Bald eagle lays eggs Friday afternoon on Hilton Head, and webcam catches it. What we know

When Russell Patterson, a 35-year resident of Hilton Head, recognized a bald eagle nest on the island a few years ago, he wanted to get a better look.

“I had been observing the eagles from the ground and wanted to see if I could set up a camera system at the nest to see what’s going on,” Patterson said.

After contacting the Department of Natural Resources to see what the rules were, Patterson reached out to a company in California, HD on Tap, that specializes in eagle and wildlife cameras.

With the help of the Hilton Head Land Trust, recommendations from HD on Tap and internet service provided by Hargray Communications, the first eagle cam on the island, according to the land trust, was set up about a month ago — in time to catch the eagle laying an egg.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our Lowcountry residents to observe and listen to eagles in their natural habitat,” Patterson said. “We are very happy to be able to ... share this window into the life of these magnificent creatures.”

Although eggs are typically expected early to mid-December, the eagle laid the egg almost two weeks early. Eagles typically lay one to three eggs, and the nesting period lasts between 35 and 40 days. The eaglets typically stay 10 to 13 weeks in the nest.

The nest was discovered about four years ago by Patterson, and is a seasonal home for the eagles. They return to it between September and October for the nesting season. Last year, two eaglets fledged from this nest.

The cameras allow for the eagles to be seen at night, but the lights it uses are not visible to eagles or humans. The Land Trust’s goals for these cameras is to educate the public on Hilton Head’s natural habitats. Other birds that can be found in this area are ospreys, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, and great blue herons.

The eagles do not have names yet, but Patterson says the Land Trust will have a contest for people to suggest names. The livestream currently has no sound, and although Patterson said they are not allowed to get near the camera, they are hoping to fix the audio within a week.

The eagle cam can be seen on the Hilton Head Land Trust website.