North Park bald eagles, watchers are waiting for an egg

Do they or don’t they?

The North Park bald eagles are drawing crowds of watchers noting that the birds have been spending lots of time at their nest — but not enough time to confirm an egg just yet, according to North Park rangers on Thursday.

The pair built the first eagle nest at an Allegheny County park in Pittsburgh’s North Hills, one of a only a handful of known eagle nests in the county.

If the birds successfully breed in the park, the site likely will be the most accessible area for the public to reliably view a bald eagle in the Pittsburgh area.

Park rangers and others are waiting for the birds to stay continuously at the nest for several days. Although, the birds have been spending lots of time there recently, indicating they might soon be breeding.

Curious onlookers and regular eagle watchers have been visiting the North Dakota shelter at the intersection of Pearce Mill and Brown roads, which is only place to safely watch the eagles without disturbing the birds.

“There’s a nice community atmosphere there with photographers, nature watchers and just people stopping by,” said Braden Meiter lead supervisory park ranger for Allegheny County Parks.

One watcher is Howard Kepple, 58, of West Deer, who has been visiting the shelter twice a day for the last several months.

“I love the eagles,” he said. “I grew up in the area and we used to ride bicycles here.”

Kepple is retired now. “I really got a passion for these birds.”

The rangers have been watching and waiting to see if the birds, believed to be a young couple, will start a family this season. Although the eagles were seen at the nest most of the day Thursday, both birds did momentarily leave, indicating there isn’t an egg yet, Meiter said.

“We’re going to be cautious about making a confirmation about it,” he added.

In the meantime, the rangers and the public continue to visit the birds, which, if they are not at the nest, are seen hunting at nearby Marshal Lake and flying throughout the park.

The rangers bring binoculars for the public to view the nest, which is on a hillside where access by the public is prohibited until after the nesting season.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission, which is monitoring the North Park eagles, said fines can go as high at $1,500 for people who disturb the nesting activity of the eagles.