clemson University Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and other U.S. Agencies to diagnose the cause of death of the eaglets.
March 5, 2022 - Determined Eaglets cause of death was the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ("HPAI") commonly seen in wild birds.
March 22, 2022 - Both Adult Eagles, Mitch and Harriet seen in the nest.
March 24, 2022 - Two Ospreys seen in the nest
2020 Hilton Head Nesting Season
-unknown clutch size
-two hatches
-two fledges
A pair of eagles have nested here from 2017-2021. The resident eagles were named Harriet and Mitch after the Underground Railroad crusader Harriet Tubman and General Ormsby M. Mitchel, who founded the Town of Mitchelville on Hilton Head Island. Both namesakes carry importance to American history and a story unique to Hilton Head Island.