What's Happening in Shelby Township, MI…

Holland Ponds Park in Shelby Township is home to two American bald eagles who are nesting and preparing to rear their young eagles, known as eaglets.

Word of such special occurrences is often spread throughout a community with flyer printing.

Elizabeth Shultz alluded to Joab Bonin, an observer of bald eagles and wildlife photographer, saying that the two eagles have been sitting in the nest as they change guard to incubate the eggs. Shultz said that typically bald eagles produce one to three eggs, which take about five weeks to hatch. At three months old, the eaglets learn to fly and take on the “bald” look when they reach five years of age.

If the rearing is successful, the two mature eagles will remain faithful to each other for the rest of their lives and return to the same nest every year to raise more eaglets.

Schultz stressed the importance of everyone working together to protect the eagles. She added that visitors cannot be any closer than 330 feet from the nest and drones need to be at least 1,000 feet away. If the eagles begin to feel stressed, they may abandon the nest and the eaglets.

The Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center staff have some pairs of binoculars for people to share to view the eagles if they do not have their own.