In Defense of Eagles

eagles
by

Those of you who have followed my blog here over the years know that I am a passionate fan of Bald Eagles, particularly those nesting in our Fox River Valley.  As I write this month’s blog (in late March), we are solidly into the Bald Eagle nesting season in our area.  Most eagles laid their eggs in late-February and the eggs will begin hatching in late March.  In fact, one nest that I monitor has possibly already hatched its first eaglet (on March 21).

A female Bald Eagle (Bonnie), sits on the Eldamain Road bridge nest. She may have an eaglet as well as an egg under her. Photo taken on Friday, March 21, 2025.

Visiting this nest near the Eldamain Road bridge over the Fox River and my subsequent visit to the Hoover Forest Preserve Fox River observation platform in Kendall County, inspired me to write this blog today.  In one of my previous columns (March, 2023), I wrote about the comeback of the Bald Eagle from the brink of local extirpation and how that comeback was tied to the improvements in the habitat and water quality of the Fox River.  Those improvements were made possible by the work of local activists (Jim Phillips aka The Fox) and local conservation groups in conjunction with governmental regulations like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of the early 1970’s that, among other things, outlawed the use of DDT as a pesticide in our environment.  DDT’s presence in the food chain was one of the main reasons for the decline of Bald Eagles in the United States as it caused an unnatural thinning of the birds’ eggshells, leading them to break from the simple act of incubation.  The eggs would crack from the weight of their parents sitting on them, trying to keep them warm.  The Clean Water Act also resulted in higher water quality and greater fish populations in the river, providing an abundant food source for the eagles.

As I watched the eagle nest looking for signs of a young eagle being fed by its mother just that morning, I  was struck with the idea that we are fortunate to live where people have taken care of the river and it’s possible to see such amazing sights.  Later, as I sat in my favorite place to watch birds along the river, the Fox River observation platform at the Hoover Forest Preserve, I saw the father of the eaglet from the Eldamain nest returning with a large gizzard shad that he had caught upstream.  As he passed me on the platform, he looked in my direction. 

The male from the Eldamain Road bridge nest (Clyde), with a gizzard shad he caught upstream of the Hoover Forest Preserve in the Fox River, Kendall County. He’s returning to the nest with it for Bonnie and perhaps his eaglet.

At first, I thought he was looking at me, but then a beautiful four-year old subadult Bald Eagle appeared almost directly over my head.  The father eagle was watching him, lest the young eagle make a move to try to steal his fish!  The young eagle was missing a couple of primary feathers on his right wing, perhaps from run-ins with other adult eagles.  The young eagle, perhaps wisely, didn’t follow the adult male back towards the nest and instead circled above me for a few minutes watching me.  He probably wondered what I was doing and thinking in the same way that I wonder what they’re thinking and doing.

A magnificent four-year old Bald Eagle flies over my head on the Fox River observation platform in the Hoover Forest Preserve. He was shadowing Clyde perhaps in hopes of stealing his fish. Notice that this eagle is missing a couple of his primary feathers on his left wing. He might have lost them in a scrap with an adult!
The four-year old eagle looks down at me from almost directly overhead. It was when I took this picture that I decided to write this column. These birds are so incredible! They need our help to ensure their continued existence in our watershed.

What I was thinking is that the eagles have no way of knowing how and why they have made a comeback in our watershed, but we do.  Eagles have no idea about, no any way to influence, threats to their continued existence.  Eagles don’t know about current federal proposals to scale back or even eliminate provisions of the clean water and clean air laws, but we do.  Our river and the wild residents of our watershed have no voice to speak on their own behalf. They rely on us concerned residents to speak up for keeping our water and air clean and safe for all of our nation’s residents, whether human or wild.  The time for action is now. 

Bonnie, the female eagle from the Eldamain Road bridge nest, in a tree just upstream of the nest prior to laying her eggs back in February, 2025. She is a very distinctive looking bird!

Let’s resolve to be the collective voice for
our watershed’s and country’s natural resources. 

Abandoning the laws that protect the environment would be a long-term disaster for all of us. Correcting the degradation and pollution that would surely occur with deregulation would result in huge negative impacts to our precious natural resources.  We’ve been here before and have seen what happens when industry is left to its own devices when it comes to protecting the environment.  Environmental protection takes a distant backseat to maximizing profits.  It’s up to us to use our collective voices.  Do we value preserving our natural heritage, or do we value maximizing profits for corporations and industries who have little environmental conscience?

We have a choice.  The river and eagles don’t.  

Until next month, continue to enjoy our beautiful Fox River Valley and Keep On Fixin’ the Fox!

Meghan, the female from the Hinckley nest pair, circles above me in the late afternoon sunshine. She is a beautiful eagle! Let’s work together to help preserve our river and, in turn, these wonderful birds.

All photos taken in the Fox River watershed in 2025 by Tom Schrader.