This Bald Eagle was perched at the top of a tall pine on Shakett Creek waiting it's turn to sit on nest.

Male and female eagles build the nest together. Both eagles will bring sticks to add to the nest structure and arrange them within the nest. The nest building activity is part of their pair bonding.

Eagles have strong nest site fidelity, meaning they return to the same nest and nesting territory each year. If they successfully produce young at a nest, they are likely to return to that nest year after year. A pair might choose to build a new nest in a different area if their previous nest was unproductive (failed to fledge eaglets) or otherwise proved unsuitable.

After it is laid, the egg must be constantly kept warm, or incubated, and protected from predators. Both males and females share incubation responsibilities but the female typically spends more time on the nest than the male. Males leave the nest to hunt, often providing food for the female. However, the female will sometimes leave the nest to hunt for herself, at which times the male will be called upon to remain at the nest.

The body heat of the parent keeps the developing egg warm. Like most birds, eagles develop a brood patch, or bare spot on their belly, to better facilitate heat transfer to the egg during incubation. Both male and female eagles develop a brood patch.

Incubation for bald eagles is about 35 days. For golden eagles, the incubation period is between 40-45 days. It can take a day for the hatchling to completely break free of the egg after pipping (cracking the egg). Eggs hatch in the order in which they were laid.

Bald eagle young are generally ready to fledge, or take their first flight, by 10-12 weeks of age. Young golden eagles typically fledge around 10 weeks of age.