NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — All eyes are on a nest high up in a tree at Radnor Lake State Park. For several days now, a large crowd has gathered at an observation deck along the lake trail each morning to see if an American Bald Eaglet, only 11 weeks old, is ready to take his or her first ever flight.
"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed one hiker as she gazed into Park Manager Steve Ward's scope.
"I see one of them. I see both of them," said Nathan Collie, a wildlife photographer, as he framed up his shot.
As is customary with baby Bald Eagles, the juvenile doesn't have the distinctive white "bald" head just yet. That won't develop until age four. "It’s a black and brownish color," Ward explained to another park guest.
Just gazing at the eaglet in the nest has drawn quite a crowd, but most are hoping they'll catch the first flight in person. "There is a majesty, there’s no more beautiful animal I can think of," said Dave Johnson, who is a regular out at Radnor. "I’m hoping it takes flight this minute."
The miracle baby
Park Manager Steve Ward, who is especially fond of the eagles, says it's a miracle there are any baby eagles this year. The mom and dad have called Radnor Lake home for the last four years. They are the first native eagles in park history. The pair had two little eggs in the nest over the winter. Then, tragedy struck.
"The nest collapsed on February 14th during some storms," said Ward. "We found the nest destroyed, it was sheared in half, and we had lost two eggs."
The whole staff was distraught. But within 24 hours, the mom and dad started rebuilding their nest on the same tree, just about 10 feet higher. A few weeks later, they had a new baby on the way.
The Waiting Game
Like many others, Photojournalist Bud Nelson and reporter Chris Davis came out two mornings in a row, just after sunrise, hoping to catch the eaglet's first flight at Radnor. There were a few indications the fledgling would be imminent. "He’s jumping around and flapping his wings and giving every indication he’s going to fly the nest," said Paul Buchanan, a past President of Friends of Radnor Lake State Park.
Sadly, it hasn't happened yet. The exact timing of the first flight is only known to the eaglet. "Well, it be great [to see] but the chances aren’t probably great," said Buchanan.
"Odds are probably a little better than the lottery," joked Rob Cochran, another frequent hiker out at the park.
But you can be sure, whenever he or she finally takes flight, a whole host of hikers, along with the park manager, will be eager to see it. "Every time I see one, it’s like the first time," said Ward. "There’s just something about them, there’s just nothing else like them in nature."
What's next for the eaglet?
Ward tells us the baby eagle will be allowed to roost in the nest with Mom and Dad for a few more months. They'll teach the juvenile how to hunt and build a nest. Ward likened it to parents sending their kids off to college with a used car and a debit card.
Come October or so, the parents will kick the child out of the nest and send him or her off on their own. Unfortunately, since eagles are pretty territorial, the baby eagle won't be able to call Radnor home anymore.
By age four or five, he or she will be a fully formed adult, will find a mate, and will begin parenthood themselves.
Do you plan on seeing if you can witness the eaglet's first flight? Did you catch it in a photo or video? Send any photos or videos you take to Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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