Shelby Township Officials Secure Area Around American Bald Eagles Nest

SHLEBY TOWNSHIP, MI — After discovering two American Bald Eagles nesting at Holland Ponds Park in Shelby Township, officials are putting in new safety practices for park visitors to ensure the safety of the eagles and their nest.

People and pets must stay at least 330 feet from the nest, and drones are prohibited within 1,000 feet of nesting areas, per federal guidelines from the United States Fish and Wildlife Services.

Officials placed barricades in the area around the nest to ensure compliance with federal guidelines and prevent any unintentional disturbance of the eagles’ nest through the nesting season, which lasts through August, officials said.

Any disturbances to the nest can cause the eagles to abandon their nest and the young, Naturalist/Nature Center Coordinator for Shelby Township Parks Recreation and Maintenance Elizabeth "Lizzy" Schultz said.

"We must work together to protect our new eagles by following federal guidelines for viewing in a way that won't disturb them," Schultz said. "Improper disposal of fishing lines and lead-based lures is also dangerous for bald eagles who can get lead poisoning from the fish they eat or trapped in old fishing lines while hunting."

Shelby Township Police will also monitor access points to the trails near the nesting area and other portions of Holland Ponds Park. Anyone who sees someone walk behind the barriers should call police at 586-731-2121.

In addition to the new barriers and patrols, the eagles' nest is in the same area around the heron rookery, which already has viewing areas and trails designed to avoid nest disturbance while allowing access for hikers and nature enthusiasts.

Officials believe, based on their activities and behaviors, that they are nesting and readying to rear juvenile eagles, also called eaglets.

Shultz said typically, one-to-three eggs can be laid as early as January, and can take about five weeks to hatch.

The chicks then learn to fly at about 3 months old and look nothing like adults. The 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, Shultz said.

If the rearing is successful, officials said the eagles will remain monogamous to each other and come back to the same nest every year.

The nest, or eyrie, starts at about 5 feet wide, and as the pair adds to it each year, nests can reach 9 feet in width and weigh as much as a car.

Officials will lead a free guided hike so that residents and visitors can safely view the eagles on Saturday, April 8, from 2 p.m.-3 p.m.

If you want to participate in the hike, you should meet at Holland Ponds at 50385 Ryan Road at 2 p.m. on April 8. Officials said to dress appropriately for the weather and wear proper footwear. The park is open from dawn to dusk or 8 p.m., whichever comes first.

Any regarding the eagles, or how to best to view them, can be directed to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center at 586-323-2478 during business hours, or by email at naturecenter@shelbytwp.org.