Tag: eagle nest

Eaglets Get a New Nest

Posted on by vinyldev

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!

Part 1: An Eagle Nest Removed

Posted on by larissasmith

by Larissa Smith, CWF Biologist

April 21, 2020, Three Bridges adult with 2 chicks@ Daniel Kroon

The following was written by NJ Eagle Project volunteer, Daniel Kroon. He monitors this nest along with several other dedicated volunteers whose photos are featured in this blog.

The Three Bridges (Hunterdon County) eagle nest is located on the top arm of an electric transmission tower. This pair has successfully nested on the tower for the past five years. This line of towers is scheduled to be replaced with new monopoles and the work on it has recently begun. PSE&G is cooperating with the NJ Bald Eagle program to move this nest to a new pole platform. Unfortunately, the pair is already on territory and have been observed bringing a stick to the old nest. It is an interesting story of how these eagles are adapting to the human-created environment and how we are trying to accommodate them.

The pair at nest October 17, 2020 before work begins @ Mary Ellen Hill

On November 4, PSE&G removed the top of the tower, keeping the nest intact, and lowered it to the ground where they carefully removed the nest from the tower structure. The nest is stored in a shed and will be re-installed on a platform affixed to the new tower when it is erected. We hope the eagle pair accept their remodeled home.

  • @Barb McKee
  • @Barb McKee
  • @Barb Mckee
  • nest@ Diane Cook

The evening of the nest removal, volunteer Mary Ellen Hill observed the pair sitting together on the adjacent tower.

November 4th, 2020 @ Mary Ellen Hill
November 4th, 2020, pair on adjacent tower after nest removal@ Mary Ellen Hill

We will follow up with part two of this story once the new monopole tower is installed and the nest is placed back up on the platform. We thank all the nest monitors, PSE&G and everyone involved to make this as successful as possible.

New Nest Platform For The Three Bridges Eagles Download

New Jersey Eagle News

Posted on by larissasmith
Eagle with nesting material 1/17/20 @Lisa K.

The Division of NJ Fish and Wildlife along with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, released the 2019 New Jersey Bald Eagle Project Report. 2019 was a good year for eagles as a record high of 249 eagles fledged from nests. Two hundred eleven nest sites were monitored of which 190 were active (with eggs) and 21 were territorial or housekeeping pairs. The success of the eagle project is due to the dedication of the NJ Eagle Project volunteers who monitor and protect eagle nests throughout the state.

Continue reading “New Jersey Eagle News”

NJ Eagle Cams

Posted on by larissasmith

A peek into the lives of Nesting Bald Eagles

by Larissa Smith, CWF Biologist

Duke Farms female November 22, 2019
screen shot taken by Diane Cook

Bald Eagles all over New Jersey are starting to work on their nests for the upcoming nesting season. The next few months are a good time to get outdoors and spot eagles. Wintering eagles will be in NJ during the next few months as well as the NJ nesting pairs. You can also keep an eye on eagles from the comfort and warmth of your home via eagle cams on the CWF website.

Continue reading “NJ Eagle Cams”

Bald Eagle Banding and Transmitter Attachment at Duke Farms

Posted on by CWF

Two bald eaglets at the site of our Eagle Cam at Duke Farms were recently banded by biologists from Conserve Wildlife Foundation (CWF) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Endangered and Nongame Species Program (NJDEP ENSP).

This year’s banding was special, as in addition to a band the male eaglet was also fitted with a transmitter which will allow him to be tracked on our Eagle Trax page.

View of transmitter on the male eaglet, on the right

Kathy Clark, (NJDEP ENSP), and Larissa Smith (CWF) wrote about the experience, and the benefits of transmitters on the Duke Farms blog. Their FAQ’s are reprinted below.

Continue reading “Bald Eagle Banding and Transmitter Attachment at Duke Farms”

A New Nest for a Baby Bald Eagle

Posted on by CWF

Story by: Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research

Several weeks ago, a five-week-old bald eagle was found on the ground with its sibling after a severe storm, their nest destroyed, and the eaglets were transported to us for professional care. Other than being slightly dehydrated, one nestling was healthy.

