Now that Peregrine Season is over I finally have time to visit other nests. Yesterday I stopped by the Hays Eagle Viewing Area on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and was happy to find Eaglestreamer (Wendy) on site. She filled me in on all the latest news.
The bald eagle chick, H7, walked off the nest on June 2 and has been branching ever since. In this June 4 video you can see both adults standing by while H7 does some wing exercises. Like all bald eagle chicks H7 is dark brown and hard to see with wings closed.
Meanwhile the adults are very attentive but have changed their behavior in small ways that are similar to peregrine fledge-time. For instance, they sometimes take more time to deliver food by flying past the juvenile with prey in their talons.
Very soon — any day now — H7 will fly for the first time. Eagle fans are on the trail every day, awaiting that exciting moment. Stop by and join them. Click here for directions.
If you can’t make it to the trail, here are some ways to enjoy eagle watching from afar.
- See Eaglestreamer’s videos on her YouTube channel.
- Eagles of Hays PA on Facebook by Dana Nesiti
- Pittsburgh Eagles on Facebook
- Annette Devinney’s photos on Facebook
Exciting days ahead!
(video by Eaglestreamer on YouTube, photo by Kate St. John)
Thanks for the links, Kate. With the cam out of commission, due to the loss of the original nest tree, we rely on these great photographers to spot H7 for us. Even more so now that H7 will soon be flying.