Eagle nest monitors kept watch over bald eagle nests throughout New Jersey during the 2026 nesting season. As with every nesting season there were ups and downs as some pairs failed to hatch eggs or their young didn’t survive, while other pairs successfully raised young. I asked the nest monitors to send me two of their favorite photos from the season. Below is the collection of their excellent photos.
All photos were taken by the trained volunteers at safe distance so as not to disturb the eagles.
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.
E83; photo Joe Mish
photo Diane Cook
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.
Bulls Island pair nest exchange 3-14-26: photo Barb McKee
E83 at the Bulls Island nest 3-11-26: photo Barb McKee
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.
Bulls Island 4 week old chicks, 4-27-26; photo Barb Mckee
Barb McKee
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
This shorebird season 43 stewards worked a total of 1,374 hours over a two week period from May 9th thru May 25th. Stewards were posted at restricted access beaches in Cape May and Cumberland Counties. Stewards help to protect the migrating shorebirds that stop over on the Delaware Bay to feed on the horseshoe crab eggs. They keep people off of the restricted beaches by educating them about the importance of letting the shorebirds feed undisturbed so that they can gain the weight needed to continue their journey north to their breeding ground’s. Continue reading “NJ Delaware Bay Shorebird Stewards: Protectors and Educators”
The 2025 NJ Bald Eagle Project report developed by the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey , has been released. In 2025 the NJ eagle population had a decline in the number of active (laid eggs) nest from 264 active nests in 2024 to 251 in 2025. The decline is partly due to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Testing confirmed that 28 of 56 bald eagle mortalities last year (for which testing was completed) were the result of HPAI.
The Duke Farms eagle pair are beloved by cam viewers who watched them lay three eggs in January and incubate during two weeks of freezing cold weather. Unfortunately, one of the eggs prematurely cracked on February 20th and wasn’t viable.
Duke Farms eagle incubates their three egg clutch, despite the snow surrounding the egg bowl 1_26_26
The Duke Farms eagle pair are the stars of their own reality show. The pair has a huge following who tune in each season to watch with anticipation as the pair lays eggs and wait for hatching and fledging. This cam views a pair of eagles on Duke Farms property in Hillsborough, New Jersey. Duke Farms has hosted the cam since 2008. Over the years there has been drama and heartbreak at the nest, but despite this viewers tune in to watch the pair every year. To learn about the history of the cam please see the Conserve Wildlife Foundations Duke Farms webpage and scroll down to Duke Farms Eagle Cam FAQ’s
This year the female laid the first egg on January 12th, the earliest for the Duke Farms pair and one of the earliest eagle pairs in NJ in 2026 to begin incubation. The second egg was laid on January 15th and a third egg was laid in the snow on January 18th.
The female laid her third egg during a snowstorm 1-18-2026
Eagle cam viewers watched in amazement as the pair incubated during the recent snow and ice storm.
Nest monitor, Diane Cook, writes informative and interesting updates on the Duke Farms pair. Some of the updates include, “Eggs and Cold Winter Weather” and “How to tell the male and female apart”. When on the CWF Duke Farms cam scroll down to the 2026 Nest Updates
Eagles incubate the eggs for 35-40 days and the eggs hatch in the order in which they were laid. Cam viewers can start to watch for hatching around February 16th.
When will the first egg hatch contest
Conserve Wildlife Foundation is holding a contest to guess when the first egg will hatch. The person who guesses the closest date and time to when the chick is fully out of the egg shell will win a CWF hat and eagle sticker.
Please email Larissa.Smith@conservewildlifenj.org with your guess of date and time am or pm.
All entries must be submitted by February 13th at 12pm
Thank you to Duke Farms and all the eagle cam viewers.
Eastern Tiger Salamander 11/22/25 photo by Tony Klock
This time of year most wildlife is hunkering down for the winter either in New Jersey or migrating to southern destinations until the next breeding season. One New Jersey salamander is just getting started, The Eastern Tiger Salamander(ETS) is the largest salamander species found in New Jersey and a state Endangered species. ETS are found in only a few locations in southern NJ. Conserve Wildlife Foundation works with the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species program to monitor ETS breeding pools and populations. ETS spend most of their adult lives in underground borrows they will emerge to breed on warm wet nights beginning in December through February. The females lay egg masses in vernal pools and then return to their burrows. CWF’s website has detailed information on the ETS lifecycle
ENSP Senior Zoologist Bill Pitts and Darby Brant install a water gauge at a ETS breeding pool.
Off road vehicle disturbance to a ETS breeding pool.
These vernal breeding pools are a necessity for the ETS population to survive in New Jersey. In 2025 due to low water levels from a drought, only a few of the deeper breeding pools had enough water for ETS breeding activity. These breeding pools not only face threats from climate change but also from pollution, habitat loss and disturbance from off road vehicles.
It’s important to identify new ETS breeding pools so that they can be monitored and protected. Some exciting new projects are in the future for the ETS project including collecting habitat and water quality data, eDNA study and a VIE (visible implant elastomer) study.
You can help by reporting any Eastern Tiger Salamander Sighting to the NJ Wildlife Tracker
On September 28th a bald eagle with a green band was reported in the Princeton area and again on October 5th, by Susan VanderKam. The code on the band was D99 an eagle who fledged from the 2014 Duke Farms nest. In 2014 the Duke Farms pair raised and fledged three eaglets while being viewed by thousands of people on the eagle cam. The eaglets were banded by state biologists at six weeks of age. D99 a male and the youngest, D98 a male and the second youngest and a female, EOO who was the oldest eaglet. They all fledged in June, 2014.
April 2nd, 2024
After banding May 14th, 2014
On August 25th, 2014, D98 was found dead in Little Sebago, Maine. For more details on what occurred prior to his death see the blog post. E00 the only female has been resighted once and that was on the Duke Farm eagle cam. On February 20th, 2018 as a four year old eagle she returned to her natal nest, while the Duke Farms pair was incubating. The female eventually chased her away.
D99 has been resighted several times since fledging. He was seen in January 2019 at Mercer Lakes
D99 Mercer County Park, January 13, 2019, Bob Cook
In January 2021 he was seen feeding on a deer carcass in Monmouth County.
D99, January 18, 2021, Kristen Branchizio
D99 is now 11 years old and is most likely in a breeding pair and nesting. On September 28th he was perched in a tree with another eagle. Perhaps this is his mate? It would be very exciting to know that he is nesting and we’ll keep you updated.
D99 perched with second eagle. September 28,2025 photo by Susan VanderKam
The New Jersey Bald Eagle nesting season is finished for the year, so both the eagles and volunteer nest monitors now get a few months rest. Conserve Wildlife Foundation and the NJ ENSP hosted the annual eagle volunteer get-together at the Assunpink WMA this past Saturday. Forty-five volunteers attended and enjoyed discussing the season with fellow nest monitors and NJ eagle project staff.
On behalf of the NJ Eagle Project we thank all the 160 nest monitors who are dedicated to monitoring and protecting the NJ bald eagle population.
Thank you to Barb & Rick McKee for providing sandwiches and everyone who generously brought delicious side dishes and desserts to share.
The 2025 New Jersey Bald Eagle nesting season is finished. We are still gathering up the data for the final numbers which will be published in the annual NJ Bald Eagle Project Report. The 160 eagle project nest monitors spend countless hours monitoring eagle nests through out New Jersey. I’ve asked the nest monitors to share two of their favorite photos from the 2025 nesting season. Enjoy.
Please click on the first photo to see the Slideshow:
