Most pictures are from the Maine Bald Eagle Cam Discussion Forum's
thread on the Barton's Cove Eagle Cam
Additional info and pictures from the Hancock Wildlife Channel's
thread on the Barton's Cove Eagle Cam
Barton Island is a small island in the Connecticut River, near Barton Cove, in Gill, Massachusetts. A female eagle originally raised and released at the nearby Quabbin Reservoir in 1985 paired with a male bird released in 1986, forming the Barton Island territory in 1989. The original male was subsequently replaced (in 1996?) by a male with leg bands indicating it came from New York State. The nest has produced one or two chicks most years since 1989, although there were three years that the pair was unsuccessful (1997, 1999 and 2001). They fledged two chicks in 2002, one in 2003, two in 2004, one in 2005, and two in 2006 and 2007.
July 26, 2007 - 2 fledglings
© 2007 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
Based on past experience, look for eggs in early March, chicks in early to mid-April, and fledging in early July.
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eggs laid: first egg seen early morning February 29 (may have been laid during the night - female very restless at dusk); second egg seen March 3 at 8:10 am (again may have been laid during the night); third egg seen March 6 at 7:55 am
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hatched: April 9 at 8:35 am (40 days for #1, 37 days for #2); April 10-11 (seen 5:57 am April 11) (39 days for #2, 36 days for #3); remaining egg did not hatch
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sad news: the younger chick died April 14 - no obvious reason
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fledged: morning of July 5 (87 days - about 12.5 weeks)
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nest tree collapsed: the very dead nest tree blew down July 27; parents and fledgling are fine
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last seen: in the nest July 27 (15-1/2 weeks) as the nest tree fell over; in the area August 18 (18-1/2 weeks) (the fledgling may have been there longer - that's the last time SharonFeeney reported after kayaking in the area)
laurad's photo - April 9, 2008
gemini's photo - April 10, 2008
paula's photo - April 10, 2008
Sherri's photo - April 10, 2008
EmtyBelfry's photo - April 11, 2008
"Early, but looks like 2"
Sherri's photo - April 11, 2008
SharonFeeney's photo - April 11, 2008
gemini's photo - April 12, 2008
"Me bigger! No me bigger! Are not! Am too!"
gemini: "11:05 EDT -
Just watched another feeding. Both seem to be getting some. 
Jeesh! 
What a couple of scrappers! Been watching them pretty well all morning and for the most part when mom isn't sitting on them or feeding them, they are fighting!. What the little one lacks in size he makes up for in spunk! Biggy knocks him down and up he pops to start all over again! 
I hope they get it sorted before they get big enough to hurt one another!"
FirstLight Gallery photo - April 12, 2008
Sherri's photo - April 12, 2008
FirstLight Gallery photo - April 13, 2008
Sad news - the younger eaglet was not moving this morning, and was removed from the nest bowl area later in the day. It seemed fine the day before, and there did not appear to be any major sibling rivalry (though the camera only allows people to watch for 5 minutes at a time, and was frequently overloaded - so something may have happened that we did not see).
Sherri's photo - April 14, 2008
Sherri's photos - April 14, 2008
EmtyBelfry's photo - April 15, 2008
Sherri's photo - April 16, 2008
(one week old)
laurad's photos - April 17, 2008
Sharon Feeney's photo - April 18, 2008
Sherri's photos - April 20, 2008
Sherri's photos - April 21, 2008
JudyB's photos - April 23, 2008
The darker spots are the second coat of down coming in
SharonFeeney's photo - April 23, 2008
(two weeks old)
Sherri's photo - April 24, 2008
Sherri's photos - April 26, 2008
Sherri's photos - April 27, 2008
laurad's photos - April 29, 2008
laurad: "And still raining.... Very interesting interaction between the parents.. both of them were on the nest with a lovely fish on the dining room table. Eaglet didn't appear hungry, I didn't see a feeding, but one parent moved around to the right and over to the eaglet, settled down and sheltered it. Then after the other parent messed around with the fish a few times, moved over to the settled parent and nudged it out of the way and took its turn over the eaglet. Original parent then moved off the eaglet, over to the right and then off the nest."
JudyB's photos - April 30, 2008
big foot ... and big wing
(three weeks old)
Lori's photos - May 1, 2008
SharonFeeney's photos - May 3, 2008
SharonFeeney's photo - May 4, 2008
Lori's photos - May 5, 2008
JudyB's photos - May 5, 2008
Sherri's photo - May 6, 2008
JudyB's photos - May 7, 2008
(four weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - May 8, 2008
Sherri's photo - May 10, 2008
SharonFeeney's photo - May 12, 2008
SharonFeeney: "It looks like this is the second night that the chick is alone on the nest at dark. Both nights, the parent fed the chick about an hour and a half before dark."
JudyB's photos - May 14, 2008
(five weeks old)
JudyB: "You can see his feathers coming in - and see him stand on his adult feet for a few seconds at least!"
