About a month ago I penned a column revolving around the successes of the Endangered Species Act.

I listed a number of amazing success stories such as the peregrine falcon and the whooping crane, but I deferred discussing the great success of the bald eagle until this month, as I wanted to include some nesting information on this country’s national symbol.

I saw my first bald eagle in Florida while taking a winter course offered through East Stroudsburg State University in January 1974. I still can “picture it” sitting on a nest a half-mile away.

In 1975, I saw my first Pennsylvania bald eagle soaring past Bake Oven Knob when I was assisting with the hawk count there. I knew they were in trouble but didn’t realize the magnitude.

I decided to go back to the Hawk Mountain fall migration records from 1975. That fall season the counters tallied only 19 bald eagles passing the ridge top.

Let’s move ahead to the fall of 2024. This past migration total included a whopping 668 eagles. Quite a change.

Migration records are not an official accounting of populations, but they certainly can show trends. The bald eagle is no longer on the Endangered Species List and is nesting in more ideal habitats.

Carbon County, to the best of my knowledge, has five confirmed nesting pairs and one suspected. Most of the nests are now occupied by females incubating and/or still laying eggs. On a sad note, a female bald eagle was found unable to fly in Northampton County. X-rays confirmed she was carrying an egg, verifying she was a nesting bird. Unfortunately, she did not survive. I’m guessing she was a victim of lead poisoning but I will follow the news media and look for the confirmed cause of death.

I enjoy watching the livestreaming videos available on the internet. They are the Farm Country Eagles, the Hanover Bald Eagle Nest and the Pittsburgh Bald Eagles at Hays.

The Hanover nest failed last year, and even though the Pennsylvania Game Commission has a live feed at the nest this year, it appears the nest is in disrepair and with only a few visits to the nest in January.

The Pennsylvania Farm Country Eagle nest is active. The female laid the first egg in late January, and she and her mate are now incubating three eggs. That nesting pair has been very successful the past few seasons. (Bald eagles remain mates for life.)

The third nest that has livestreaming is the Pittsburgh Bald Eagle Nest at Hays. I believe they are having some technical issues but reporting that the feed will resume. That pair has also been a very successful “team,” fledging quite a few young the past few years. I will continue to follow them as well.

Like great horned owls, bald eagles begin laying eggs in some of the harshest winter conditions. There have been photos and video clips of them buried in snow. I recommend finding one of these sites and watch the sharing of duties, growth of the eaglets and then the preparations to leave the nest.

Note: If you find a bald eagle nest or know of a location, notify the Game Commission or email me and I will confirm and report it, too.

Get out there …

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: True/False — One of the first flowers to bloom in spring, even with freezing morning temperatures, are skunk cabbage.

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: The short-tailed shrew is the only venomous mammal and is common here in our area.

Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com