During the fall and winter of 1999-2000, Phyllis Serrian observed and took notes on the nesting bald eagles at Pelotes Island Nature Preserve.   To learn more about bald eagles, click here.  

Here are some of her notes!

October:  The parents return to the nesting site.  They bring branches to rebuild the nest.  “Once I watched them stare into each others eyes and touch beaks!” said Ms. Serrian.
November:  This is when incubation starts.  You will almost always find one bird sitting on the nest.  When the other eagle comes back, they trade places.  When they get bored, they rearrange the furniture (twigs & branches)!
December:  The eggs begin to hatch.  You can usually see the babies around the end of the month.  When the babies hatch, they are covered with soft down feathers.
January:  The adults bring food to the eaglets.  Toward the middle of the month, you may see the eaglets stretch and flap their wings while they dream about flying.
February:  The eaglets are almost as large as the parents.  They spend time sitting on top of the nest preening, wing flapping, and jumping from one side of the nest to the other.  The adults still feed the babies.
March:  The beginning of the month you will see the eaglets “flying” from the nest to the branches of their tree and back again.  By the end of the month, they will be able to leave the nest to find their own food.

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