Sherri's photo - May 15, 2008
SharonFeeney's photo - May 17, 2008
Sherri: "I wonder if she was picking at the fish herself?"
JudyB: "I wouldn't be surprised if she's trying to feed herself - she's around 5-1/2 weeks old, and that's about when they do begin to self-feed (though they tend to tip over while trying to hold the food with their not-very-steady feet and pull at it with their big beaks!
)."SharonFeeney: "I think the chick did have a bite of fish earlier (the fish lifted up when the chick pulled on it), but I didn't see any fancy talon maneuvers - yet."
laurad's photo - May 19, 2008
laurad: "I thought Mom was being irritated by flies as she kept swinging around while feeding eaglet, then I saw a flash of black - looked like possibly a crow was swooping too close.
Such great parents.. other parent flies in on the left and moves over to the dining room - I thought they were both going to feed eaglet, but first parent flew off and second parent took over."
SharonFeeney's photo - May 19, 2008
SharonFeeney: "Whatever bird that was swooping around was quite bold and it looked smaller than a crow, although this is the best picture I could get of it (wing in the lower left corner)."
SharonFeeney's photo - May 20, 2008
laurad: "Good capture Sharon, of the little bold bird. At least it's not a nasty intruder like on the Santa Cruz Island - both chicks were taken off the nest yesterday and dropped in the branches below - they are injured but rescued and probably won't return to the nest. It just shows, there's always danger lurking around the corner."
SharonFeeney: "I have to keep reminding myself that we're watching nature and that those intruders are just trying to survive too. Speaking of which, that brazen little bird followed mom in and kept swooping in on her while she was de-feathering tonight's meal."
JudyB's photos - May 21, 2008
(six weeks old)
JudyB: "An interesting footnote (or something) about the brazen bird - it was back again for the birthday feed in the last of my pictures - and I was watching the Delta cam tonight - and the nest there was also having constant fly-bys by a similar-looking bird! In both cases (on both coasts) the parents in the nest didn't seem to regard it as a threat, only a nuisance, but after the recent drama at Pelican Harbor/Santa Cruz, I was not calm as they were!"
Sherri's photos - May 24, 2008
SharonFeeney's photo - May 25, 2008
SharonFeeney: "Here's the black bird during a feeding about a half hour ago. I've actually seen it jump right on mom's back too..."
JudyB's photos - May 28, 2008
(seven weeks old)
JudyB: "The third picture shows the eaglet self-feeding - not very successfully at first, but then I think she figured out how to hold it down, which does make it easier to pull off portions."
SharonFeeney's photo - May 30, 2008
SharonFeeney: "It won't be long before we lose sight of this chick! It spent a lot of time on branches at the edge of the nest today."
SharonFeeney's photo - June 1, 2008
SharonFeeney's photos - June 2, 2008
SharonFeeney: "The parent left with the fish about half fed to the chick.
Here is the before and after of what the chick did to the fish on its own."
JudyB's photos - June 4, 2008
(eight weeks old)
Did you see the mad dash to lunch earlier?
The chick backed up when it saw the lunch menu
It was quite edible after all
SharonFeeney's photos and comments - June 8, 2008
JudyB's photos - June 11, 2008
(nine weeks old)
laurad's photo - June 15, 2008
TakeCare's photo - June 16, 2008
SharonFeeney's photos - June 16, 2008
SharonFeeney: "This chick experienced up to 70mph winds this afternoon/evening with nickel sized hailstones and drenching rain. This was also the first night, at dark, that the chick didn't lay down in the nest."
TakeCare: "That's awful, Sharon. Good thing s/he's almost adult size - those hailstones could have been lethal on a small bird in an exposed nest. But I bet the wind was of major concern - I know that that tree is living on borrowed time!
Did I say 'living' - silly me - it's a very dead tree!"
JudyB's photos - June 18, 2008
(ten weeks old)
JudyB: "Baby Barton (aka Big Bart/Barta) could indeed fledge in a week or so! S/he is ten weeks old today, and was certainly busy flapping, and while I didn't catch a screencap, she did branch on the branch at about the 11:00 position."
laurad's photo - June 20, 2008
laurad: "They're so lovely to watch right now - parent has been on one edge of the nest for ages and eaglet on the other, now eaglet has moved over to parent and they're chilling out together.. even being affectionate and beaking.. not feeding.. just beaking."
SharonFeeney's photos - June 22, 2008
SharonFeeney: "We've just had huge downpours, and the eaglet spent a lot of time shaking off the water - or looking very wet."
JudyB's photos - June 25, 2008
(eleven weeks old)
JudyB: "This picture is when s/he appeared back in the nest after having been out of sight for a half hour or so (branching?)"
SharonFeeney (later in the day) : "I saw it come down once before dark, but it went right back up there. It's pitch dark here now, and that eaglet was UP and off the nest right up until I couldn't see anything."
