This new Bald Eagle nest may well be used for the first time in 2017.  The nest was completed in the fall of 2015 and the Eagle pair spent a great deal of time around the nest in the spring of 2016.  But it appears that no eggs were ever laid.  This “playing house” is not unusual among  a newly formed pair of Eagles.

It has been stated for many years that a Bald Eagle pair will mate for life, but if one partner dies, or disappears, the other will if lucky find another mate. A newly bonded pair may work several years on a nest before actually breeding. They may desert one nest site and start again somewhere else, usually within 1/2 mile. In Eastern Massachusetts, bald eagles will begin to nest sometime in February or March.  Each nesting pair will spend a great amount of time preparing the nest before any egg is laid. The successful nest is generally located in a large tree, within one mile from water, either a lake or river, where adequate food is available.

Bald eagle nests are generally found from (50 to 120 feet) above the ground, in a tall, sturdy tree. It takes at least two weeks for a pair of eagles to build their nest.

A typical bald eagle nest will range from 6-10 feet in diameter and about 6 to 10 feet high. The nest cavity, where the eggs are laid, will be about 12 to 16 inches in diameter and about 4 inches deep.

A pair of eagles, once established, may use the same nest several times over a period of years. Each year more materials are added to the nest, which increases the size of the nest each year that it is used. Nests weighing up to 2 tons have been found.  Stay tuned!