Syracuse.com - The bald eagles are on their nests at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

[HuntingNY-News]

"We have five active pairs that are currently on their nests with the potential to lay eggs," said Scott Stipetich, a fish and wildlife biologist at the 9,000-acre refuge.

The eagles have landed and are on their nests at the Montezuma National Wildlife Preserve,

“We have five active pairs that are currently on their nests with the potential to lay eggs,” said Scott Stipetich, a fish and wildlife biologist at the 9,000-acre refuge.

Staff photographer Mike Greenlar this week caught several on film, along with other birds and wildlife, along the refuge's wildlife drive.

Stipetich said Immature bald eagles are completely chocolate brown colored.

“It takes bald eagles four to five years to reach sexual maturity,” he said. “As a general rule, you can tell when they hit it when they get that white head and tail feathers – a characteristic of both the males and females.”

In the past, Stipetich said, a popular viewing area of a nesting pair of bald eagles has been at Mud Lock, at the northern end of Cayuga Lake. Those eagles are still in the same general area but have moved their nest back a bit and aren’t as visible.

On the refuge, he said there’s a nesting pair on Maple Island, an island surrounded by water in the refuge’s main pool. The island can be seen along the refuge’s wildlife drive.

Bald eagles begin nesting toward the end of February and eggs hatch in about 35 days.

The Maple Island nest is visible. Visitors can see the eagles, which take turns sitting on the nest, with a good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope, Stipetich said.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog