SHELBY TWP. (WWJ) – A pair of American bald eagles have been spotted nesting in Shelby Township and officials believe they’re preparing to welcome eaglets.
The eagles are nesting at Holland Ponds Park in Shelby and “based on the birds’ activities and behaviors, local officials believe the pair are nesting and readying to rear juvenile eagles,” according to a post on the township’s Facebook page.
Officials with the nearby Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center will be hosting a free guided hike from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 8 to see the birds.
Nature center officials say they need the public’s help in “keeping our new eagle family safe.” That means following federal guidelines for viewing in a way that won’t disturb them.
Officials say those who want to see the eagles must always stay more than 330 feet from the nest and no drones are permitted within 1,000 feet of the nest.
“If the eagles feel too stressed, they may abandon their nest and young,” nature center officials said. “Improper disposal of fishing line and lead-based lures are also dangerous for wildlife, especially bald eagles who can get lead poisoning from the fish they eat or trapped in old fishing lines while hunting.”
“Typically, one to three eggs are laid as early as January, hatching in about five weeks. The chicks take flight at about 3 months old and look nothing like adults," said Nature Center Coordinator Elizabeth “Lizzy” Schultz. "Juveniles are solid brown with mottled white areas underneath their wings. They do not gain their iconic white head and tail until they are about 5 years old.”
If successful at rearing young, American bald eagles, they will remain monogamous to each other and come back to the same nest each year, according to Schultz. The nest, or eyrie, starts at about 5 feet wide. As the pair adds to it each year, nests can reach 9 feet in width and weigh as much as a car.
Anyone who wants to learn more about the eagles and how to best view them can stop by the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, located at 4101 River Bends Drive in Shelby Twp. The nature center is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
To participate in the hike, meet at Holland Ponds at 50385 Ryan Road at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. Be sure to dress for the weather with proper footwear and bring binoculars if you have them. Staff from the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center will provide a limited supply of binoculars to share.
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