Shelby Township is telling the public about a pair of American bald eagles they say are nesting at Holland Ponds Park in the township.
According to township officials, the bald eagles were first spotted by a wildlife photographer and bald eagle observer.
Officials believe the pair are nesting and ready to rear juvenile eagles.
“Wildlife photographer and bald eagle observer Joan Bonin reported that the eagles have been seen sitting low in the nest, appearing to roll egg(s) and change guard, a sign they are incubating eggs,” Elizabeth Schulz, the nature center coordinator for Shelby Township, said in a statement. "Typically, one to three eggs are laid as early as January, hatching in about five weeks. The chicks take flight at about 3 months old and look nothing like adults. Juveniles are solid brown with mottled white areas underneath their wings. They do not gain their iconic white head and tail until they are about 5 years old.”
According to officials, if they are successful at rearing young, the bald eagles will remain monogamous to each other and come back to the same next each year. The nest starts at around 5 feet wide and as the pair adds to it each year, the nests can grow to 9 feet wide.
“It’s imperative that we all work together to protect our new eagles. This means following federal guidelines for viewing in a way that won’t disturb them. Visitors must stay more than 330 feet from the nest, and drones are prohibited within 1,000 feet of the nest," Schulz added in a statement. “If the eagles feel too stressed, they may abandon their nest and young. Improper disposal of fishing lines and lead-based lures are also dangerous for wildlife, especially bald eagles who can get lead poisoning from the fish they eat or trapped in old fishing lines while hunting.”
The township is hosting a guided hike on Saturday, April 8 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to help people safely view the eagles. To participate in the hike, meet at Holland Ponds at 50385 Ryan Road at 2 p.m. Be sure to dress for the weather with proper footwear and bring binoculars if you have them. Staff from the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center will provide a limited supply of binoculars to share. Holland Ponds Park is open from dawn to dusk or 8 p.m., whichever comes first.
“This is truly a success story considering both the park location and the species involved,” Schultz said. “The area now known as Holland Ponds was deemed a superfund site by the EPA due to contamination by hazardous waste from the adjacent former G&H landfill company. Around this time, the bald eagle nearly went extinct because of human persecution and DDT poisoning. In 1961, Michigan had only 52 active bald eagle nests. All of that has changed thanks to federal, state, and local conservation and habitat restoration initiatives.
