We are nearing the end of the New Jersey Bald Eagle nesting season. This season we are monitoring 210 active pairs, 33 of those are newly recorded nesting pairs. Two-hundred and eighty chicks have been reported in nests and eight chicks have fledged. These numbers will change as NJ eagle project volunteers continue to report on their nests.
As with every season there have also been nest failures. Some nest failed due to storms damaging the nest tree or nest, while cause of other failures are undetermined.
On May 5th a eagle chick was found on the ground in Bridgeton and taken to Tri-State Bird Research & Rescue in Delaware. The chick was examined and found to be in good health, so the next step was to plan to re-nest. The chick was found near the Sunset nest located on private property. The next day a second chick was found on the ground in the same location. Unfortunately, this second chick did not survive it’s injuries from the fall. It was determined that the nest had partially fallen from the tree. The homeowner did see the adults still in the area of the nest.
Plans were made to install a temporary platform in which to place the surviving chick. She was 8.5 weeks old, so still a few weeks away from taking her first flight.
The chick was banded NJ E/92 and placed in her new “home” for the next few weeks. We were very pleased when we saw one of the adults fly down low over the platform area. As of May 17th, the nest monitor reported the chick was still on the platform .
Thank you
- Tri-State Bird Research & Rescue and Dr. Erica Miller
- The Miller family for being caretakers of the eagle’s nest
- CWF volunteer Matt Tribulski for constructing the platform.