Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Grand Lake bald eagles hatch young
By Nancy Allen
GRAND LAKE - Two pairs of eagles on Grand Lake have hatched young.
The eaglets hatched a few days apart about April 9 or 10, said Jill Bowers, a volunteer eagle watcher for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
"I think there's probably at least two in each nest," Bowers said.
Both nests are on the southside of the lake - one in the Mercer Wildlife Area and the other behind Aquaview housing subdivision.
Bowers said she has caught glimpses of light gray mottled with dark brown as the eaglets' fuzzy down feathers disappear.
Both nests are difficult to view unless a spotting scope is used, she said. The wildlife area nest is located deep within the state protected area, and the parents at the Aquaview nest built the sides high. Trees leafing out also will hide the nest.
The best bet for a peek of the eaglets may be from the water.
"You could probably see them from a boat," Bowers said. "The Prairie Creek pair (at Aquaview) would be nice from a boat or raft."
The Aquaview pair has used the same nest since arriving at the lake in 2006. The pair in the wildlife area is on its third new nest in as many years. That pair came to the lake in 2001.
The incubation period for bald eagles is roughly 35 days.
Both pairs have reared about 30 young since they started nesting on Grand Lake.
