Two birds in the bush is worth…up to three eaglets!

It’s breeding season for many birds right now, and that means chances are good that if you can set your eyes on an eagle nest, you’ll see an eagle. Eagle mating pairs take turns lying on their eggs for the incubation period, which lasts approximately 35 days. In this photo, taken by Preserve Manager Brian Johnson, a male bald eagle, the closer of the two, has arrived in the nest to take over the egg-watching. In the minutes after the photo was taken, Brian observed the two adults switch places.  The nest is easily six feet in diameter. 

There a few active eagle nests on or near our New Jersey preserves, but you’ll need the help of binoculars or a spotting scope to see them.  One nest can be viewed from Beaver Dam Boat Rental, looking south across Old Beaver Dam Road. Brian estimated that nest to be 10 feet tall. Another nest can be viewed (with a scope) from the impoundments on Maple Avenue, looking east, in the last living pine tree. The nest is obvious due to its size, once you find the tree.