NJ Eagle E83, Returns Home to Raise Three Young
by NJ Eagle Project nest monitor, Barb McKee
In central Jersey, where I live, the banding of eaglets has taken place at several nests. The nest monitor reports on the chicks growth, so that the eaglets can be safely banded around six weeks of age. E83 a male, was banded in 2019 at the Three Bridges tower nest with at least four of my fellow central Jersey Eagle Project Volunteers present.
In central New Jersey a group of six Eagle Project volunteers will support, cooperate and share nest news with each other. Occasionally, we spot a banded sub-adult from a local nest, and that is cause for great jubilation. H/22, banded at the Mt Airy nest in 2022 was spotted along the South Branch of the Raritan near the Three Bridges tower nest in May of 2025. Another eagle E88, “Duke” was banded in 2019 at Duke Farms and fitted with a solar tracker. Being able to follow his movements taught us that sub adults spend considerable time within 50 miles or so, of their natal nest, even landing in the nest tree. The parents seem to tolerate such visits until a new season produces eggs and tiny chicks. I have seen sub adults at or perched near nests that I observe while the adult pair was quite tolerant. I have wondered if the “visitor” was an offspring of the pair.
My fellow central NJ volunteers and I hoped to find a new nest with a locally banded adult and its mate. For as long as I have been an Eagle Project volunteer, I have watched and reported on the nest at Bulls Island State Park. So, I was absolutely thrilled in early 2026 when I was able to read the band of the new male at the Bulls Island nest: E/83.
The distance, from the Three Bridges nest to Bulls Island nest is 14 miles.
Even more exciting, E/83 and his mate successfully fledged triplets this season! It will be interesting to see what happens at the Bulls Island nest next season.
Photos and/or history and encouragement by Diane Cook, Joe Mish, Dan Kroon and Mary Ellen Hill
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Thank you for sharing this important and joyous news!
Loved this story and great pictures! Thank you
Not a fan of banding. Once useful for better understanding eagle migration and longevity in the wild, today’s banding often traumatizes both eaglet and parents, and produces little new & useful information other than to satisfy onlookers’ curiosity. As for poor Duke, he was fitted with a harness and transmitter the size of a cigarette pack with 2 protruding antennae. The teflon harness remains on for life, affecting an eagle’s sleep position, mating, molting, and ability to hunt (fish) & defend. To my knowledge, Duke was not heard from after the first year. Hopefully this misguided and horrific practice has stopped.
Duke was still doing well through Spring of 2022 when the solar charger on his tracking device stopped working. I “followed” him and reported on his progress from fall of 2020 until his tracker failed. He seemed to be doing fine for a third-year sub adult and was often within 50 miles of his natal nest at Duke Farms and even landed at the nest tree once in the “off season”.