For the second time in three years an eagle mother has gone missing.
The female bald eagle named F23 was last seen on camera Friday morning at the Bayshore Road nest in North Fort Myers, according to operators who run the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam at the nest.
“We are monitoring the situation and will provide updates if and when we have verified information,” cam operators said online. "We have alerted FWC and CROW - Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Inc. If you see an injured or dead bald eagle in your area, please contact one of these services for immediate assistance."
In the meantime, the male of the bonded pair, M15, has been tending to E26, the surviving eaglet of two from this year's clutch.
The disappearance is similar to the last time. In early 2023 the previous female eagle on the same nest, Harriet, also went missing. She was never found.
But life went on that time as well with mate M15 taking on an expanded role and successfully helping the pair's two eaglets fledge the nest eventually.
This year's eaglet is also close to fledging the nest.
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— M15 incubating.JPG
M15, the mate to Harriett at the North Fort Myers American bald eagle nest, sat incubating the pair's two eggs Tuesday afternoon. Earlier in the day a pip, or beginnings of hatching, were confirmed in one of the two eggs.
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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— swfl eagle cam Harriet screen grab.png
The eagle pair inhabiting a North Fort Myers site along Bayshore Road welcomed their first egg of the 2022 nesting season Tuesday night.
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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— M15 calling.JPG
The female side of the North Fort Myers breeding pair of Harriett and M15 has not been seen around the Bayshore Road nest for 24 hours, raising a slew of concern, worry and comments from the thousands of online viewers of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. Shown above M15 calls out a warning as the nest's two eaglets, E21 and E22, nap.
SWFL Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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M15 feeding eaglets E21 and E22 Sunday.
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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The female side of the North Fort Myers breeding pair of Harriet and M15 has not been seen around the Bayshore Road nest for 24 hours, raising a slew of concern, worry and comments from the thousands of online viewers of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. Shown above is M15 during a Saturday afternoon moment with the nest's two eaglets, E21 and E22.
SWFL Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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— 2 eggs eagle.JPG
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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— Eagle eggs.jpg
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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— Eagle and shell.JPG
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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— eagle 2.JPG
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
Special to WGCU
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Braun, Michael
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— feeding eagles B.JPG
SWFEC / Special to WGCU
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— Sanibel bald eagle SCCF.JPG
This is one of nine bald eagles, each of which survived Hurricane Ian's wrath on Sept. 28, who returned to see how its nest fared
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
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— rebuilt nest.JPG
The North Fort Myers nest of Harriet and M15 was rebuilt by the two eagles by early November, right before the pair produced two eggs.
SWFL Eagle Cam / Special to WGCU
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