Decorah bald eagles seem to have chosen a new nest

Photo courtesy of Raptor Resource Project

It appears that the Decorah bald eagles have chosen a new nest to lay eggs in this season.

The eagles started building a secone nest last fall.  Raptor Resource Proect Director Bob Anderson observed them bouncing back and forth between the old nest and the new nest as late as Wednesday morning.  But Anderson says the eagles appear to like the new nest more than the old nest.  Anderson also notes that if the eagles were going to use the old nest, they should have brought in soft nesting materials and started building a nest bowl for their eggs.
 
According to Iowa DNR wildlife expert Pat Schlaurbaum,:"Alternative nests are quite common for a species that exhibits compulsive nest building behavior.  While many alternative nests are active immediately, there are instances where eagles relocate from the alternative nest and return to the original nest and vice versa."
 
If the Decorah eagles have chosen the new nest, Raptor Resource Project intends to seek the approval and support from landowners near the new nest to install cameras this fall in preparation for the 2014 nesting season.  Says Anderson, "Cameras at both nests will assure that the public will be able to follow these famous eagles."