Gracie and George: Hilton Head Island’s Eagle Cam Stars Await the Frist Pip
The anticipation is building on Hilton Head Island as Gracie and George,the beloved bald eagle pair,eagerly await the first signs of their eggs hatching. The stars of the Hilton Head Island Land Trust’s eagle cam have captivated viewers since Gracie laid her two eggs on January 3 and 7. Starting February 7, fans will be on “pip watch,” eagerly tuning in for the first break in the eggshell, known as the “pip.”
this is Gracie and George’s first season on the land trust’s eagle cam, though they’ve been nesting at their undisclosed location for about 13 years. Last year, the pair had three eggs, with two eaglets successfully fledging, or flying away from the nest.
According to the land trust, it typically takes about 35 days for eagle eggs to hatch.Once the first pip appears,it will take the eaglets about a day to fully break out of their shells. In the meantime, Gracie and George are preparing for their new arrivals by building a stock of food.
“Before they’re even totally out, the food pantry starts to build,” said robin Storey, president of the land trust. “so the male will start bringing fish into the nest so there is food ready when that little one is ready to eat, and they eat pretty soon.”
The eaglets will grow rapidly, gaining about half a pound each week until they’re nine weeks old.By five weeks,they’ll begin standing and tearing up their own food. As they approach eight weeks, the eaglets will start stepping out onto branches of their home tree, preparing to fledge.While the eagle cam was added this season, the land trust’s original raptor camera is still operational, though the nest remains empty. This nest has previously housed eagles, osprey, and even a pair of Great Horned Owls. However, after sustaining damage from Hurricane Helene, it has remained vacant. There’s hope that ospreys will begin restoring the nest when they start nesting in February.
Key Milestones in Gracie and George’s Nesting Season
| Event | timeline | Details |
|————————–|—————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| Egg Laying | January 3 and 7 | Gracie laid two eggs, marking the start of the nesting season. |
| Pip watch | Starting February 7 | Fans await the first break in the eggshell. |
| Hatching | Approximately 35 days | Eaglets take about a day to fully emerge after the first pip. |
| Fledging | Around 9 weeks | Eaglets begin stepping onto branches and eventually fly away from the nest.|
As Gracie and George prepare for their new arrivals, viewers can tune in to the eagle cam to witness this incredible journey. Will this season bring another successful fledging? Only time will tell.
