Bald eagle rides out Hurricane Milton as nest sways amid intense wind
As Hurricane Milton barreled into Florida on October 9, a bald eagle on Captiva Island clung to its nest, enduring the full force of the storm.
A bald eagle named Clive in its nest as Hurricane Milton hit Florida on Oct. 9, 2024. (Window To Wildlife)
As Hurricane Milton approached Florida earlier this month, prompting millions to evacuate, one bald eagle held firmly to its nest, riding out the storm high above the ground.
Dramatic footage captured by a webcam operated by Window To Wildlife, a company based in the United States that installs wildlife cameras, showed a bald eagle named Clive, steadfast in his nest on Captiva Island, Florida, 55 miles south of where Milton made landfall as a major hurricane. Although Clive avoided the storm’s most ferocious winds, he experienced a wild ordeal as his tree and nest swayed erratically on Oct. 9.
After Hurricane Milton, Clive was reportedly doing well, and despite the intense winds, the nest remained intact—a much better outcome compared to two years ago during Hurricane Ian.
In 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall just 10 miles north of Captiva Island, and its powerful Category 4 winds destroyed Clive's nest.
Following Ian, Window To Wildlife jumped into action, rebuilding and fortifying the nest in the same tree. The human-built nest was a success, and the eagles reclaimed the new nest. Later that year, Clive's partner Connie laid an egg that hatched early in 2023.
Report a Typo