JudyB's photos - June 25, 2008
(eleven weeks old)
JudyB: "This was fun to watch - parent arrived with fish; eaglet grabbed fish and mantled; parent observed patiently for a minute or so, then reached underneath and retrieved the fish - and moved to the other side of the nest with it; after a moment's reflection, the eaglet followed - and was fed!"
LakeMaMa's photo - June 28, 2008
laurad: "I did see him/her come down on the nest.. stretch etc.. then suddenly disappeared when I blinked.. I thought it must have flown off the nest, but then I glimpsed a little tail right in the middle of the picture at the top, near the branch or trunk... so I think it's just above out of cam view."
JudyB: "S/he's back! Parent arrived with food, I saw a bit of movement at the top of the screen, then Baby Barton (Big Barton?) hop/flapped into the nest from somewhere further up the part of the tree at the top of the screen. So I think s/he's still branching."
SharonFeeney's photo - June 29, 2008
JudyB: "I've seen him/her drop down into the nest a few times this morning - then head back off camera. So I think we still have a branching eaglet and not a fledgling. I think."
SharonFeeney: "I think you're right, JudyB. Each time it's gone out of sight, it looks like it's left with a calculated step or small hop. A few times today, I've seen it go off to the branch on the left that mom likes."
SharonFeeney's photos - July 1, 2008
SharonFeeney: "I have to laugh and wonder what goes on in the parent's head when it delivers a fish and the wet little eagle acts quite grown up as it mantles."
JudyB's photo - July 2, 2008 - from FirstLight Gallery
(twelve weeks old)
JudyB: "Big 'Baby' Barton is 12 weeks old today, and doing a lot of branching - but I don't think (s)he's fledged!"
SharonFeeney's photos - July 3, 2008
laurad's photos - July 4, 2008
laurad's photo - July 5, 2008
laurad: "I think our BBarton has gone
Either that or shrunk!
10:37 I have seen BBarton on the nest this morning.. hopping and stretching, but haven't seen him/her for quite a while now - parent flew in, looked around and left.. no BBarton.
11:07 Blackbird has been pecking around on the nest for a while. Parent then flew in again, looked around and flew off once more. I doubt the blackbird would have hung around like that if the eaglet was branching above it."
JudyB: "BBarton was back in the nest briefly at 5:03 pm, then went up into the branches. I think she's up in the area above the top of the screen now - unless I missed a fly through to the branches out on the left.
Considering that she wasn't seen for most of the day - and the black birds were - that sounds like a fledge to me as well!
"
SharonFeeney's photo - July 8, 2008
(almost 13 weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - July 12, 2008
SharonFeeney's photo - July 12, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
SharonFeeney's photos - July 13, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
SharonFeeney's photo - July 14, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
Sherri's photos - July 16, 2008
(14 weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - July 23, 2008
(15 weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - July 25, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
SharonFeeney's photo - July 27, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
SharonFeeney: "Here's the video of the storm during the moments when the cam moved. I wonder if the "tree" has moved. The eaglet looked like it moved just before, or just as, this all happened.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5577904780350717095&hl=en (1 min 20 sec.)"
JudyB: "Oh my gosh - I'm so glad BBarton has fledged and is flying well! It looks to me as if that old tree finally went down. And it looked as if BBarton got clear. Whew!
Must say this is the perfect time for this to happen - BBarton will miss having it as a feeding platform - but s/he doesn't really need it any more. And the adults will have all fall and winter to either finish the backup nest I think they were working on - or build a new nest from scratch. How much worse if this had happened even a couple of weeks ago."
SharonFeeney (several hours later) : "Well, it's true. The tree and nest did collapse. From the perspective at the boat landing, I couldn't see any of the remains or exactly where it landed, but it's gone. I also saw the eaglet. It was perched on a branch very near mom's favorite. Also, I could see one adult perched across from the eaglet. So, I think the eagles are okay!"
SharonFeeney's photos - July 29, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
SharonFeeney: " I saw one parent (who flew away before I got near them) and the eaglet tonight. The eaglet was perched as close to the old nest as possible."
[you can click on these two pictures to see Sharon's much larger original photos; arrow points to the stump of the nest tree and circle shows where BBarton was perched; I think the edge of the solar transmitter is at the right of the second photo]
SharonFeeney's photos - July 29, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
(almost 16 weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - August 10, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
SharonFeeney's photo - August 12, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
(almost 18 weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - August 17, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
(almost 18 weeks old)
SharonFeeney's photo - August 18, 2008
© 2008 Sharon Feeney, used with permission, all rights reserved
(18-1/2 weeks old)
SharonFeeney: "Can you see two eagles in the tree (there are two there)?
Yes, the juvi was getting lessons today and its camouflage works very well too. It's moving further from home."
(I think the tree is about 3 miles from the nest area by kayak, though closer as an eagle flies.)