E17 has fledged!

Time flies, and so do eaglets. E17 from the SWFL Bald Eagle Cam nest fledged yesterday. Feels like they just hatched, but that was almost three months ago!

Minutes before the big moment. Both eaglets loafing in the nest, E17 preening their little sibling E18.

E18 picks up a piece of nest material to play with. E17 notices E18 Has Something.

"What's that? Food?"

The face of a bamboozled bird.

But it seems something about the wind under their wings right then felt just right, and having fluttered around the nest for weeks now, E17 suddenly took a big leap into the air.

Liftoff!

E17 stops at the tip of the veranda branch for a moment, not really landing, but holding on with their feet. And then -

They're off!

E17 successfully landed in one of the pines at the front of the pasture. They've since also flown back to the nest, and last I checked E17 was sleeping on the veranda branch and E18 in the nest, with at least one of the parents also roosting in the nest tree. Congratulations on the big day, E17! Get a good night's rest for more adventures, and stay safe.

Also here's two screenshots from when they were a bit more baby, not having grown their full juvenile plumage yet. Forgot to post these sooner:

E17 (lower/left) and E18 doing some lazy beaking. Also note the poop stain on E18's back, lol. Someone's had either really bad or really good aim.

And E18. Looking forward to your fledging, too, whenever you're ready.