A baby bald eagle has hatched in the Ramona Grasslands, the Wildlife Research Institute announced Thursday.
The institute captured the cute critter on photo with its mom sitting high in their nest located on top of a Eucalyptus tree in the Grasslands, which was made by an eagle pair last December.
The female bald eagle was found incubating by the research team in early March. Wildlife Research Institute Executive Director Dave Bittner said the any chicks that are hatched will stay in the nest for 10 weeks.
"In the fall, they'll start wandering around," Bittner said.
Earlier this month, the Wildlife Research Institute conducted their second phase of their annual county-wide Golden Eagle nesting survey. During the survey, the Bald Eagle nest in the Ramona Grasslands Preserve was found to have a single chick, a press release issued by the institute stated.
"The chick appears healthy, well fed, and approximately a month old during the time of the survey. In addition, an unhatched egg was observed in the nest. At this point the egg would not be fertile and is not expected to hatch," WRI stated.
WRI said they've seen the adult bald eagles prey upon squirrels in the grasslands, a rare choice as they are known to primarily eat fish. We look forward to watching the chick grow up healthy and strong.
Spectators are asked to not attempt ro approach or go anywhere near the eagles nest. It can be observed from afar on Rangeland Road.
