The Poudre Learning Center
is a premier facility for interdisciplinary learning that will focus on the
importance of history, science, economics, stewardship and aesthetics of the
Cache la Poudre River in Northeastern Colorado.
The carefully watched eagle nest at the PLC produced three eaglets the 2nd week of April and 5th
grade students from Skyview were able to see them being fed. The eaglets will spend
30-40 days in the nest being fed by both parents at the end of which they’ll actually
be larger than the parents, due to the good nutrition. They’ll retain a brown head
for two years or so and then the familiar white of the bald-eagle will emerge.
Everyone at PLC is excited about these new arrivals and students will enjoy this
opportunity to observe eagle life.
Bald eagles have been seen near the Poudre Learning Center since 2002, when a pair came to stay.
During their first year, they set up their home by displacing a pair of herons from their nest.
You can see that this old herons’ nest
is perched on a dead cottonwood tree.
The eagles did not raise any eaglets until their second year, when they had one baby which
was banded by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. They had another eaglet the following year,
but this one was not banded.
The eagles returned but seemed not to like their new home. They built a new nest for themselves
on another dead tree near the River. It is now March 2007, and the eagles are nesting again.
You can see them if you go towards the 95th Avenue location of the Poudre River Trail.
Remember to bring your binoculars, as we recommend that you stay away at least half
a mile from the nest, so that the eagles are not disturbed. Let us know if you see any
eaglets in the nest! Email Ray Tschillard at rtschillard@greeleyschools.org.
If you want to get up close to see an eagle, please go to the
Xcel Energy Webcam.
