DC Eagle Cam: Liberty And Justice Suddenly Reunite

WASHINGTON, DC -- It's hard to kill a 14-year romance. That's probably why D.C. bald eagles Liberty and Justice are back together despite some major relationship drama this year.

The Earth Conservation Corp's live camera feed has been documenting the annual egg-laying by the bald eagle couple each late winter to early spring in a nest high above the Metropolitan Police Academy in Southeast D.C. Normally, Liberty lays two eggs each year, which she incubates as Justice flies back and forth to provide food for them.

But this year was different, to say the least.

Liberty and Justice mated on schedule, but then Justice suddenly disappeared. Liberty laid two eggs while he was gone, but had trouble incubating them while also having to do the chores Justice was supposed to do. And then the suitors came calling.

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Things got so serious between Liberty and the other eagles that observers were convinced that Liberty would abscond with a young eagle that was referred to as M2.

But then 18 days after he disappeared, Justice returned. It's not quite clear what happened, but he may have been hurt in a duel with another of Liberty's suitors, nicknamed Aaron Burrd, according to DCist.

The pair didn't exactly reunite smoothly. When Justice returned, Liberty gave warning squawks to him, but eventually they settled down and were even caught on camera mating on a branch on Saturday.

Unfortunately, it's too late in the season for Liberty to lay more eggs, and the two eggs she did lay won't hatch after not getting the incubation they needed during all this drama, so this season will be a bust. But at least this D.C. power couple is back together, and we can see what happens next spring.

Bald eagles can live up to 50 years, but typically live between 20 to 30 years in the wild. So this couple is certainly getting up there in years, but they may have a few broods left in them yet.