Hays eaglet hatches at new nest location

Behavior by the birds indicates new arrival

It took awhile to be sure, but the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania confirmed Wednesday morning that an egg has hatched at the Hays eagles’ nest site, overlooking the Monongahela River.

Views into the nest via the popular live feed-video camera have been obscured since February, when the tree that held the nest collapsed in a windstorm. The resourceful pair quickly built a makeshift nest in a nearby sycamore tree. The new nest is partially in view of the camera but doesn’t offer a peek inside.

Audubon spokeswoman Rachel Handel said that on Monday eagle watchers said the birds were exhibiting behavior suggesting that an egg had hatched.

“We had people down on the trail calling us saying they think something was happening at the nest,” she said. “It was not until [Tuesday] that we believed the behavior we were observing showed the possibility of a hatch. We still haven’t seen a chick, but based on a couple days of definite feeding behavior by the adults, we are able to confirm that a hatch has occurred.”

On Tuesday morning the adults were seen repeatedly bringing food into the nest, ripping it apart and ducking their heads, behavior that Ms. Handel said is indicative of parents feeding a chick.

“People have been asking how this is possible. The hatching of this egg is a big success story for these eagles, considering all they’ve overcome this year,” said Ms. Handel.

Bald eagles generally lay two eggs per year with two or three

days between each delivery.

With unusually easy and ample food availability during this pair’s five years of parenthood, the Hays eagles have been laying three eggs per year, although not all of them have been viable and some of the chicks died. An egg was in the nest and was destroyed when the tree fell Feb. 12. Within two days, the pair was building a replacement nest in a familiar nearby tree where the male has frequently perched.

Ms. Handel said the egg that hatched this week is believed to be the third in this breeding cycle.

“That they were able to so quickly build a nest, lay an egg and hatch an eaglet is a fantastic story about how strong and determined and resourceful this pair is,” she said.

Without a camera’s eye view into the nest this year, eagle watchers will have to wait at least two weeks before a fuzzy gray head peeks over the crest of the nest.

“It would be hard to see a newly hatched eaglet from the trail ... because the chick would be too small and too low in the nest to see,” Ms. Handel said. “We’ve been spoiled by the camera. It seems odd to not know exactly what’s going on.”

The current nest is the third the birds have built on the same hillside. Their first collapsed in 2013.