Bald eagle chicks have begun fledging

This picture shows two of the eaglets sitting on a branch above their nest

The three bald eagle chicks at Decorah's bald eagle nest have begun fledging, or learning how to fly.

Raptor Resource Project Director Bob Anderson says he had been expecting the fledging to begin some time between June 11th and June 25th.  Last Thursday two of the Decorah eaglets left the nest and flew to the upper branches of the nest tree.  A short while later the third eaglet jumped from the nest to the branch to join the rest of the eagle family.

On Saturday one of the young eaglets left the nest and was flying as if it had been on the wing for weeks.

Says Anderson, "We will see the Decorah fledglings less and less as they take to the sky."  The eaglets are expected to leave the nest permanently some time around the first of September.