Eagle nesting activity up statewide this year

Three Floyd County nests produce eaglets.

The restoration of a thriving bald eagle population in Georgia hit a new record for active nests this year.

Bob Sargent, a non-game program manager for the DNR, said surveys identified 218 active nests, up from the previous high of 210 in 2015.

Sargent and Department of Natural Resources biologists conduct aerial surveys twice during the breeding season to determine the number of active nests and the number of young that hatch.

Of the 218 nests, 142 were successful in producing young this year.

Sargent said aerial surveys also identified 218 eaglets. However, he stressed, the actual number is probably significantly higher. In the second round of flight surveys in Southwest Georgia alone there were nearly 20 nests where the birds were still hatching eggs, Sargent said.

In Floyd County only three of the known nests were successful in producing young. The nest on the main campus at Berry produced two eaglets. They are about ready for their first flight. The Fosters Bend nest produced one and one of the nests at the Rocky Mountain project produced two young eaglets this year.

“Obviously we’re a little disappointed with the local numbers,” said David Gregory a wildlife biologist with the DNR Armuchee office. “We also understand that we’re dealing with nature and you’re going to have a lot of ups and downs.”

Sargent said the original nest at the Rocky Mountain project was in very bad shape and appears to have been abandoned. Because of the proximity of the second nest at the public fishing area northwest of Rome, Sargent suspects the same pair of eagles may have been responsible for both.

The Booze Mountain Road nest and Lake Marvin nest also failed to produce any young this year; however, activity was noted at both nests over the winter. “What happened is anybody’s guess,” Sargent said.

He said the nest on the Etowah River at Hardin Bridge in Bartow County had one young this year.

Sargent is particularly excited about the growth in the number of counties across Georgia with active nests, which rose by five to 68 counties.

Photo contributed by Gena Flanigen The Berry College eagle chicks are venturing farther and farther away from their nest in anticipation of that first flight which could come any day.