The quiet hours of early morning brought a moment many wildlife watchers had been hoping for. After weeks of occasional visits, Athena the Great Horned Owl revealed the first egg of the 2026 nesting season at the Wildflower Center owl cam in Austin, Texas.
In the quiet hours of early morning on February 1, 2026, the Decorah North nest was wrapped in stillness. Both the male and female bald eagles were asleep in their nest tree, perched calmly as the night carried on without disturbance. Then, out of the darkness, an unexpected nighttime encounter unfolded.