A new camera will allow watchers of Duke Farms' Eagle Cam to view the bald eagles at night.
HILLSBOROUGH -- Duke Farms' live Eagle Cam -- a real-time bird's-eye view of two nesting bald eagles that has become an online sensation -- is back.
The Eagle Cam has become an addiction for many since it first went live in 2008, said Nora Wagner, director of programs and strategic planning at Duke Farms, Monday afternoon. This year, a new high definition camera will allow observers to watch the bald eagles at night for the first time, she said.
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
Overall, the Eagle Cam has registered more than 10 million views since its inception, said Wagner.
The pair is protecting two eggs, Wagner said. The first egg was laid Feb. 18 at 4:15 p.m. The second was laid on Feb. 21 at 5:35 p.m. Both eggs are expected to hatch towards the end of March, approximately 35 days after each was laid, she said.
Watch: Newest eagles hatching in real time
"It never gets old, seeing these majestic birds," said Wagner. "There's always some new and interesting behavior exhibited by the eagles."
Wagner said bald eagle watchers often get personally attached to the birds and often call Duke Farms if they sense the pair and their young are in danger.
"It's amazing how people make a personal connection," said Wagner. "Almost like it's up to them to take care of the eagles. If the parents are off the eggs for too long, we'll get phone calls telling us to get somebody out there.
"As an environmental educator, we always want to create a personal connection between humans and wildlife so humans will want to protect species like the bald eagle."
Wagner said it has been a calm winter thus far. The massive fire at Veterans Industrial Park didn't affect the bald eagles, she said. There wasn't another red-tailed hawk dive attack at the nest, like the one in 2013 during which time the bald eagles successful protected their eggs, she said.
A bald eagle fights off a red-tailed hawk attack to protect its unhatched eggs in this image taken from the Duke Farms' Eagle Cam. (courtesy Duke Farms) The male eagle has been the same since 2008 but has recoupled twice since then, Wagner said. These two chicks are the 22nd and 23rd hatched at the farm since 2005, she said.
Once again, an official with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife's Endangered and Non-game Species Program will place a color-coded tracking band on the chicks when they're approximately five to six weeks old, said Wagner.
The chicks will take flight about four to six weeks after that, she said.
After the chicks leave the nest, the only contact Duke Farms will have with them is if someone finds or captures them and reports back to Duke Farms, said Wagner.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.