Eaglets Get a New Nest

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by: Larissa Smith, CWF Senior Biologist

Princeton eaglets in their new nest; photo by John Heilferty

The Princeton eagle nest collapsed sometime between Friday June 2nd and early Saturday June 3rd. The Princeton pair had two chicks that were ten weeks old and close to fledging. NJ Eagle Project volunteers, Kevin and Karin Buynie monitor this nest and went out as soon as they were notified. When they arrived one chick was perched up in the tree and one was on the ground. The grounded chick was taken to Mercer County Wildlife Center for evaluation. The next day Kevin returned to the nest site and found the second chick now on the ground, so that chick was also captured and taken to MCWC. Both chicks were found to be uninjured and ready to return to the nest. A plan was formed to build a new nest in the tree and renest the two chicks. On June 11th, a group of volunteers and staff from Mercer County Wildlife Center met at the nest site. John Heilferty, retired ENSP Chief, climbed the nest tree and built the nest as volunteers helped to send up the needed materials. Diane Nickerson with the MCWC brought the two chicks, which were banded with Green NJ band H/39 and H/38 and silver federal bands. The chicks were then placed back up in the nest. One of them decided to fledge and the other perched on a branch near the nest. The recently fledged chick did return to the nest that evening and the second chick fledged June 16th. Thank you to Karin and Kevin Buynie, Diane Nickerson and volunteers Daniel and Hope with Mercer County Wildlife, John Heilferty, Kim Korth, and Roger Smith.

Scroll through the slideshow to view photos from the renest.

  • Princeton nest after collapse
  • Remains of nest
  • eaglets at Mercer County Wildlife Center
  • eaglets at MCWC
  • Nest tree
  • nest building materials
  • John Heilferty climbing tree
  • John working on nest platform
  • nest construction
  • platform finished
  • adding sticks
  • finished nest
  • Kevin Buynie with eaglet
  • Diane Nickerson, Kevin Buynie and Karin Buynie band the eaglet
  • eagle returning to new nest in duffel bag
  • eagle in nest
  • One eagle branched
  • The eagle renest team!
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  1. Great job everyone! As an eagle project volunteer myself, I can appreciate the efforts everyone took to restore these two eaglets to their new nest! Last season I had a nest in a pine which also collapsed. Fortunately, this happened about a month after the chicks fledged…so the adult eagles did all the rebuilding early this season!

  2. Fantastic effort to rescue and provide a safe place for these 2 eaglets! Thanks for the awesome photos of the rebuilding. It will be interesting to hear if the parents continue to use/rebuild or choose a new location for next year.

  3. Great job and a big thanks to all involved.
    Great story made better with a happy ending.
    It will be interesting to see if the pair use the new nest and platform next year.

  4. As a reader, I find this information about the rescue and renesting of the two chicks from the collapsed Princeton eagle nest incredibly interesting. The swift response and collaborative efforts of the NJ Eagle Project volunteers, Mercer County Wildlife Center staff, and John Heilferty resulted in a successful outcome. It’s heartwarming to see the dedication and care given to protecting these majestic creatures.

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