FORT MYERS, Fla. — The beloved Southwest Florida eagles have welcomed a new family member to the nest — and they're getting ready to welcome one more.
Known as M15 (male 2015) and F23 (female 2023,) the birds featured on the ever-popular Southwest Florida Eagle Cam have been providing around-the-clock care since their eggs were laid on Nov. 8 and Nov. 11.
The first pip, or crack in the egg, was spotted on Friday morning, with the first hatchling making its debut on Saturday afternoon.
The doting parents have since been seen feeding baby E24 and keeping predators away from the nest as they continue incubating the second egg, which could hatch any day now.
Eagle eggs have a 36-day incubation period. The hatching process itself can take between 24-48 hours as the hatchlings take periodic rests while working their way out of the eggshell.
While the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam is in its 13th season, this is the second season following M15 and F23 as a mated pair.
F23 was first spotted in the summer of 2023 before officially bonding with M15 in October 2023. The pair successfully raised their first offspring, E23, in the spring of 2024.