Officials with the Allegheny National Forest report that this
year has been very successful for fledgling bald eagles.

Along with the success of the fledglings, a rare three can be
seen in a nest in Cornplanter Bay in the Allegheny Reservoir. That
nest fell down last year, but apparently those (returning) eagles
thought it best to build it back up again.

There are two other nests that are known to have at least one
young each at this time; they are Grove Run in Tidioute and a nest
at Kiasutha.

Allen Wetzel, a wildlife biologist for the forest, said the
reason this year was good for fledglings is not immediately
known.

“It’s a guess … it was rainy last year and drier this year,”
said Wetzel, adding they are not sure of the exact reason.

The bald eagle is on the threatened list in both Pennsylvania
and nationally. Previous to 1989, the eagle’s status was endangered
until the Pennsylvania Game Commission started its reintroduction
program.

The interference of people can cause eagles to abandon a
nest.

At this time, there is a nest at Kinzua where adult eagles
nested early, but abandoned it; a nest at Pell Run with an adult
sitting on it, but whether or not there is an eaglet is not known;
a nest at Hall Barn without any activity; and a nest in Sugar Bay
that fell but has not been rebuilt.

Parking the boat across from the nest in the Cornplanter Bay,
someone with a keen eye (and three helpful wildlife biologists
pointing) can spot an eagle perched in a tree about 80 feet from a
nest that held three two-month-old fledglings.

Using a field scope, the nest is brought into focus and the
fledglings can be seen moving around in the nest; one flapping its
wings, another preening itself and the other just sitting there
looking around. From time to time, they would move to another side
of the nest and out of sight.

The fledglings do not have white heads or tails, but do have
yellow feet. Wetzel said they can be easily mistaken for other bird
species when they begin flying. The fledglings watched on Monday
were about two-months-old. It is five years before they gain the
white head and tail feathers.

The average person may want to bring along a pair of binoculars
to see the country’s national symbol.

Joe Mikelonis, the driver of the boat and (wildlife) biological
technician, and Wendy Andersen another (wildlife) biological
technician, escorted a reporter and photographer to the site along
with Wetzel.

Mikelonis and Andersen are charged with checking the various
known nests at least one time a week.

“We check each one once a week – at least the driveable ones,”
said Andersen. “Sometimes the boat is tough to get. But we get
here.”

She explained their job entails taking notes on the activities
of the nests and occurrences and activity on the water and how it
affects the eagles and their fledglings. They spend about a
half-hour or so at each nest taking notes.

“On Memorial Day, this area was crowded with boats lined up
(across from the nest) and others were directly under the trees,”
said Mikelonis. “They didn’t seem to bother them a whole lot.”

The officials are quick to add that if people are around them
and the birds seem agitated that they should leave the area.

There is almost always one adult perched near a nest while the
other is out fishing or scavenging for food, said officials.

“They eat fish mostly,” said Mikelonis.

Wetzel explained the eagles sometimes steal fish from
osprey.

“They harass them enough to drop them and then they take it.
They are not too proud,” he said.

The biologists study and watch the eagles from May to July.

According to the information provided by forest biologists,
written by the Game Commission, eagles are known to build their
nests as large as five feet wide by two feet high. The inside
depression can be about four or five inches deep.

Each time a pair of eagles returns to a nest, they add more
layers of sticks, branches and cornstalks as well as moss, grasses
and weeds, according to the Game Commission. This may have caused
the Cornplanter Bay nest to have fallen last year, heavy with all
that is added yearly.

Andersen and Mikelonis both said that walking underneath a nest
and looking up can seem like it is the size of “Volkswagen
Bug.”

Wetzel added, “They can be one ton in weight.”

He said the trees they usually nest in are cucumber, black
cherry, white pine and hemlock.

While watching through the field scope, hoping the other eagle
would fly in with food, one of the eaglets is spotted eating
something already.

“Probably the innards of something left in the nest. They will
pick at it later,” said Andersen.

The group decided to get back in the boat and get closer. This
made it more difficult to see the young in the nest, but the adult
took off in flight providing for some opportunistic
photographs.

Adult eagles can grow to be about two feet tall, weigh up to 14
pounds and have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet in length.

Bald eagle monitoring on the forest has been a cooperative
effort involving the Game Commission, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the forest service.

One other fact of information provided by Wetzel is there is
currently an osprey with a “natural” nest in Willow Bay. The fact
the nest is in a downed tree near a beaver dam makes it the only
“natural nest” in western Pennsylvania, while all of the others are
created nesting areas for local osprey.

FISHING LINE – A HAZARD TO BALD EAGLES

WARREN – The Allegheny National Forest is home to the bald
eagle, a federally listed threatened species.

At least four nests are known to occur along the side hills on
the Pennsylvania side of the Allegheny Reservoir and three nests
have been identified along the Allegheny River; two nests are along
Tionesta Creek.

The shorelines along these waterways are vital food foraging
areas for the eagles.

Fishing line, discarded along the shoreline of forest waterways,
is a potential hazard to foraging bald eagles.

“Bald eagles can be easily injured by getting their feet
entangled in discarded fishing line along the Allegheny Reservoir
or Allegheny River,” said forest wildlife biologist Brad Nelson.
“When their feet become entangled, they struggle to fly, become
stressed and exhausted and eventually die.”

Anglers can help ensure bald eagle safety by not discarding
unwanted fishing line or lures on the shoreline. Anglers can take
an additional step and pick up line and lures left behind by
anglers using the area before them. Anglers are also urged to
dispose of unwanted line and lures in proper receptacles, to not
only keep the shores and waterways safe, but clean as well.

“Areas heavily fished by people are also attractive to the
eagles for foraging,” said Nelson. “Frequently, eagles search for
live fish in the same waters that anglers find productive.”

Eagles and a variety of other shore birds also scavenge for dead
fish along the shoreline. Popular fishing areas are often heavily
littered with discarded line, which can jeopardize the safety of
the birds.

Eagles live almost exclusively around lakes, rivers or seashores
making their nests in large trees, cliffs or rock outcrops in
remote areas along the shoreline.

Eagles partner with their mate for life and often use the same
nest structure year after year. The number of eagles’ nests in
northwestern Pennsylvania has expanded in recent years.

Since the summer of 2000, Boy Scouts and other volunteers have
been working with Scott Reitz, a Bradford District biologist, to
clean up discarded fishing materials on the shoreline of heavily
used fishing areas of the Allegheny Reservoir and Allegheny
River.

Individuals interested in volunteering for shoreline clean-up
can contact Scott Reitz at the Bradford District office for further
information.