Continue reading “A New Nest for a Baby Bald Eagle”

NorthJersey.com: Bald eagles nesting in New Jersey

Posted on by CWF

Story by North Jersey Record

One of two adult bald eagles near a nest that looks out on Overpeck Creek, where the raptors have been seen for the past few years. (Photo: File photo from northjersey.com)

Bald eagles are New Jersey’s early birds. In the chill of winter, they’re the first to build nests and lay eggs.

Even in the short days of December, these early birds are busy gathering sticks, grass and other materials to build or repair their nests. Only two weeks into the new year, they start laying eggs.

A Young Eagle Gets A Little Help

Posted on by larissasmith

by: Larissa Smith, Biologist

This is a story that shows how individuals and groups work together to help eagles in New Jersey. On May 23rd wildlife rehabilitator, Vicki Schmidt, picked up and transported an injured juvenile eagle to Tri-State Bird Research and Rescue. The eagle had been reported injured and on the ground by a concerned citizen in Hopewell Township, Cumberland County. It was found near a known eagle nest which is located on a communications tower and the injured eagle was assumed to be the chick from that nest. New Jersey Eagle Project volunteer Jim McClain was able to confirm that he last saw the chick on May 19th, perched on one of the tower railings.  When he returned on the 23rd and didn’t see the chick, he had assumed it fledged, not knowing that it had been taken to Tri-State.

Young eagles start “branching” (hopping on to branches) as well as; flapping, jumping, and hovering, to strengthen their wings for flight. Eagles fledge around 10- 12 weeks of age. In this case, the young bird most likely took it’s first attempt at a flight and hit an object which injured it’s wing and left it unable to fly. If no one had spotted this bird on the ground it could have been predated or died.

Tri-State reported minor soft tissue damage to the wing, but that the bird was alert and perching.  The young eagle continued to recuperate and was banded with a federal band and released on June 1st.  Tri-State volunteer Tom Jones transported the bird back to the nest area and with the help of volunteer, Jim McClain, the bird was released. The bird flew and landed on a nearby roof where it perched.

Eagle Release June 1, 2018@J. McClain

June 1, 2018@J.McClain

eagle perched after release@J. McClain

Jim reported that the fledgling and both adults were seen at the nest on June 7th and 9th, so we know that the young eagle is doing well. Thank you to all involved in this lucky eagles recovery.

Fledgling back on nest June 10, 2018@Jim McClain

 

 

New Jersey 2017 Bald Eagle Project Report

Posted on by larissasmith
Another productive year for NJ’s eagles

by Larissa Smith, CWF Wildlife Biologist

E/07,Purcellville, VA;10/16/17@ Amie Ware

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ in partnership with the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species Program has released the 2017 NJ Bald Eagle Project Report.  In 2017, 178 eagle nests were monitored during the nesting season. Of these nests 153 were active (with eggs) and 25 were territorial or housekeeping pairs. One hundred and ninety young were fledged. Continue reading “New Jersey 2017 Bald Eagle Project Report”

Update On “Jersey Girl:” A Jersey Eagle Nesting In Pennsylvania

Posted on by larissasmith

‘Jersey Girl’ and Her Mate Rebuild Nest for the 2016 Nesting Season

by Larissa Smith, wildlife biologist

Jersey Girl, B-64, New nest 2016@ L. Oughton
‘Jersey Girl,’ B-64, New nest 2016 Photo by L. Oughton.

We continue to follow the story of “Jersey Girl” B-64. She was banded in Hopewell, Cumberland County, New Jersey in 2004 and this is the fifth season her and her mate have nested in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In 2015 after successfully raising three chicks, their nest collapsed due to rain and wind at the end of June, but luckily the three chicks had already fledged.

 

Nest observer Lind Oughton reported, “Well our great ‘Jersey Girl’ and mate have done it again. They built a brand new nest in the same tree but about 15 feet lower that the first nest. It is much more secure where it is now.” She reported incubation on February 12th and hatching around March 18th. On April 1st, she saw one chick in the nest. We will continue to follow “Jersey Girl’s” story and keep you updated.

"Jersey Girl", B-64, 2016 new nest@L. Oughton
“Jersey Girl”, B-64, 2016 new nest. Photo by L. Oughton

 

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Larissa Smith is a wildlife biologist for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.